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Gene Wilder: Selected Filmography

Vic Sage Aug 31 2016 02:39 PM Edited 19 time(s), most recently on Sep 01 2016 02:37 PM

Jerome Silberman (June 11, 1933 – August 28, 2016), aka, Gene Wilder, was one of the great comic talents of his generation, spanning a 50-year career on stage, film, TV and books. Gene Wilder, an everyman with a Larry Fine haircut, offered unperturbable, thoughtful, poignant characters with a hint of madness behind their eyes, inevitably reacting to the chaos around him by exploding into paroxysms of uncontrolled hysteria. His impeccable comic timing served to put a clown nose on his absurdist sensibility and style. Though primarily noted for the uniqueness of his performances, his greatest work was often in partnership with a complimentary comic foil, from Mel Brooks, to Richard Pryor, to Gilda Radner. And though best remembered as an actor, his success as a writer and director is worth remembering, too. During a string of Broadway and off-Broadway successes in the early 60s, Wilder met comic genius Mel Brooks, who was working on a screenplay at the time called SPRINGTIME FOR HITLER. After an auspicious film debut as a supporting actor in the lauded BONNIE & CLYDE (1967), Wilder starred in Brooks’ film, eventually called THE PRODUCERS (1968). Though unsuccessful at the time, it earned Wilder an Oscar nomination for his performance and Brooks won an Oscar for the script, and is often ranked as one of the great screen comedies of all time (it's certainly on MY list). The story offered Wilder the opportunity to play off of the legendary Zero Mostel*, and the two had comedy chemistry as great as any ever put on film. It would also establish a pattern for Wilder, who was often best as part of a duo. * Note: Mostel and Wilder would later work together in the film adaptation of Ionesco's absurdist play, RHINOCEROS (1974), but the film is entirely unwatchable now; it probably was then, too. Over the next 5 years, Wilder starred in a range of equally unsuccessful films, including START THE REVOLUTION WITHOUT ME (1970) (a mediocre swashbuckling comedy about the French Revolution, with Donald Sutherland as his "twin" brother), QUACKSER FORTUNE HAS A COUSIN IN THE BRONX (1970) (a strange little Irish romantic comedy), WILLY WONKA (1971)(for which Wilder earned a Golden Globe nomination), and Woody Allen’s hit-and-miss EVERYTHING YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT SEX (1971) (where Wilder is brilliant as a man in love with a sheep, decades before Albee's play, SYLVIA). In 1974, he re-teamed with Brooks on their two biggest hits: BLAZING SADDLES and YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN. Brooks asked Wilder to fill in on SADDLES at the last minute when the original actor fell out*, and it’s now hard to imagine anybody else as the Waco Kid. FRANKENSTEIN, however, was Wilder’s project and his script, for which he would share an Oscar nomination with Brooks. The result was the quintessential movie genre parody, which worked as a film on its own terms (unlike the episodic gagfests that the “movie parody” sub-genre would later become) and ranks as one of the greatest screen comedies ever, as well as the biggest hit of both artists’ careers. * note: Wilder was in Europe at the time, filming scenes for a supporting role in an odd little musical, THE