Enter Laughing (1967) User Reviews

Impossible to dislike

[Marco_Trevisiol · 7/10 · 23 August 2013]

Carl Reiner's debut feature 'Enter Laughing' deserves to be better known than it is. Very sweet, likable and often funny, it almost makes you wish a TV series had resulted from this where you could follow the further adventures of David Kolowitz as he continues his acting pursuits.

There are many fine performances from a standout cast but the highlight is Elaine May who is funny, sexy and charming as David's acting counterpart. Michael J. Pollard is also impressive in his too brief role.

The film has some minor flaws. It struggles to escape its stage origins and at times feels like a recording of a play instead of fully cinematic piece. It doesn't have a great 1930s feel to it, partly because of budget constraints and partly because several of the actors (especially Nancy Kovack) have 1960s hairstyles.

But overall, 'Enter Laughing' is a charming film, well worth seeking out.

cute comedy

[blanche-2 · 7/10 · 23 October 2008]

"Enter Laughing" is a delightful film based on Carl Reiner's book about his own early show business experiences. The 1967 film stars Shelley Winters, Elaine May, Jose Ferrer, Jack Gilford, Don Rickles, David Opatashu, Janet Margolin, and introduces the attractive Reni Santoni as "Don Coleman," aka David Kolowitz.

The film I believe is supposed to take place in the late 1930s - the first frame is a 1938 Photoplay cover of Tyrone Power - but in all honesty, the clothing and atmosphere only suggest that era. David is a young man living at home, and his parents want him to be a pharmacist. He's not thinking about much of anything except getting laid. He works for a more than tolerant boss (Gifford), flirts with a beautiful secretary in the building (Nancy Kovack, who became Nancy Mehta) and sneaks time on the phone with his girlfriend (Margolin) and imitating Ronald Coleman to her. He decides to try acting and goes to a drama school audition. The school is actually a playhouse run by the seen better days Harrison Marlowe (Jose Ferrer) and his too old to be an ingenue but she's one anyway daughter Angela (Elaine May) starring in a play currently running. At the moment, they're short a leading man. Looking over the prospects - "Clark Baxter," "Spencer Reynolds" and "Don Coleman," she wants Coleman. Unfortunately, David (as Coleman) auditions by reading the stage direction "Enter laughing" as a line.

The hilarity then begins, with David trying to learn an entire script in two days, never having acted before, trying to find his way on stage and being literally thrown on by the stage manager and practicing love scenes with Angela.

The cast is a riot, and if Santoni is a bit wrong for the role, so be it. He has a sweetness and a guilelessness that come across very well. He went on to enjoy a prolific television career and today, at 69, he's still working.

The acting is great, with Elaine May hilarious as Angela, Shelley Winters and David Opatoshu wonderful as his long-suffering parents and Gifford as his boss. Ferrer as the insufferable Marlowe is perfect.

The comedy remains fresh after 40 years. Recommended.

Carl Reiner's directorial debut

[JasparLamarCrabb · 6/10 · 13 October 2013]

Carl Reiner's light hearted, semi-autobiographical comedy about a man trying to make it as an actor in NYC circa 1937. Rene Santoni fills in as the Reiner character, an apprentice machinist longing to become the next Ronald Coleman. He lands a role in a play with the very mean and extremely pompous actor José Ferrer and his wacky actress daughter Elaine May. Santoni is pretty good, in a role that DIDN'T make him a star but led to a fruitful career as a dependable supporting actor. It's the supporting cast here that is most memorable. In addition to Ferrer and May (who's hysterical), there's Shelley Winters as Santoni's smothering mother, David Opatashu as his father, Michael J Pollard, Jack Gilford, and Don Rickles. Janet Margolin, off-kilter as always, is Santoni's love interest. Reiner, making his directing debut, keeps the laughs coming and manages to mine a lot of comedy out this cast.

