Category Archives: Comedy

How and why Nick and Nora work

Posted on July 20, 2011 by Bill Wren

The series of Thin Man movies answers the question, “What does happily ever after look like?” Tweet

Charming swindlers

Posted on July 9, 2011 by Bill Wren

There are certain movies I can make a reference to and people immediately know the film and usually recall it with a smile — if not outright laughter. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is one of those movies. It didn’t change the … Continue reading →

Subversive Preston Sturges and Morgan’s Creek

Posted on June 10, 2011 by Bill Wren

Eddie Bracken just looks funny. It’s not in a physically distorted way; it has something to do with the innocent, cherubic quality of his face that makes you smile. And when he starts moving? You start to laugh. Tweet

Playing it straight: The Lady Eve

Posted on June 7, 2011 by Bill Wren

I foolishly put a poll on Facebook asking people what movie they felt was Preston Sturges’ best. It was foolish because I used the word “best” when I should have used “favourite” or some other word. How can you pick … Continue reading →

Easy Living (1937): Everybody fall down

Posted on May 7, 2011 by Bill Wren

When a an expensive fur coat falls on her head, Mary Smith’s life of scraping together enough for food and rent turns upside down. She suddenly finds herself in a world of wealth, as she’s mistakenly perceived of as the … Continue reading →

Loving and hating Mouse Hunt

Posted on March 28, 2011 by Bill Wren

Mousehunt (1997) is a funny movie in both senses of the word. It is funny “ha ha,” and it is funny peculiar. For me, it is one of the funniest movies I’ve seen. Ever. I can’t think of many movies, … Continue reading →

And now a Capra comedy

Posted on February 24, 2011 by Bill Wren

Last night TCM ran Frank Capra’s You Can’t Take It With You and while I had the same response as what follows below — this is a very chaotic and cacophonous movie — this time I adapted to it better … Continue reading →