BBC Culture 100 Greatest Comedies Of All Time

[Serge]

Yes, it's another one of those lists, though this one does actually seem to have a fair breadth, and is voted for by 253 film critics from across the planet (and not just the usual suspects). Obviously, as with all these things, it's not like this is the definitive list that we have to pay lip service to for the rest of time, but it's an interesting mix, and I don't think anybody could quibble with the Top Ten. (Confession: I've never seen 'Some Like It Hot'.) 'Strangelove' is one of my favourite films of all time, so was very pleased to see that ranked so highly, and my pick for funniest film ever made - Le Dîner de Cons - is in there (though listed under the English title, 'The Dinner Game'.)

100. (tie) The King of Comedy (Martin Scorsese, 1982)
100. The Ladies Man (Jerry Lewis, 1961)
99. The Jerk (Carl Reiner, 1979)
98. The Hangover (Todd Phillips, 2009)
97. The Music Box (James Parrott, 1932)
96. Born Yesterday (George Cukor, 1950)
95. Ghostbusters (Ivan Reitman, 1984)
94. Rushmore (Wes Anderson, 1998)
93. South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (Trey Parker, 1999)
92. The Exterminating Angel (Luis Buñuel, 1962)
91. What's Up, Doc? (Peter Bogdanovich, 1972)
90. A New Leaf (Elaine May, 1971)
89. Daisies (Vera Chytilová, 1966)
88. Zoolander (Ben Stiller, 2001)
87. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (Howard Hawks, 1953)
86. Kind Hearts and Coronets (Robert Hamer, 1949)
85. Amarcord (Federico Fellini, 1973)
84. Waiting for Guffman (Christopher Guest, 1996)
83. Safety Last! (Fred C Newmeyer and Sam Taylor, 1923)
82. Top Secret! (Jim Abrahams, David Zucker and Jerry Zucker, 1984)
81. There's Something About Mary (Bobby and Peter Farrelly, 1998)
80. Office Space (Mike Judge, 1999)
79. The Dinner Game (Francis Veber, 1998)
78. The Princess Bride (Rob Reiner, 1987)
77. Divorce Italian Style (Pietro Germi, 1961)
76. Design for Living (Ernst Lubitsch, 1933)
75. The Palm Beach Story (Preston Sturges, 1942)
74. Trading Places (John Landis, 1983)
73. The Nutty Professor (Jerry Lewis, 1963)
72. The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (David Zucker, 1988)
71. The Royal Tenenbaums (Wes Anderson, 2001)
70. In the Loop (Armando Iannucci, 2009)
69. Love and Death (Woody Allen, 1975)
68. Ninotchka (Ernst Lubitsch, 1939)
67. Sons of the Desert (William A Seiter, 1933)
66. Hot Fuzz (Edgar Wright, 2007)
65. Caddyshack (Harold Ramis, 1980)
64. Step Brothers (Adam McKay, 2008)
63. Arsenic and Old Lace (Frank Capra, 1944)
62. What We Do in the Shadows (Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi, 2014)
61. Team America: World Police (Trey Parker, 2004)
60. Shaun of the Dead (Edgar Wright, 2004)
59. Toni Erdmann (Maren Ade, 2016)
58. Zelig (Woody Allen, 1983)
57. Mean Girls (Mark Waters, 2004)
56. Broadcast News (James L Brooks, 1987)
55. Best in Show (Christopher Guest, 2000)
54. Harold and Maude (Hal Ashby, 1971)
53. The Blues Brothers (John Landis, 1980)
52. My Man Godfrey (Gregory La Cava, 1936)
51. Seven Chances (Buster Keaton, 1925)
50. Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (Pedro Almodóvar, 1988)
49. The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (Luis Buñuel, 1972)
48. Trouble in Paradise (Ernst Lubitsch, 1932)
47. Animal House (John Landis, 1978)
46. Pulp Fiction (Quentin Tarantino, 1994)
45. Big Deal on Madonna Street (Mario Monicelli, 1958)
44. Bridesmaids (Paul Feig, 2011)
43. M*A*S*H (Robert Altman, 1970)
42. The Awful Truth (Leo McCarey, 1937)
41. Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (Larry Charles, 2006)
40. The Producers (Mel Brooks, 1967)
39. A Night at the Opera (Sam Wood and Edmund Goulding, 1935)
38. The Philadelphia Story (George Cukor, 1940)
37. Sullivan's Travels (Preston Sturges, 1941)
36. A Fish Called Wanda (Charles Crichton and John Cleese, 1988)
35. Singin' in the Rain (Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly, 1952)
34. Clueless (Amy Heckerling, 1995)
33. Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (Adam McKay, 2004)
32. Raising Arizona (Joel and Ethan Coen, 1987)
31. Tootsie (Sydney Pollack, 1982)
30. Monsieur Hulot's Holiday (Jacques Tati, 1953)
29. When Harry Met Sally... (Rob Reiner, 1989)
28. It Happened One Night (Frank Capra, 1934)
27. The Apartment (Billy Wilder, 1960)
26. Mon Oncle (Jacques Tati, 1958)
25. The Gold Rush (Charlie Chaplin, 1925)
24. Withnail and I (Bruce Robinson, 1987)
23. The Party (Blake Edwards, 1968)
22. Young Frankenstein (Mel Brooks, 1974)
21. City Lights (Charlie Chaplin, 1931)
20. Blazing Saddles (Mel Brooks, 1974)
19. The Lady Eve (Preston Sturges, 1941)
18. Sherlock Jr (Buster Keaton, 1924)
17. Bringing Up Baby (Howard Hawks, 1938)
16. The Great Dictator (Charlie Chaplin, 1940)
15. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones, 1975)
14. His Girl Friday (Howard Hawks, 1940)
13. To Be or Not To Be (Ernst Lubitsch, 1942)
12. Modern Times (Charlie Chaplin, 1936)
11. The Big Lebowski (Joel and Ethan Coen, 1998)
10. The General (Clyde Bruckman and Buster Keaton, 1926)
9. This Is Spinal Tap (Rob Reiner, 1984)
8. Playtime (Jacques Tati, 1967)
7. Airplane! (Jim Abrahams, David Zucker and Jerry Zucker, 1980)
6. Life of Brian (Terry Jones, 1979)
5. Duck Soup (Leo McCarey, 1933)
4. Groundhog Day (Harold Ramis, 1993)
3. Annie Hall (Woody Allen, 1977)
2. Dr Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (Stanley Kubrick, 1964)
1. Some Like It Hot (Billy Wilder, 1959)