Underrated comedy side-splitter

[chazbo45 · 28 January 2004]

This is a poignant, funny, coming of age film, based loosely on Carl Reiner's introduction to show business during the depression. Teenage David decides to become an actor to the dismay of his mother, played superbly by Shelley Winters, as an ever-suffering Jewish Mom ("Whatever makes you happy"). There are great performances by Jack Gilford as David's old-world boss, worried that he may be mixed up with an Italian girl ("Wanda, I think", he tells David when she calls). Mel Ferrer and Reni Santoni have a hilarious scene, on which the title is based, where David is given the stage direction "Enter Laughing", and does his best to comply, with no success. It brought tears to my eyes. Elaine May sets up punch lines like a pro, and Janet Margolin is adorable as the girlfriend, and Don Rickles has a nice, small role, that suits him well.

The screenplay sounds like it was written by Neil Simon. It should have gotten more recognition. Well Worth seeing.

Passable comedy, should have been better

[the_old_roman · 7/10 · 29 August 2001]

Enter Laughing is based upon a book written by Carl Reiner on his own experiences breaking into show business. You would think that this would be hysterical, a worthy rival to the producers. But, this film declines to go in that direction. Instead, it is an delicately balanced blend of slapstick, satire, and pathos that suffers a bit from being a bit too gentle with its lead character.

A huge problem is the miscasting of Reni Santoni as Carl Reiner. Rob Reiner was in the film in a minor role. It remains a mystery to me why Rob was not given the lead; he is much more suited to it than the gentle Santoni.

Nevertheless, the supporting cast is terrific, most especially Elaine May, Jose Ferrer, Janet Margolin, Jack Gilford, Don Rickles, Nancy Kovack, David Opatoshu, and Shelley Winters. And, it will make you smile and titter, but not guffaw.

Cute little movie, good actors, funny bits!

[lnoft97 · 6/10 · 26 October 2018]

I've seen this movie several times over the years. There are a lot of good, dependable familiar-face comic actors in this. I never heard of the lead, Reni Santori, before or after, but he was quite OK. Shelley Winters plays his mother. Mr. Santori wants to become a Great Actor and attends a joke of an acting school headed by Jose Ferrer and his not-quite-young daughter, Elaine May, and they provide the funniest parts. Poor Former Great Actor Jose Ferrer is a cynical, washed up, bitter drunken individual who, faced with his paying client, looks on aghast while he auditions (under the name of 'Don Coleman'). And he sips from a straw from a pocket flask and mutters, 'AND THEY WONDER WHY I DRINK!'. Supposedly set in the 30's (in no way that I can detect) because it is based on Carl Reiner's memoirs from that time. The opening night performance is equally hilarious. Otherwise, the in-between parts, the mundane romance bits, kind of drag on, but when it's funny, it is FUNNY. Well worth a look.

"Hello......you."

Cringe-worthy here and there...but worth seeing.

[planktonrules · 6/10 · 6 November 2018]

"Enter Laughing" was first a book by Carl Reiner, then a successful Broadway play and, finally, this movie. I mildly enjoyed the film...my wife disliked it...mostly because there are a lot of cringe-worthy moments. These moments are not because it's a bad film...more because the humor is a bit painful to watch at times.

Reni Santoni plays David, a Jewish man growing up in the 1940s-50s. Rather out of the blue, he decides he wants to be an actor...though his parents have very different plans for him. Now if David had been any good, the cringe-inducing moments never would have been in the film. David clearly is horrible and the only reason he gets an acting job is because the leading lady in the play (Eileen May) thinks he's cute and insists her father (Jose Ferrer) cast him in the production. Can David possibly convince his family acting ISN'T a total waste of time or is he destined to head to pharmacy school?

Although Carl Reiner wrote this story, it's NOT a laugh out loud movie. In fact, the humor that is there is much more subtle and the story instead is just a painful story of a no-talent. Reasonably entertaining and worth seeing...if you can handle the embarrassing moments...and David has plenty!

There is humor to be found.

[michaelRokeefe · 2/10 · 15 August 2015]

Situational humor mixed with romance as director Carl Reiner adapts his autobiographical play to the big screen. David Kolowitz(Reni Santoni)lives in the Bronx in a small apartment with his mother Emma(Shirley Winters)and father Morris(David Opatoshu). David works in an electrical machine shop, but dreams of a career in acting on the stage; that is how you become a movie star. His mother insists that the family must borrow money to get David in a school, so he can become a respectable pharmacist. The young dreamer finds an add looking for stage actors to work in a rundown theater run by Harrison Marlow(Jose Ferer)and his daughter Angela(Elaine May). One a heavy drinker and the other a ham actor. The job doesn't pay much; actually nothing at all...the chosen actor will pay the theater for learning to act.

