The World's Greatest Lover (1977)

A neurotic baker travels to Hollywood to attend a talent search for an actor to rival the great Valentino. Although not an actor, through blind luck he succeeds - to a certain degree!

Director:

Gene Wilder

Writer:

Gene Wilder

Stars:

Gene Wilder, Carol Kane, Dom DeLuise

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gene Wilder	...	Rudy Valentine / Rudy Hickman
Carol Kane	...	Annie Hickman
Dom DeLuise	...	Adolph Zitz
Fritz Feld	...	Tomaso Abalone, Hotel Manager
Mark Silberman	...	Cousin Buddy
Robert Ball	...	Bald Man (as Robert E. Ball)
Randolph Dobbs	...	Yes Man #1
Sandy Rovetta	...	Woman Dancer
Hannah Dean	...	Maid
Rita Conde	...	Whore #1
Lupe Ontiveros	...	Whore #2
Teda Bracci	...	Whore #3
Elaine Everett	...	Whore #4
Gustaf Unger	...	Producer
Harry Gold	...	Freddie the Runner

Storyline

A neurotic baker travels to Hollywood to attend a talent search for an actor to rival the great Valentino. Although not an actor, through blind luck he succeeds - to a certain degree!

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Plot Keywords:

talent search | barber | audition | tent | written and directed by cast member | 

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Taglines:

Go ahead - laugh!

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 February 1978 (France)

Also Known As:

A világ legnagyobb hősszerelmese

Filming Locations:

California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Jouer Limited, Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

A number of the cast and crew had worked on the comedies of Mel Brooks. These included Gene Wilder, Dom DeLuise, Carol Arthur, Jack Riley, Fritz Feld, Frank Baur, William Tuttle and John Morris.

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Goofs

The "audition" record that Rudy listens to is obviously an LP running at 33 1/3 rpm. LPs would not be invented until the late 1940s.

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Quotes

Adolph Zitz: Gentlemen, I am not a child and I do not wish to be treated as one. Is that understood?
Group of yes men: Yes, Sir!
Adolph Zitz: Good. Now, here's the question: If you went up to any bum in the street and asked him which is the biggest movie studio in Hollywood, what would he say? Joe?
Yes Man #1: Well, Rainbow Studios, home of the stars.
Adolph Zitz: All right now. All right, I don't want any of that baloney. Wes?
Yes Man #2: I would say Wainbow. Wainbow Studios. It's the wargest and the best.
Adolph Zitz: Save it. Save that yes-man shit. You think I need this kind of ...
[...]

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Crazy Credits

There is a credit to Frederico Fellini, who was not on the picture, 'for encouragement at the right time'.

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Connections

Referenced in Something to Scream About (2003)

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Soundtracks

"You Oughta Be in Pictures"
(uncredited)
Music by Dana Suesse
Played when Rudy walks on the set for his audition

User Reviews

Gene Wilder's tragi-slapstick masterpiece

This movie studies a handful of themes, among them: romantic problems, issues of the individual versus conformity, and beauty versus mediocrity. It is set during the Hollywood silent movie days, when Rudolph Valentino was the rage. Wilder plays the lead role, the husband of a Valentino fan, who has to muster up the sexy man in himself in order to save the day. The sets are lush, Carol Kane is gorgeous, Wilder gives one of his most heartbreaking performances, and Harry Nilsson devotes his song "Ain't it kind of wonderful" to the soundtrack. Very ambitious, especially considering that Wilder wrote, directed and produced it.

Yes, it's true some of the gags are dated or overdone, but there are other things to enjoy. It's in the same league as Woody Allen's early slapstick comedies, like "Sleeper" and "Play it again, Sam", as well as the Mel Brooks' oeuvre.