Saturday, 18 September 2021 19:02

Comedy Company, The






THE COMEDY COMPANY

US, 1978, 100 minutes, Colour.
Jack Albertson, Herb Edelman, Joyce Van Patten, Abe Vigoda.
Directed by Lee Philips.

The Comedy Company is an enjoyable telemovie. It takes us into the world of stand-up comedians, the clubs, the comperes, the routines, the jokes. It also gives something of the background of the lives of the comics themselves. The star is Jack Albertson who won an Oscar for his best supporting actor role in The Subject Was Roses, 1968).

1. Entertainment? Dramatic impact? For a television audience? Entertainment with something to sag?

2. The atmosphere of Los Angeles, its style, entertainment, restaurants, opportunities etc.?

3. The skill in the writing, the dramatising of comedy, routines, comic situations? The serious undertones to comedy?

4. The conventional show business aspects of the plot opportunities, the old veteran and his failure, the need for money, the businessmen and sales, the benefit, success? How well treated was the conventional material?

5. The world of the comedy company: Barney and his experience, reputation, encouragement of comics, the rehearsals, the acts, the visitors, the talent scouts, audience response, successes and failures, the pressure of money and rents, loans, agents, threats? An institution?

6. Jack Albertson's style as Barney: the ageing man, his humanity, his worry? His relationship with each of the comics and the staff? Visitors? Jake? The programme and his song - his success and his being trapped in it, the humiliation of his being made to repeat it by an over-eager audience? His wanting to do something better? Russell and the clashes? Lester and the terrible act? His failure and advice? The visit of George Burns? The satisfying ending? Portrait of an old showman?

7. Russell as central character: unemployed, his patter, friends, feelings, sympathy, his anger, Barney and his reactions, the truth and his hugging him, performance in the benefit?

8. Paul as central? Success, girls, his Bowl patter, his attraction towards Linda and trying to seduce her, the truth, the husband? His opportunities, his reaction in the toilet, his confession? The effect of the truth on him?

9. The comperes, anxieties, meetings, talent tests?

10. The nature of comedy: the old jokes. situations which work, the perennial appeal of verbal and visual humour? George Burns and his own variety of comedy? Illustrating the success of comedy with the experience of 80 years? Not fearing the serious?

11. The serious underside of the film: real life and comedy, work, opportunities, human dignity, feelings, success and failure? Money deals and dangers?

12. Lester and his comedy at the party, the reaction of his wife, family? His buying the video to test himself? His wife's suspicion and visit to the motel? His performance and failure - unwillingness to accept it, the humiliation at the comedy club, Barney's advice reconciliation with his wife?

13. Linda as a character, relationship with Roger, her skill in comedy routines? Roger's giving up his career for her, controlling her? The tensions in their married life? The truth? The break?

14. The film as entertaining? As a glimpse of the comedy world? Its authenticity? The message of the comedy?





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