I kept waiting for this movie to get funny. The humor only had me aggravated. I guess, it could be regional humor I was missing out on. Other players: Janet Margolin, Michael J. Pollard, Nancy Kovack, Richard Deacon and Don Rickles. Small appearance by Rob Reiner.

A superb Comedy

[superstar49 · 10/10 · 5 November 1999]

This film is a classic thanks to a superb and wonderful cast, headed by newcomer then, Reni Santoni. Unless you've had an interest in becoming an actor, you probably won't enjoy the film as much. However, if you ever wanted to be a famous actor or a famous "somebody," this is your movie. The story is set back in the late 1930's about a young man just out of high school who decides he wants to be an actor. His parents, of course, are dead set against the idea. They want him to go to "pharmacy school" to become a druggist. David (Reni Santoni) is determined to become an actor even if it kills him. He starts going to acting school at a local run-down theatre owned by Jose Ferrer. There he begins acting lessons with instructor Ferrer and his daughter Elaine May, in some of the film's funniest moments, as they prepare David for his debut on stage. This is a great film with a great cast that includes Shelley Winters, another then newcomer Don Rickles, David Opatoshu, Michael J. Pollard, Janet Margolin, Rob Reiner, and the very pretty Nancy Kovack. The finale of the film had me rolling on the floor with tears in my eyes from laughing so much. The previous reviewer criticized the casting of Reni Santoni, but this was perfect casting in every way. I love the film and highly recommend it.

TV Or Not TV?

[JohnHowardReid · 6/10 · 6 October 2014]

This is one of those "movies" that are guaranteed to empty a cinema in ten minutes flat, but on the other hand prove far more than tolerably entertaining when viewed on TV or DVD. From a cinema standpoint, Carl Reiner's direction is remarkably poor, relying too much on overwrought close-ups. The scenes with Shelley Winters are especially tiresome. Until I saw her in "Enter Laughing", I was always a great fan of Shelley Winters. I thought she gave a great performance in "A Place in the Sun", but she certainly lets her fans down badly in "Enter Laughing". On the other hand, when such talented comedians as Jose Ferrer and Richard Deacon are on stage, things in "Enter Laughing" are hilarity plus. Oddly, although the movie was ideal for the smallest of small home screens, it was never made available on either VHS or DVD. Now of course it's too late. Sony have well and truly missed the bus on this one!

Dull, grating and unfunny... how it can be worse than this??

[bellino-angelo2014 · 2/10 · 18 May 2021]

David Kolowitz (Reni Santoni) is a young man working for Mr. Foreman, but he wants something more... he wants to become an actor. One day after the job he goes to an audition and struggles to become an actor even tho he has even less talent than Tommy Wiseau or Paris Hilton combined!

This is an unfunny and slow-paced film. It looked like hours passed before something even remotely funny happened. But what irritated me most was how unfunny the movie was for most of the time. David is a bad actor and we are supposed to find it funny because a girl (Janet Margolin) even falls for him. But the jokes are so lame and they fall so flat that it makes you hate his character even more. While I don't look for genius in comedy, this kind of humour is irritating and shows a lack of respect for its audience. The same can be said about the pacing: they knew that they had a bad movie but didn't care. And how such respected thespians like Josè Ferrer and Shelley Winters got dragged in this atrocity, I really wonder if the producers had their loved ones held at gunpoint!

The worst moment in the movie? It could have been when David was returning home and his parents suspected he was doing something wrong. However I can't say this for sure because about 80% of the movie I gave up and I turned it off... it was THAT bad. And if you want to know it, I almost always watch all of the movies I rate or review and I leave them only about 99.50% of the time.

My favorite funny movie.

