# Whats the best comedy movie ever made? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 30, 2001, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-comedy-movie-ever-made/78843 "2001-08-30T00:49:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Airblairxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Airblairxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airblairxxx)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2001, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-comedy-movie-ever-made/78843/61 "2001-08-31T00:31:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by rjung \* > \*\*Oooooh, lots of good choices, but I’m going to name a film that _nobody_ has mentioned yet! > > **BRAIN DONORS!** > > . . .nobody else I know has ever heard of it… \*\* I’ve heard of it. I own it on VHS–has it come out on DVD? I still have the underwear I nearly peed in when I went to see it in the theater. Damn, what a funny movie. ---
**Author:** ![xanakis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/7bcc69/32.png) [@xanakis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xanakis)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2001, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-comedy-movie-ever-made/78843/62 "2001-08-31T01:04:46Z")
Since we’re extending this beyond just best comedy I would mention any Laurel and Hardy movie and any Marx Bros. movie (especially that one in the cabin on the liner that Fenris mentioned). Someone should start a “Best Groucho Marx Quote” thread. In fact, I might as well do it since Ive thought of it. ---
**Author:** ![brianjedi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@brianjedi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianjedi)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2001, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-comedy-movie-ever-made/78843/63 "2001-08-31T01:23:41Z")
Ghostbusters- I quote this movie at least once a day. Harold Ramis is just as funny as Murray and Aykroyd in it. Blues Brothers- Funny as heck. MST3K: The Movie- I can quote the entire first segment into the theater. Gets quoted almost as often as Ghostbusters. Below those are about 25 movies that I won’t list here for brevity’s sake. -Brianjedi ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2001, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-comedy-movie-ever-made/78843/64 "2001-08-31T08:15:45Z")
**Amazon Women on the Moon** – one of those “skit” movies (not unlike **Kentucky Fried Movie** ). ---
**Author:** ![FriendRob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecc23a/32.png) [@FriendRob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriendRob)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2001, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-comedy-movie-ever-made/78843/65 "2001-08-31T11:39:09Z")
Most of mine have already been mentioned. I’ll just add Men in Black - “Have you ever flashy-thinged me?” Sleepers, Take the Money and Run - Haven’t seen these is a while. Saw Annie Hall again recently and it seemed dated and not as funny as it was the first time. Still, some classic scenes. Most people don’t like Stardust Memories, but I thought it was great. “We liked all your movies, especially the early, funny ones.” Never Cry Wolf - hilarious, but has a serious side too. “He says, ‘Good idea.’” Forget Paris - For my money, better than When Harry met Sally. ---
**Author:** ![Kid\_Gilligan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kid\_Gilligan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kid_Gilligan)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2001, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-comedy-movie-ever-made/78843/66 "2001-08-31T12:05:24Z")
\*\*Harold & Maude, Harold & Maude, Harold & Maude. \*\* There is no doubt that laughs are the number one priority in rating comedies, and when you see the ways Harold tries to shock his mother, or the things he does to scare off the girls she chooses for him from the dating service, you will laugh plenty. But when a comedy tugs at your heart and makes you look at the world a little differently, (as only a comedy can do) it enters another realm. This film quite literally **changed my life**. And for those who say only laughs count. The OP asked for _best comedy movie_, not _funniest movie_. There’s a difference. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2001, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-comedy-movie-ever-made/78843/67 "2001-08-31T15:36:34Z")
- South Park BLU - How did I forget that? Canada: “We’ve already apologised for Brian Adams.” - Being There - I know Chance the Gardner must be a fan. - The Odd Couple - Watched it recently for the first time in 20 years and marveled at it’s genius. - The Jerk - “I was born a poor white child…”, “He hates cans!”, “All I need is this lamp and this chair and this remote and this paddle and my little dog. Grrrr. Okay, I don’t need my dog but…” - Fargo - “Other than not being circumcised how was he funny looking?” - M_A_S\*H - Austin Powers - It’s a machine for travelling through time. I like to call it my “Time Machine”. - Ferris Bueller’s Day Off - well, at least the first half. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2001, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-comedy-movie-ever-made/78843/68 "2001-08-31T15:42:16Z")
> [@](#): > > The Jerk - “I was born a poor white child…”, Wouldn’t that be, “I was born a poor black child” ? ---
**Author:** ![penael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ea5d25/32.png) [@penael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penael)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2001, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-comedy-movie-ever-made/78843/69 "2001-08-31T16:11:51Z")
Both of my favorites that spring to mind are already posted. I’ll just show my allegiance: Trains, Planes, and Automobiles Amazon Women on the Moon A coworkers’ fave: Arthur! ---
**Author:** ![Tretiak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a88e57/32.png) [@Tretiak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tretiak)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2001, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-comedy-movie-ever-made/78843/70 "2001-08-31T16:23:15Z")
**Blazing Saddles** - “Where all 'da white women at?” **Monty Python’s The Life of Brian** - “You lucky bastard!” **Office Space** - “PC Load Letter? What the fuck does that mean?” Ask me tomorrow, I’ll probably have some differnt ones. ---
**Author:** ![berdollos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@berdollos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/berdollos)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2001, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-comedy-movie-ever-made/78843/71 "2001-08-31T17:12:58Z")
Mr. Hulot’s holiday (directed by Jacques Tati) ---