LITTLE PRINCE (1974), which is also unwatchable now. Those two movies, back to back, firmly established both Wilder and Brooks as bankable comedy stars, but Wilder had greater ambitions and wanted to write and direct his own films. The following year, he wrote, directed and starred in THE ADVENTURE OF SHERLOCK HOLMES' SMARTER BROTHER (1975), with actors from Brooks’ stock company (Marty Feldman, Madeleine Kahn, Dom DeLouise); it was an unsuccessful (and still underappreciated) directorial debut. He later made THE WORLD’S GREATEST LOVER (1977), an equally unsuccessful work, though in that case, its failure was entirely warranted. In between, Wilder shared the screen with the great comedian Richard Pryor in the comedy-action-romance, SILVER STREAK (1976), for which Wilder would get another Golden Globe nomination. Pryor had earlier been one of the writers on BLAZING SADDLES and had also appeared in EVERYTHING…SEX, so he had crossed paths with Wilder before. The intensity of their pairing in STREAK was palpable, making the movie a hit and the first of 4 films they would do together. But that would be later. At this point, Wilder teamed with Harrison Ford in a sweet western comedy, THE FRISCO KID (1979), another underrated work that didn’t find much of an audience. But Wilder’s role as a rabbi in the old west, aided in a cross-country journey by a train robber, Amish settlers, and native American tribes, allowed him to project the gentle pathos so evident underneath even his most outrageously over-the-top performances, from Wonka to Leo Bloom to Victor "Frahnkensteen" to the Waco Kid. Wilder’s next film re-teamed him with Pryor in one of his biggest hits, STIR CRAZY (1980), a buddy comedy with the two trying to escape unjust imprisonment in the American Southwest, directed by Sidney Poitier. What’s interesting about the Wilder/Pryor team is that, unlike most comedy duos, there isn’t a straight man and a comic foil. Instead, they each take turns at both roles within the same story, demonstrating the strong acting skills of both, and adding an element of unpredictability, which keeps a level of tension going within the comedy. Wilder would then meet Gilda Radner on the mediocre comedy HANKY PANKY (1982), and they would later marry and do 2 more films together, including the moderately successful WOMAN IN RED (1984) and the utterly awful HAUNTED HONEYMOON (1986) (both of which Wilder wrote and directed), before he did two more not-good Pryor films, SEE NO EVIL, HEAR NO EVIL (1988)(for which he wrote the script) and ANOTHER YOU (1991). At that point, Radner died after a long battle with cancer, and her passing devastated Wilder. He did some TV work over the next decade (winning an Emmy for an episode of WILL & GRACE), and wrote his memoirs and a few novels, but he never did another feature. Throughout his film career, Wilder’s comic team-ups gave him the opportunity to display his greatest talent: reacting to the madness around him, often exploding in unpredictable ways, without ever losing the underlying poignancy of his performances. As a director, he was a pretty good writer; as a writer, he was a great actor; as an actor he was utterly unique… sui generis. Though his body of work is not huge, nor filled to the brim with commercial and critical hits, his impact on film comedy was significant. So long Gene, and thanks for all the fish.