[edamos54 · 10/10 · 21 October 2005]

I first saw the last three quarters of this movie on TV in the early 70's. I couldn't stop laughing. I purchased the video several years ago, and after having seen the movie at least 3 or 4 time since, I still can't stop laughing. It's easily the funniest movie I've ever seen, and it didn't get nearly the recognition it should have /I guess the Viet Nam war numbed our funny bones back in 1967/. This movie should be brought back in an updated, digitized format. If anyone goes to see it - prepare to laugh. Also, besides being a very funny movie, it's also a very cute movie than everyone will enjoy. It's hard to believe that this movie was made almost 40 years ago. It just goes to show that real humor is ageless. Many would think that comedian Don Rickles would be the funny one in this film, but it turns out that Jose Ferrer and Jack Gilford are the real funny men. I could go on and on about this film - get a copy of it and enjoy. You'll see what I mean.

A Very Funny Movie

[romarub · 7/10 · 29 July 2020]

This is a very funny film even though it's plot parallels that of a good number of other such good films where a youth is torn between one heartfelt life pursuit while his family had decided on another course for him. I knew I had seen Reni Santoni before, and then it dawned on me that I'd seen him (and continue to see him in reruns) on Seinfeld as Poppie in several episodes, all in which Santoni has a distinct Italian accent, obviously put on, as I now realize. Once I came to that realization, it was hard for me to disassociate Santoni from those Seinfeld appearances of some 30 years later. Nevertheless, I think Santoni did an excellent job in this film, with understated and believable humor. I, as others have noted, was somewhat surprised that he had been selected for the role of a Jewish Bronx resident when he hardly looks Jewish and does look decidedly Hispanic or Italian. Santino's acting and comic sense did, ultimately, lead me to accept, and appreciate his performance in this role. This role should have led to a greater appreciation of him and to greater celebrity, but such is life. Shelley Winters did an acceptable job as Mrs. Kolowitz, I think, but Shelley, to my thinking, at least, almost always allowed her personality and persona to overshadow the role itself, and that was the case here. I am not criticizing Shelley Winters, the actress, for whom I had much admiration, but Shelley always seemed to be more "Shelley" than the character she was portraying. Perhaps I relate to her too closely as far as our backgrounds are concerned. Overall, though, this was a picture worth seeing - and laughing along with - from entry to exit.

A slice of life light comedy about leaving the neighborhood for an acting career

[SimonJack · 5/10 · 17 November 2020]

"Enter Laughing" is a coming of age film based on comedian Carl Reiner's autobiographical 1958 novel of the same title. It's a slice of life story typical of many movies made in the 1950s and 1960s. This film is like others about young people growing up in the neighborhoods of New York - usually the ethnic neighborhoods. They dream of something other than what their parents expect of them. In coming of age films from small towns, it's the boy or girl who wants to leave the sticks to make it big in the city.

Reiner produced and directed this film, and he assembled a notable cast of the day. Jose Ferrer is Harrison Marlowe, Shelley Winters is Mrs. Kolowitz, and Don Rickles as Harry Hamburger. Well-known supporting players include Jack Gilford, Elaine May, and Michael Pollard. Others of the cast are Reni Santoni as David Kolowitz, the young New Yorker who is the Reiner character from the Bronx.

This is a story set around his Jewish family and culture, with his emotional struggles entering adulthood. The circumstances of his joining an off-Broadway theatre group, while always being late for his job in Mr. Foreman's tooling shop, and his girlfriend and others fill the story out. The title from the film and the book is a stage direction used in screenplays and stage scripts.

Mom and pop Kalowitz (Shelley Winters and David Opatoshu) want their son, David, to become a druggist. Note that it's not a pharmacist, but a druggist. That's a reflection of the ethnic culture of the place and time. But David, who apparently has been imitating, following and fantasizing over male movie stars since young boyhood, has his heart set on becoming an actor.

There are few funny lines in the script. The humor is mostly in the family interchanges, with David's employer at work (Mr. Foreman) and in the stage tryouts and parts of the play with May's Angela Marlowe, Ferrer, and Richard Deacon as Pike.

As with most films of plots set in specific ethnic, racial, national or regional places or times, the humor in this film will probably be more recognized and appreciated by people from such backgrounds. For the rest, it probably won't seem as funny.

This is a clean and decent film, but likely with limited audience appeal or appreciation. The plot seemed to unfold very slowly, so that I could often anticipate the following scenario. I think the actors all did well, but the screenplay needed an injection of some crisp dialog to provide more all-around comedy for a broader general audience.

Here are a couple of the better lines.

David Kolowitz, "I know I wasn't very good." Harrison B. Marlowe, "You know it and I know it. Now, our job is to keep that little secret from the audience."