**Author:** ![epolo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b487fb/32.png) [@epolo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epolo)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2001, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-comedy-movie-ever-made/78843/72 "2001-08-31T17:13:48Z")
**Putney Swope** By Robert Downey (a prince) Check it out. “Where you at, man?” “Stratosphere, baby, stratosphere. I’m stacked up over La Guardia and I ain’t comin’ down for _no_body, not even you.” ---
**Author:** ![Carpane\_Mado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4da419/32.png) [@Carpane\_Mado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carpane_Mado)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2001, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-comedy-movie-ever-made/78843/73 "2001-08-31T20:21:36Z")
The mad adventures of Rabbi Jacob has somehow missed this list and I can’t fathom why. The tall blonde man with one black shoe also does quite well. The original, not that drek remake with Tom Hanks. ---
**Author:** ![Zappo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b3f665/32.png) [@Zappo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zappo)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2001, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-comedy-movie-ever-made/78843/74 "2001-08-31T20:57:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ellen \* > **It’s not knee-slapping funny, but one of my favorites has always been Albert Brooks’ “Defending Your Life” with Meryl Streep. Well, sometimes it is. (“Take a piss!”) The Past Lives Pavillian – hoo, boy! Actually, I like every Brooks movie I’ve ever seen.** Finally, somebody else who loves “Defending Your Life”! I guess it takes a certain sensibility to love it, but I do. Rip Torn is one of the funniest guys on the planet IMO and I love his role in this film. “Still don’t get the big brain bit, do ya?” is one of my stock smartass answers ever since I saw that film, and it’s been what, ten years now? And I can’t help but think of Buck Henry as the almost-catatonic fill-in lawyer whenever I’m in court and turn down a cross-examination. “Nope, I’m fine with that!” Most of my other faves have already been mentioned, but I’ll mention them again: “It’s a Mad, Mad World”: Sid Caesar in the hardware store basement always cracks me up. “The Blues Brothers”: “Not right now, but we’ll be knockin’ back a few later. You see, we’re the band!” “The Hudsucker Proxy”: “You know, for kids!” (A strange film, but I love it). “Used Cars”: “I’m tellin’ you, my boss sees these numbers, he’s gonna have a heart attack!” (Jack Warden, in the throes of an MI, bursts into the office.) . . .and the list goes on and on. Zappo ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2001, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-comedy-movie-ever-made/78843/75 "2001-08-31T22:08:36Z")
These have some of the funniest _scenes_ I’ve ever seen: Clerks Raising Arizona Being There UHF (Weird Al Yankovic) Heaven Help Us ---
**Author:** ![xanadu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c4cdca/32.png) [@xanadu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xanadu)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2001, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-comedy-movie-ever-made/78843/76 "2001-09-01T00:33:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Topologist \* > \*\*Come on people, reach back. Have we lost our cultural memory? > [ul] > [li] _It Happened One Night_[/li][li] _The Philadelphia Story_[/li][li] _His Girl Friday_[/li][li] _A Night at the Opera_ (with the stateroom scene) or _Duck Soup_[/li][/ul] > And for something more recent, _Ruthless People_. \*\* I’ll second Ruthless People, but the funniest movie of all time would have to be “Serial Mom.” There’s a scene where Kathleen Turner kills a woman by beating her over the head with a leg of lamb (I think it was lamb) to the tune of the song “Tomorrow” from the movie “Annie.” John Waters is a comic genius!!! ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2001, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-comedy-movie-ever-made/78843/77 "2001-09-01T14:05:41Z")
good morning friends, coming in a little late, but i would like to agree: young frankenstein: cloris leachman “he…vas…my…boyfriend!” its a mad, mad, mad world: buddy hackett flying the airplane through the bill board blazing saddles: “the little bastard shot me in the ass” ---
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2001, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-comedy-movie-ever-made/78843/78 "2001-09-01T19:17:24Z")
I just love comedies so much. There are just so many to choose from… -to shorten my list - anything by **Mel Brooks** , **Spaceballs** does deserve to be seperated. -Ghostbusters -The Princess Bride -O Brother Where Art thou These are all movies I can watch over and over and over again. ---
**Author:** ![Chum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3ab097/32.png) [@Chum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chum)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2001, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-comedy-movie-ever-made/78843/79 "2001-09-01T23:05:38Z")
I’d have to say **The Big Lebowski** , followed closely by **Dumb and Dumber**. Other contenders: **The Road to Wellville** **Billy Madison** **Waiting for Guffman** **Ace Ventura - Pet Detective** **Stripes** **What About Bob?** **Strange Brew** **Rushmore** **Meet the Parents** **Kingpin** **Pee Wee’s Big Adventure** **Tommy Boy** **Top Secret** **Mallrats** **South Park - Bigger, Longer, and Uncut** **The Jerk** I could probably go on forever, but I’ll stop now. ---
**Author:** ![Lionors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c37758/32.png) [@Lionors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lionors)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2001, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-comedy-movie-ever-made/78843/80 "2001-09-02T05:20:18Z")
Most of mine have been named already (especially the Brooks films and the Monty Python films), but I’ll add… City Slickers and at the risk of getting stoned, Pulp Fiction. [sub]I have a very, very warped sense of humor.[/sub] [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-comedy-movie-ever-made/78843.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-comedy-movie-ever-made/78843.md?page=5)