Oscar (not the statue)

Back in 1991 a movie was made that well, wasn't that successful. In fact, it bombed in the box office and it has since been largely forgotten, except by a small fan-base that includes me.

The movie in question is Oscar (1991), starring Sylvester Stallone, Peter Riegert, Chazz Palminteri, Don Ameche, Kurtwood Smith, Marisa Tomei, Harry Shearer, Tim Curry and many more. It is in fact an amazing cast for any film, but this happens to be a comedy.

I guess the timing wasn't all that good, after all '91 was a good year for film. The biggest hits were Beauty and the Beast, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, The Silence of the Lambs and City Slickers.

Up against that kind of heavy hitters, a comedy starring Rocky the Rambo wasn't going to have much of a chance, and that is a travesty.

To begin with, Stallone really has (or had) comedy chops, no doubt about it. Oscar is also a far better comedy than City Slickers, at least in this writers opinion.

Okay, so what's the whole thing about? The year in 1931 and feared mob boss Angelo “Snaps” Provolone visits his dying father (Kirk Douglas) who makes Snaps go on the straight and narrow. Then everything gets complicated, and I do mean complicated.

With the exception of the first and last scenes, the whole film takes place during one morning from about 8.30 to just after noon. This gives the script a tight pace that keeps the rhythm going, and rhythm is a really important part of Oscar. If you only watch this movie with half an eye, you're going to miss how good it is. Everything is important, from how the actors move in unison to the looks they give each other. The score also matches this perfectly. Timing is everything, and the pretty convoluted plot can get lost if you don't pay attention. This can of course lead to people not liking this movie, and that's a real shame, because it's so good.

And the dialogue... it's amazing! It's an incredibly quotable film. The sets are immaculate, the costumes perfect, I could go on gushing, but I think you get the point by now. Oscar is a wonderful movie, a film that really deserves a lot more than it got. Particularly when you compare it to all the “idiot-comedies” that have came along since. I don't want to rain on anyone's parade, just take Adam Sandler as an example and move on from there. Oscar is witty, charming and genuinely funny.

So go watch this film if you haven't already. In fact, watch it again even if you have seen it. Don't let the idea that it's a Sly comedy put you off.

Well, that's that. Until next time, have a wonderful week!