Mr. Morris Kolowitz, "What's so terrible about acting? Look at Paul Muni." Mrs. Emma Kolowitz, "For every Paul Muni there's a thousand bums with holes in their pants."

Very funny

[vchimpanzee · 23 May 2012]

The first few minutes of this movie were nearly perfection. And while the level of humor couldn't be sustained all the way through, since there had to be more dramatic and romantic moments in the middle, there is some truly great material here. The play within a play was the funniest I had seen since "Noises Off"--David may have entered, but we were the ones laughing.

All of the leading performers did such a good job it's hard to single anyone out. One exception is the actors in the play, but then they were supposed to be bad, which means they were good. The first actor to speak in in the play, however, did an excellent job.

Because of my familiarity with these people, I felt Don Rickles and Jack Gilford stood out. I actually did not know Jack Gilford for years except as the man in the Cracker Jack commercials, but I think he did a fine job here. Don Rickles only had two scenes, but his performance in one of them was one of the best of the movie. Hilarious. And he and David set up one of the best quotes.

Jose Ferrer also made an impact. Yes, he had good reason to yell half the time.He did it very well. Overall, his may have been the standout performance.

I didn't recognize Rob Reiner, son of director Carl, and forgot to look for him until I saw the closing credits. Fortunately, this was on my TiVo. He was one of those auditioning for the role David got. Only a couple of lines, but he was pretty good. No sign he would become great, but looking at him a second time, he could have done more.

This movie had lots of great music, like so many of the era. People just don't know everything Quincy Jones was capable of.

This was a real winner.

Disappointing Early Reiner

[dsmith-25000 · 1/10 · 25 November 2020]

Considering this was Written, Produced, and Directed by Carl Reiner, who had done some great work on TV, I expected something funny. Maybe in 1967 based on his 1963 play, but not today. Most of the story was predictable for comedies of that time period. A proven comedian in the lead might have helped. I see that Alan Arkin played the role on stage, but the late Reni Santoni just wasn't funny. And most of the supporting cast played predictable roles too.

Considering it came out the same year as "The Producers", it fails badly by comparison.

Underrated gem with great character actors.

[jscott1520-1 · 10/10 · 7 May 2005]

A terrific movie whose human and humorous story is enlivened by an ensemble company of great character actors at the top of their form: Shelley Winters as the archetypal manipulative mom, Jack Gilford as the tough but sympathetic boss, Ferrer and May, Richard Deacon as the long-suffering stage manager, Michael G. Pollard as the best friend, and Don Rickles as the put-upon Harry Hamburger.

But Ferrer gets two of my favorite lines in all of cinema. Walking by as Rickles and Santoni exchange pants -- don't ask -- he says, "We don't GO for that sort of thing." And, forced to complement Santoni after a disastrous performance, he mutters to himself, "Thank God I'm an alcoholic!"

Carl Reiner

[SnoopyStyle · 5/10 · 26 November 2020]

It's 1938 New York City. David Kolowitz (Reni Santoni) wants something more than a lowly job working for Mr. Foreman (Jack Gilford). He decides to go into acting.

David is a bad actor and that's supposed to be funny. It's a little funny. He's definitely not cute enough for the girl to go completely gaga over him. It's a head scratching. At least, the money flows in the right direction. The "Enter Laughing" bit is funny until he tries to laugh for the second and third time. At that point, I realize the material is sorta funny and meant to be hilarious. Reni is not making it funny. It's director Carl Reiner's semi-autobiographical film. He's a relatively new director and Reni is a relatively new actor. The timing is off and once the comedy is lost, this movie becomes watching a character being a bad actor. I appreciate the personal drama but it needs the big comedy to push it over the top. This needs a better and more experienced comedian to pull off a comedic performance.

"It's up to you to do the Ha-cha-cha...!"