Full article here.

[Autopsy Turvey]

Sons Of The Desert at 67?!?!? Beaten by Hot Fuzz. Fuffuss.

No Ladykillers.

And not a single Carry On, the stuck up cunts.

[hewantstolurkatad]

Surprised Some Like It Hot would still get #1, it's the kind of "AFI Best Comedies" #1 that you'd imagine a large part of its support base has already died off. It's the kind of thing that'd get a lot of arbitrary inclusions at the bottom of individual lists though ("I better include something from old", "I better include something by Wilder")

Trouble in Paradise at #48 is more indicative that it's still suffering from being unavailable for decades following the code than anything else. Lubitsch's best by a mile, even without accounting for the challenges of sound in the early 30s.

[Bazooka]

Hot Fuzz being higher than The Jerk and Rushmoore is the least of this lists problems when Napoleon Dynamite isn't even on it, what a disgrace.

We asked 253 film critics – 118 women and 135 men – from 52 countries and six continents a simple

Ah there is your problem.

[Shit Good Nose]

I don't see UHF, Fletch Lives or Deuce Bigelow.  List is shit for cunts.


On a serious note, nice to see such a good stamp of older films, but it is still a VERY US film centric list isn't it.

Chuffed that Waiting For Guffman is in there - about time it got some professional thumbs up.

[checkoutgirl]

I don't see UHF, Fletch Lives or Deuce Bigelow.  List is shit for cunts.

'xactly. Any list of 100 things by its very nature is going to leave thousands of things off the list of things. Then people will see things missing and complain that these things that they like aren't included. Still, it's a pretty refreshing list of things. Some things I like. Some things I don't. And some things I haven't seen.

Is The Thing on the list? I like a bit of Carpenter.

[checkoutgirl]

No Carpenter on the list, shame.

[DrGreggles]

Carry On, the stuck up cunts.

I've never seen that one.

[Dr Rock]

Pulp Fiction is a comedy?

[Shit Good Nose]

I've never seen that one.

It was one of those arse-end softcore ones that featured only Kenneth Williams and Charles Hawtrey from the original Carry On cast.  Both cos they were promised payment in cock.

[Dr Rock]

It's good Top Secret! is in there, but Woody Allen's funniest film is Love and Death and that's not there.

[Ignatius_S]

Interesting list but as Mr Nose says *very* US-centric.

