I have long thought that comedies are the hardest sort of movies to make. I write a bit and read a lot, and writing funny lines and scenes is very hard. Laurence Olivier said that comedy was much harder to play then drama. The world lost one of its finest comedic actors this week and we are the poorer for it.
What amazed me about Gene Wilder is that he could do so many comedies now considered classic and keep up such a high standard throughout.
His work with Richard Pryor, the Silver Streak and Stir Crazy, are great fun and Pryor, who died way to young, was at his peak. Great movies.
Wilder's great film with Zero Mostell, The Producers is amazing. The subject matter, a musical comedy being staged that has Hitler as the protagonist, should be offensive to everyone, but the movie is hysterically funny.
Blazing Saddles is a great spoof of Westerns and Young Frankenstein is my all time favorite comedy.
Finally, we must never forget Willie Wonk and The Chocolate Factory. This is fantasy at its best, edgy, almost scary, very funny, and, oddly, at the same time, rather sweet. Gene Wilder was remarkable as the weird but ultimately lovable, Willie Wonka.
Blessedly, we have many fine films by Wilder.
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