[theowinthrop · 10/10 · 14 November 2008]

Based on an autobiographical play by Carl Reiner, ENTER LAUGHING is supposedly telling us how Carl became involved in the entertainment industry. His alter ego, David Kolowitz (Reni Santoni)lives with his parents (Shelley Winter and David Opatashu) in a Bronx apartment during the Depression. David is a high school graduate, and he wants to pursue a career in acting (he's constantly imitating Ronald Colman), but he is working for Mr. Foreman (Jack Gilford) in a electrical repair shop. At least he is supposed to be working (Foreman constantly complains that he comes in late, leaves early, and does less than he is being paid for). The only benefit David gets from working for Foreman is that his pal Marvin (Michael J. Pollard) can drop by from his nearby job (Foreman is not happy about seeing him around so often). Also, when Foreman has David deliver some machine or other to the dress making shop of Harry Hamburger (Don Rickles) David has the pleasure of seeing Harry's secretary/receptionist Linda (Nancy Kovack). Actually though David is seeing Wanda (Janet Margolin), his high school girlfriend.

David is aware of a ramshackle theater run by Harrison Marlow (Jose Ferrer) and his daughter Angela (Elaine May). Marlow is an old ham actor, and an alcoholic. He does not pay anyone who he "hires" for the acting roles - they are learning stagecraft from him, so they have to pay him. However, when he is "directing" his better training tells him what is good and what is bad. And David, when he shows up, is pretty bad (he starts reciting the words of his character by repeating the stage directions "Enter Laughing" as though they are something to say - hence the title of the play and film). Ferrer wants to throw him out, but the aging Angela (who desperately wants to meet some man who will want her) convinces Harrison to hire him...not too difficult as the two other would-be thespians (one is Rob Reiner as "Clark Baxter") are even weaker as performers. Besides the cast of the play (a melodrama dealing with skulduggery over an inheritance, and a possibly dissolute heir (played by David)) the stage crew is led by Mr. Pike (Richard Deacon) who is quite cynical about his job and job-site (he knows his boss's ego back and forward by now).

The fly in the ointment of David achieving his goal is that his parents want him to settle down. They would like to send David to Pharmacy School (for a useful profession) financed by Mr. Horowitz's more successful brother's money. David also has been leaving early to rehearse, and he has lied to get out (pretending that his father cannot afford a talus (prayer shawl) for a religious need. Foreman hears this and sympathizes. So to prevent further disruptions of David's work schedule, Foreman even buys a talus for David's father for about $28.00 (pretty steep for 1938). Besides having a useless article now, David also has to repay Foreman.

One lie leads to another. Wanda gets jealous of Angela when watching a rehearsal. David keeps demonstrating how woefully bad an actor he is. Foreman finally learns about the real reason for David leaving early, and as he does not think acting a good career for a sensible young man (he keeps needling David calling him "Mr. Barrymore"), he tips off Mrs. Horowitz. The latter and her unwilling husband push Jewish maternal guilt onto their son, and he ends up promising (angrily) that he will give up on acting. But will he? That is the issue settled in the last half hour of the film.

This is a wonderful comedy that is not as well known as it should be. The background of Depression New York (far from the glitz of Broadway - it's in the Bronx folks!) is well shown. The performers are enjoying themselves: note Gilford working on repairing a radio or some machine, and singing the one line of a song (see the "Summary" Line) again and again and again like a broken record. Ferrer, with his actual great stage career, brings a sense of reality to Marlow, with his ego and drinking still not preventing him from knowing what to do on stage (when David gets some stage fright Marlow steps in properly). Winters is playing the comic version of the monster mom she played in A PATCH OF BLUE, a Jewish mother who is smart about reality even as she realizes that she may be slightly breaking her son's heart. Pollard's Marvin is another of his classic dimwits, supposed to bring a tuxedo in a box to the theater for David's costume, but bringing the talus. Opatashu is a man who is currently sick and unemployed, but he is sensible (and finally agrees with his wife) but is still curious about the play (finding the tuxedo and talus, he asks if the play is about an English Jew). Rickles is an unexpected beneficiary of the madness, finding that Kovacks promises to marry him if he will loan his tux to David for the play, and suddenly realizing he is now able to marry a sexual bombshell. The comedy constantly goes into odd corners. Even Deacon has a moment when he hopes that by telling Ferrer some bad news won't lead to the latter hitting him!

I liked this film. I only add that it is like a companion film to ACT ONE with George Hamilton and Jason Robarts about Moss Hart. Like David/Carl, Moss too wanted to go into the theater and he does and succeeds well. And at the end Moss/George does become a success, and takes his parents out of their Bronx apartment. However, more realistically, David simply gains their approval for his manifold labors.

