The World's Greatest LoverThe "world's greatest lover" doesn't have to be the most handsome man, the strongest man, or even the best actor; he does have to be someone who can deliver the special kind of love that someone needs, and that takes understanding and humility. When a neurotic newlywed baker named Rudy Hickman (Gene Wilder) learns of the struggling Rainbow Studios contest to discover a star in the form of the "world's greatest lover" by hosting a contest-to-casting promotion, Rudy changes his name to "Rudy Valentine", packs up his inexperienced young wife, Annie (Carol Kane), and makes for Hollywood to begin his bizarre rise to stardom.
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Written, directed, starring, and produced by Gene Wilder, The World's Greatest Lover is a dedicated effort by one of the greatest comedy geniuses of our time; he even wrote the love theme to the film, which is sung by Harry Nilsson. It is also a send up to Hollywood's "Golden Age", the time when blossoming studios like Paramount thrived, and small-time outfits like Rainbow Studios--headed up by the brutish Adolph Zitz (Dom DeLuise)--struggled to stay afloat by imitating their more successful competitors. Many humorous scenes are sped up for comedic effect, recalling the stylings of silent movie greats like Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton. The contest which attracts the skittish baker from Milwaukee (and thousands like him) is one such exercise by Zitz to seek out their own answer to Rudolph Valentino (played by Matt Collins). But it is also one which flounders for the same reasons that Rudy experiences so much anxiety: both Zitz and Rudy are pretending to be something their not, and trying too hard at it. Just as Rudy struggles to contain his insecurities, Zitz manifests his and his studio's by aping Paramount's attempt to screen test amateurs, leading to some genuinely terrible auditions. Zitz surrounds himself with sycophantic yes-men, and only gets any dissenting opinion from his personal groomer, attacking him because he recognizes that he speaks the truth about what America wants--or at least what is closest to it; and Zitz knows it, but is too afraid to act on it, too entrenched in his own world of fantasy. In fact, the Hollywood of The World's Greatest Lover exists in a sort of fantasy state, one where everyone travelling on location is always in costume, playing out their roles in Arabian tents even when the cameras aren't rolling. It is an illusion which seduces Annie, convincing her that when she is ostensibly invited into Valentino's tent, that her wildest dreams are about to come true. (Courtesy of a serendipitous meet between Rudy and his suave doppelganger, however, it is essentially a test of her heart.) Rudy pulls off the charade courtesy of some acting lessons--and some improv--cultivated by the real Valentino. Through the ruse, Rudy must wear a face mask to conceal his identity, although his bulging eyes are reminiscent of Valentino's, albeit ones which appear manic and fevered instead of inticing. Rudy struggles to contain his abject terror at failure, attempting to conceal his shortcomings in absurd and desperate moments--like his moist reunion with his Uncle Harry (Carl Ballantine) at a fancy hotel with a sunken living room (which apparently doubles as an indoor pool when necessary). When Rudy begins to let his feelings out--even if in wildly inappropriate ways during his auditions and more--it is then that he becomes the desirable, honest, and sensitive man which captivates his audience, not in the attempt to secure a role as a feigned shadow of Rudolph Valentino, but as a man who understands what he has in his Annie. An awkward truth always means more than a pale imitation.