Zvon Aug 31 2016 04:56 PM Re: Gene Wilder: Selected Filmography

Beautifully written. I forgot all about Sherlock Holmes Smarter Brother! I must see that again. Really hard to pick a favorite Wilder flick. All the Brooks films are classic. Willy Wonka has become a yearly tradition w/me, like The Wizard Of Oz was when we were kids. [fimg=200]https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CrIww1SWgAAOszl.jpg[/fimg][fimg=400]https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CrJP9BcXYAIg-KF.jpg:large[/fimg]

RealityChuck Aug 31 2016 05:10 PM Re: Gene Wilder: Selected Filmography

While not a great film, Wilder's role in Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex shows just how great an actor he was. Say what you can, but any actor who can show he's falling in love with a sheep -- almost entirely by his expression and body language -- is truly an excellent one.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Aug 31 2016 05:16 PM Re: Gene Wilder: Selected Filmography

Yup. That's a tour de force even before he falls in love.

Vic Sage Aug 31 2016 05:22 PM Re: Gene Wilder: Selected Filmography Edited 2 time(s), most recently on Sep 02 2016 02:05 PM

Gene Wilder’s films, ranked in order: Films to see: top tier - 1. YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN (1974) / (Oscar nom., Screenplay) 2. THE PRODUCERS (1968) / (Oscar nom., Best Actor) 3. BLAZING SADDLES (1974) 4. WILLY WONKA & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY (1971)/ (Golden Globe nom) 5. BONNIE & CLYDE (1967) – supporting role 6. SILVER STREAK (1976)/ (Golden Globe nom) 2nd tier- 7. EVERYTHING YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT SEX (1971) – supporting role 8. STIR CRAZY (1980) 9. THE FRISCO KID (1979) 10. ADVENTURE OF SHERLOCK HOLMES SMARTER BROTHER (1975)/ (writer/director) 11. START THE REVOLUTION WITHOUT ME (1970) 12. QUACKSER FORTUNE HAS A COUSIN IN THE BRONX (1970) 13. THE WOMAN IN RED (1984)/(writer/director) To avoid: 14. SEE NO EVIL, HEAR NO EVIL (1988)/ (writer) 15. HANKY PANKY (1982) 16. THE WORLD’S GREATEST LOVER (1977) /(producer/writer/director) 17. HAUNTED HONEYMOON (1986)/ (writer/director) 18. ANOTHER YOU (1991)/ (writer) 19. FUNNY ABOUT LOVE (1990) 20. THE LITTLE PRINCE (1974) 21. RHINOCEROS (1974) 22. SUNDAY LOVERS (1980) /(co-writer/co-director) – 1 segment TV films (chronological order): 1. DEATH OF A SALESMAN (1966) 2. SCARECROW (1972) 3. ACTS OF LOVE AND OTHER COMEDIES (1973) 4. THURSDAY’S GAME (1974) 5. ELIGIBLE DENTIST (1993) 6. ALICE IN WONDERLAND (1999) – supporting role 7. THE LADY IN QUESTION (1999)/ (writer) – TV movie 8. MURDER IN A SMALL TOWN (1999)/ (writer) –TV movie

themetfairy Aug 31 2016 05:37 PM Re: Gene Wilder: Selected Filmography

I've noticed some sites say The Producers was from 1967, while others list it as 1968. Any idea what's behind the discrepancy?

Vic Sage Aug 31 2016 05:48 PM Re: Gene Wilder: Selected Filmography

THE PRODUCERS had a limited release in November 1967, before opening in NYC in March 1968, and opening wider around the country later that year. So i guess technically its a 1967 film, but the MPAA considered it a 1968 film for Oscar purposes, with Brooks receiving his screenplay Oscar at the 1969 Academy Awards.

Benjamin Grimm Aug 31 2016 05:48 PM Re: Gene Wilder: Selected Filmography

That happens with a lot of movies. The "official" year of a film, for Oscar purposes, is based on when the movie opens in Los Angeles. But some movies open outside of L.A. in the previous year. I don't know if that's the case with The Producers, but it could be. EDIT: Oops, Vic's post snuck in ahead of mine.

Frayed Knot Aug 31 2016 06:11 PM Re: Gene Wilder: Selected Filmography

I'm in pain, I'm wet, and I'm still hysterical

themetfairy Aug 31 2016 06:17 PM Re: Gene Wilder: Selected Filmography

Vic Sage wrote: THE PRODUCERS had a limited release in November 1967, before opening in NYC in March 1968, and opening wider around the country later that year. So i guess technically its a 1967 film, but the MPAA considered it a 1968 film for Oscar purposes, with Brooks receiving his screenplay Oscar at the 1969 Academy Awards. Gotcha - thanks for the explanation!

batmagadanleadoff Aug 31 2016 07:11 PM Re: Gene Wilder: Selected Filmography

That "first" Waco Kid was Gig Young. Nice write-up.

batmagadanleadoff Aug 31 2016 07:14 PM Re: Gene Wilder: Selected Filmography

That happens with a lot of movies. The "official" year of a film, for Oscar purposes, is based on when the movie opens in Los Angeles. But some movies open outside of L.A. in the previous year. I don't know if that's the case with The Producers, but it could be. EDIT: Oops, Vic's post snuck in ahead of mine. I didn't know about that L.A. wrinkle in the rule. I didn't know that it mattered where in the US the film opened for Oscar purposes. Now I do.

Zvon Aug 31 2016 11:31 PM Re: Gene Wilder: Selected Filmography

batmagadanleadoff wrote: That "first" Waco Kid was Gig Young. Nice write-up. Really. Huh. I was wondering about that. After seeing Wilder as The Waco Kid no one else could fill that role, but it would have been interesting if Gig got the gig. He might have had a career resurgence like Lesley Nielsen.

Edgy MD Sep 01 2016 12:12 PM Re: Gene Wilder: Selected Filmography

At the same time, Sheriff Bart was originally intended to be Richard Pryor. It ended up being Pryor who advocated for Cleavon Little, who was always a ham. In Start the Revolution Without Me, he and Donald Sutherland got to be part of two comic pairings, as both played two roles.