A Comedy No One Makes Anymore

[RatchetJak94 · 6 August 2011]

If I hadn't taken TV Productions, I never would have heard of this film. My teacher showed me this film near the end of the school year and taking us about 2 classes to watch the whole thing, I was laughing so hard, it makes me wonder why we don't have comedies like this anymore.

The story revolves around a guy who just finished high school and decides to live his dream as an actor. Turns out, while auditioning, he can't act, but the daughter of the guy running the theater chooses him for the role because of his good looks.

The characters are all likable. Reni Santoni, who plays the lead character, David, was perfect for the role. His character is portrayed as a bad liar as well as indecisive, and he managed to pull it off well. The rest of the characters played by other actors like Janet Margolin, Jack Gilford, Don Rickles, etc. were all perfect for their respective roles. I may not be familiar with the actors (minus Don Rickles from the Toy Story trilogy), but they are all great.

The highlight of the movie is the humor. I never laughed so hard while watching a comedy. The humor sounds natural and not so forced. Even my teacher was laughing on some occasions while we were watching it, especially the climax, which I'm not going to spoil. You can't finish the movie without laughing at least once or twice, or even more than that.

It's too bad no one gave a darn about this movie and it has long since forgotten over the years. Heck, it's not even on DVD or Blu-Ray. No one should miss out on such an underrated comedy.

I believe the movie has a message in which you make your own decisions on how to live your life and not let anyone else control them. This movie is a fine example. If you find a copy of it on VHS, don't hesitate. I highly recommend this to anyone who is a dedicated fan of comedies.

No business like show business

[bkoganbing · 8/10 · 26 October 2018]

A perfectly cast brings Carl Reiner's autobiographical work about a young Jewish kid in the Bronx looking to break into the theater. Hard to imagine that Carl Reiner ever thought of himself as Ronald Colman, but we all have our fantasies growing up.

Reni Santoni plays our young Reiner type protagonist a high school kid whose parents David Opatoshu and Shelley Winters want him to enter the pharmacy business like his father. But he yearns for a career in the theater.

So he auditions for a ramshackle theater company that Jose Ferrer and his daughter Elaine May run. Not that he shows any great promise but May figures he looks best in the tuxedo he has to perform in.

And Santoni has to provide his own tux. Half the film is his efforts to come up with the cash for the tux, the other half is his struggle with his parents over not going into the pharmacy business. The finale of the epic play they are producing is a scream. Santoni's efforts to make his entrance is funny enough and his stage fright and Jose Ferrer's efforts to mask over the same are just downright hysterical.

This is a film of exaggeration and stereotypes and director Reiner let's his cast just have their head and they go. Jose Ferrer leads the pack in a performance just packed with pork product. But after all he's playing a has been ham actor who has an exaggerated opinion of himself. He and Elaine May are a summer stock version of John and Diana Barrymore.

Besides those mentioned others in the cast that put their own unique stamp on their roles are Janet Margolin, Jack Gilford, Don Rickles and Richard Deacon.

This is a comedy masterpiece and Carl Reiner certainly had a long career in show business once he stopped wanting to be Ronald Colman.

This is one of the funniest movies of all time.

[gurreric · 10/10 · 23 August 2019]

I cannot understand how this movie is not rated higher. It is side splitting funny in almost every scene.

Reni Santoni is just perfect. From the moment he walks on to that stage and says "Enter Laughing" I was hooked. And it just keeps getting better and better. A near perfect script, incredible acting, and just perfect comedic timing.

I'm a fan of old films. I watch movies, a lot. I don't understand how this movie is not more well known.

Please, give yourself a treat. One night when you want to see something new, different and incredibly funny, watch this movie.

Saved by Ferrer and May

[Kirasjeri · 8/10 · 17 August 1999]

This is the semi-autobiographical account of Carl Reiner's entry into show business. Reni Santoni has his moments but fails to get the right pathos and adolescent sexual tension as the lead and is little more than a clown. David Opatashu and Janet Margolin are fine as his boss and girlfriend. The film is saved by Jose Ferrer and Elaine May as the father and daughter team that runs a low down playhouse where Santoni finally lands a role. They are funny throughout, and the last scene where Santoni stumbles on stage is hilarious. Worth a look!