The World's Greatest Lover is a zany comedy filled with slapstick and the kind of outrageous antics and heartfelt emotion which made Gene Wilder so memorable; his personality is in full blast here. It is filled with a variety of hilarious sight gags that underscore Rudy's anxiety, from a rehearsal set filled with men seemingly all laughing at him, to his departure from the train, following his proclamation that he is unique among his fellow competitors, only to discover a train station filled with men wearing the exact same suit has him, and with the exact same briefcase. Rudy is a man replete with various eccentricities and bizarre behaviors, which a Freudian psychologist might attribute in part to his feelings of sexual inadequacy. Rudy fantasizes about making it big, gaining fame and adoration as the world's greatest lover, and yet he has been married for only three months, and he and his wife already struggle with intimacy. Annie recognizes that she is unfamiliar in the ways of physical love, but Rudy's idea of educating her is via a weird manual, where their foreplay is measured in numerical milestones, and have all the appeal of checking the page count on a book report. (That said, there is some hysterical humor in the idea that the mysterious "number eight" can be so laden with innuendo.) Rudy suffers from neuroses including his fantasies, but also physiological ones like going hoarse, jumbling his words up, and most visibly, sticking his tongue out. Annie soon concludes that while she loves Rudy, she is convinced that she cannot help him in his ascent to become famous in the home of the stars (and many featured players). Annie herself struggles with insecurity, afraid to express her passions to Rudy with his regimented approach to love making, finding solace in fantasizing about silent movie heartthrob, Rudolph Valentino. After an autographed photo is sent to her, hinting that she should visit him when she is in Hollywood, she takes this to be an invitation to leave Rudy for the romeo of the silver screen, hoping that, like Rudy, her unfulfilled desires will bear fruit in this burgeoning dream factory. Rudy and Annie's relationship is at the crux of The World's Greatest Lover, and the challenges they are forced to overcome, including a new marriage already on the rocks because they have yet to fully open up to one another and make themselves vulnerable. Consider how Rudy evolves over the course of the film, going from a frustrated, even angry man prone to mood swings, practically yelling at his new wife about his inner calling (which even he doesn't fully understand), to the sensitive, sympathetic man who begs Annie for forgiveness even after she runs out on him. Even though Rudy has planted himself in a land where illusion is big business, he discovers his true feelings for Annie, expresses them, and his neuroses seem to be but a faint memory. What better therapy can you get?
Recommended for: Fans of a charmingly warm and clever comedy about love and success, and a couple's discovery over which matters more. It is a sweet and hilarious film made by one of cinema's most gifted entertainers.
The World's Greatest Lover is a zany comedy filled with slapstick and the kind of outrageous antics and heartfelt emotion which made Gene Wilder so memorable; his personality is in full blast here. It is filled with a variety of hilarious sight gags that underscore Rudy's anxiety, from a rehearsal set filled with men seemingly all laughing at him, to his departure from the train, following his proclamation that he is unique among his fellow competitors, only to discover a train station filled with men wearing the exact same suit has him, and with the exact same briefcase. Rudy is a man replete with various eccentricities and bizarre behaviors, which a Freudian psychologist might attribute in part to his feelings of sexual inadequacy. Rudy fantasizes about making it big, gaining fame and adoration as the world's greatest lover, and yet he has been married for only three months, and he and his wife already struggle with intimacy. Annie recognizes that she is unfamiliar in the ways of physical love, but Rudy's idea of educating her is via a weird manual, where their foreplay is measured in numerical milestones, and have all the appeal of checking the page count on a book report. (That said, there is some hysterical humor in the idea that the mysterious "number eight" can be so laden with innuendo.) Rudy suffers from neuroses including his fantasies, but also physiological ones like going hoarse, jumbling his words up, and most visibly, sticking his tongue out. Annie soon concludes that while she loves Rudy, she is convinced that she cannot help him in his ascent to become famous in the home of the stars (and many featured players). Annie herself struggles with insecurity, afraid to express her passions to Rudy with his regimented approach to love making, finding solace in fantasizing about silent movie heartthrob, Rudolph Valentino. After an autographed photo is sent to her, hinting that she should visit him when she is in Hollywood, she takes this to be an invitation to leave Rudy for the romeo of the silver screen, hoping that, like Rudy, her unfulfilled desires will bear fruit in this burgeoning dream factory. Rudy and Annie's relationship is at the crux of The World's Greatest Lover, and the challenges they are forced to overcome, including a new marriage already on the rocks because they have yet to fully open up to one another and make themselves vulnerable. Consider how Rudy evolves over the course of the film, going from a frustrated, even angry man prone to mood swings, practically yelling at his new wife about his inner calling (which even he doesn't fully understand), to the sensitive, sympathetic man who begs Annie for forgiveness even after she runs out on him. Even though Rudy has planted himself in a land where illusion is big business, he discovers his true feelings for Annie, expresses them, and his neuroses seem to be but a faint memory. What better therapy can you get?
Recommended for: Fans of a charmingly warm and clever comedy about love and success, and a couple's discovery over which matters more. It is a sweet and hilarious film made by one of cinema's most gifted entertainers.