Benjamin Grimm Sep 01 2016 01:14 PM Re: Gene Wilder: Selected Filmography

Vic Sage wrote: Jerome Silberman (June 11, 1933 – August 28, 2016), aka, Gene Wilder, was one of the great comic talents of his generation, spanning a 50-year career on stage, film, TV and books. I heard an interview on NPR's All Things Considered with Wilder's nephew on the day that Wilder died. It would seem that both Wilder and his nephew would be offended by your use of the adjective "comic". Apparently he considered himself an actor who did comedy, and not a "comic actor." I don't know that I agree with that. If I'm listing the great comic actors of that generation, I'd certainly include Wilder. (And Walter Matthau too, among others.) But if I was listing the great actors, without the adjective, then you're dealing with a considerably larger field, and Wilder is a lot less likely to stand out.

Vic Sage Sep 01 2016 02:16 PM Re: Gene Wilder: Selected Filmography

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Vic Sage wrote: Jerome Silberman (June 11, 1933 – August 28, 2016), aka, Gene Wilder, was one of the great comic talents of his generation, spanning a 50-year career on stage, film, TV and books. I heard an interview on NPR's All Things Considered with Wilder's nephew on the day that Wilder died. It would seem that both Wilder and his nephew would be offended by your use of the adjective "comic". Apparently he considered himself an actor who did comedy, and not a "comic actor." I don't know that I agree with that. If I'm listing the great comic actors of that generation, I'd certainly include Wilder. (And Walter Matthau too, among others.) But if I was listing the great actors, without the adjective, then you're dealing with a considerably larger field, and Wilder is a lot less likely to stand out. yeah, i don't think he ever did a NON-comic role in a feature film. Even his small debut role in BONNIE & CLYDE was essentially a comic performance. So, while i can understand his own view of his career, it doesn't really hold up to scrutiny. You could make a list of the great actors of the 1960s-80s, and you'd have to go a long way before you reached Mr. Wilder. And i say that as a huge fan of his work.

Vic Sage Sep 01 2016 02:18 PM Re: Gene Wilder: Selected Filmography

Edgy MD wrote: At the same time, Sheriff Bart was originally intended to be Richard Pryor. It ended up being Pryor who advocated for Cleavon Little, who was always a ham. In Start the Revolution Without Me, he and Donald Sutherland got to be part of two comic pairings, as both played two roles. i always heard that, but i didn't know why Pryor didn't get the role. Wasn't he big enough name at that point for the studio to accept in a lead?

Vic Sage Sep 01 2016 02:32 PM Re: Gene Wilder: Selected Filmography

never mind, i looked it up. Here's what Brooks said: The studio didn’t want him because they said he was unreliable due to his personal problems. I fought hard for Richard and was going to quit the film but he told me not to because he needed his screenwriter fees to pay his mortgage. Then we had a long and expensive search to find the right actor for his part. When Cleavon Little auditioned, Richard was in the room and gave me a signal that he was our man!

Vic Sage Sep 01 2016 02:36 PM Re: Gene Wilder: Selected Filmography

As for Gig Young, it was reported that he collapsed on the set of BLAZING SADDLES on their first day of shooting, due to alcohol withdrawal, and was fired. Funny that it was Pryor that the studio was concerned about, but they were fine with hiring a notorious, raging alcoholic.

Frayed Knot Sep 01 2016 02:43 PM Re: Gene Wilder: Selected Filmography

IIRC, Pryor also needed to be replaced, by Gregory Hines in this case, in HISTORY OF THE WORLD due to his drug use problems. That may have actually been the time he famously set himself on fire.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Sep 01 2016 03:36 PM Re: Gene Wilder: Selected Filmography

Apropos of nothing: Wifey Bucket works with R. Pryor Jr. in her office, they do business incentive stuff.

batmagadanleadoff Sep 01 2016 04:59 PM Re: Gene Wilder: Selected Filmography

Edgy MD wrote: At the same time, Sheriff Bart was originally intended to be Richard Pryor. It ended up being Pryor who advocated for Cleavon Little, who was always a ham. In Start the Revolution Without Me, he and Donald Sutherland got to be part of two comic pairings, as both played two roles. If we had to make lists of Hollywood people that we thought were gonna break big but didn't, Cleavon Little might be at or near the top of my list.