The life and times of DON COLEMAN gem of a movie!

[thejcowboy22 · 8/10 · 3 August 2016]

I remember the first time had to recite a line in a school play. I played the Mad Hatter. From what I recollect from that experience was watching my Dear Mother sewing a costume for me and for the finishing touch a large Top Hat made out of oak tag. The exemplary acting great Spencer Tracy once quoted as saying "Know your lines and don't bump into the furniture."I'm surprised TCM doesn't show this Carl Reiner classic more often. A cavalcade of character actors and comedy legends combine to make this movie a memorable one for all who prefer old school humor in it's most innocent form. This story begins in the Bronx around the late 1930's with an impressionable young gawky teen David played by Reni Santoni. David lives with his parents in a cramped apartment. His Mom played by Shelly Winters wants him to settle down and hopefully when he Graduates from Dewitt Clinton High go to Pharmacy school. David also works for an grumbling old world boss Mr. Foreman (Jack Gilford) who constantly reminds him he's getting paid to work! David has a girlfriend named Wanda (Janet Margolin) where time and space becomes a problem for the two of them to enjoy their romance. They actually have a date in a nearby cemetery for privacy. You see David's surroundings are for the most part very grim. Growing up in the inner city, the grimy job, the constant guilt by his Mom and the pressures of growing into manhood, David finds escape in Hollywood. The Movies, Lost Horizon and the suave,elegant mustached, Ronald Coleman with the British accent. David molds himself after the iconic movie star as the show business bug hits him. David finds an add for actors in a local production and tries his hand at acting. David goes down to the dilapidated theater run by stagehand and man of many hats Mr. Pike (Richard Deacon). David is introduced to veteran actor and director extraordinaire Harrison B. Marlowe or should we say Harrison Be Drunk? Harrison our bedeviled director is basically full of himself and has very little patience for green actors in particular, Mainly David. Initially David thinks he'll be paid for his first acting job but instead David has to pay Marlowe for his expertise and direction learning under one of the finest actors. David all chocked up and anxious, flubs his opening line by reciting the line description (Enter Laughing) and the line that follows. Hence the title of the Movie. A subjective Harrison wants him out but his seductive Daughter Angela (Elaine May) has an interest in him and tells her Father to keep him. The rehearsals are at best trying times for the intoxicated director and David as the two don't seem to jive together putting it mildly. Basically David drives Marlowe beyond his limited patience. Meanwhile David need an advance on his pay from his cold boss. David spends the rest of this picture juggling rehearsals, job ,girlfriend and asking his boss for a prayer shall in exchange for a tuxedo with help from (Don Rickles). All this needed for the upcoming opening night in David's debut as an actor. Notable supporting players in this movie are sidekick and friend Marvin (Michael Pollard). the sexy Girl Friday Miss B. in the neighboring office, Nancy Kovacks. What Carl Reiner film would be complete without a family member in the film? All in The Family's Rob Reiner playing supporting actor in the Marlowe production as Clark Baxter. This was Rob's first movie role and son of Director Carl Reiner. Great fun watching this story unfold as we all wait for opening night! Wonderfully written story by Carl Reiner as he tells his personal struggles, experiences growing up in hopes of making it in show business. As for my debut at the Hebrew Academy Play. I came on stage with all those faces staring at me in horror. I flubbed my line. My line was simply, "It's time for tea!" I froze and said "It's time for cheese!" I was taunted by my classmates for weeks but it didn't matter because my Mother said I was wonderful in the play. Love you Mom!

Delightful!

[theggy · 9/10 · 1 March 2013]

Reni Santoni's audition scene is the single funniest minute of film I've ever seen. Even though I've watched this movie several times, I still laugh so hard I can't breathe at multiple points throughout this movie. Though there are long segments of storytelling without similar hilarity, the plot line is never dull, and every single character is outstandingly drawn. Second to "Team America - World Police", this movie causes me the most full-belly laughs. I highly recommend it as a comedy, a growing up story, and a feel-good movie. José Ferrer's facial expressions are wonderful, and of course, Richard Deacon is as reliable as ever. This movie will still be funny, heartwarming, and inspiring 100 years from now.