Also, I might be mistaken, but I can't see a WC Fields film in there, which is an astonishing omission. I know you can't include everything but feel there are some questionable inclusions and really not sure if Pulp Fiction or Singin' in the Rain should be on there.

Something I would like to see on these type of lists is a kind of limit of how many times the same people can be included (e.g. directors) as think that would open it up to less obvious inclusions.

... and I don't think anybody could quibble with the Top Ten. (Confession: I've never seen 'Some Like It Hot'.)...

Well...

Personally, if there was on Tati film in the top 10 (FWIW, I think there should be), I would go with Monsieur Hulot's Holiday as I believe that his strongest film.

It's a strong top ten but far from perfect. For instance, although I'm fond of Groundhog Day, I would hesitate to put it in the top ten – I'm far from a fan of Chaplin but would rate more than one of his films as being a greater comedy film.

Sons Of The Desert at 67?!?!? Beaten by Hot Fuzz. Fuffuss.

No Ladykillers.

And not a single Carry On, the stuck up cunts.

Absolutely agree with The Ladykillers... only two Coen Brothers films included... what were they thinking!

Re: Carry On – I don't know if you've seen it, but there was a C4 documentary where Phillip French got het up because one person polled by Sight and Sound for their greatest films (might have just been UK films and/or comedy films) and included two Carry Ons as one of their picks. He was absolutely riled by them doing this.

The person who had done this – Phillip Dodd – was also in the documentary. IIRC, although he said that he was being a tad mischevious (i.e. he knew people would be upset), there was a serious point. The Carry Ons were – whether we like it or not – contributed to popular culture and their commercial success means they have to be considered when looking at the history of British film history, but some prefer to look the other way. I'm pretty sure that he actually liked the films he selected and a point was made that people will often say the films they think they should be seen to be name-checking, rather than the ones they actually enjoy.

[Dr Rock]

And Tootsie is shit and unfunny.

[worldsgreatestsinner]

It's good Top Secret! is in there, but Woody Allen's funniest film is Love and Death and that's not there.

Number 69.

[Ignatius_S]

It's good Top Secret! is in there, but Woody Allen's funniest film is Love and Death and that's not there.

It is: number 69... but by rights, it should be a Carry On.

[Shit Good Nose]

I would go with Monsieur Hulot's Holiday as I believe that his strongest film.

Playtime for me.  But I know that one's a really hard sell for most people, especially when Holiday is in the mix.  Mind you, best tennis serve ever.

[Dr Rock]

It is: number 69...

Oops. Should be higher then. But I think for some reason it's one of Woody's that has not been seen as much as the others on the list. Maybe.

[Serge]

Sons Of The Desert at 67?!?!? Beaten by Hot Fuzz. Fuffuss.

I did wonder if Laurel And Hardy might have suffered because of how many films they made, and how good so many of them were - I would like to have seen 'Blockheads' in there, but others will have their favourites, and it probably split the vote. Whereas the Cornetto Trilogy only gets split three ways - actually, let's be honest, two ways, even as someone who liked 'World's End', I wouldn't imagine it would make many people's top ten lists.

really not sure if Pulp Fiction or Singin' in the Rain should be on there.

I agree that 'Pulp Fiction' is pushing it (and if that's in there, then 'Fight Club' damn well should be), but I think 'Singin' In The Rain' absolutely belongs on there.

[newbridge]

Surprised Some Like It Hot would still get #1, it's the kind of "AFI Best Comedies" #1 that you'd imagine a large part of its support base has already died off. It's the kind of thing that'd get a lot of arbitrary inclusions at the bottom of individual lists though ("I better include something from old", "I better include something by Wilder")

Trouble in Paradise at #48 is more indicative that it's still suffering from being unavailable for decades following the code than anything else. Lubitsch's best by a mile, even without accounting for the challenges of sound in the early 30s.

Some Like It Hot is the best comedy ever made and unlike movies where the balance tips more towards "historically significant" than "funny" (The General) the comedy in SLIH hasn't aged much at all.

I was ready to hate this list but the top 10 is pretty solid. Needs more WC Fields though.

[newbridge]

Oops. Should be higher then. But I think for some reason it's one of Woody's that has not been seen as much as the others on the list. Maybe.

Naturally, it's unclear what the ranking scheme is here. I think Annie Hall is a better movie, but Love and Death is definitely funnier. (Including my favorite single Woody Allen shot, of him going off to war with his butterfly net)

[EOLAN]

Re: Buster Keaton's "The General". Would agree that it is far from funny, and Sherlock Jr. and others would have better gags. Still is probably the best film that is a comedy of his as opposed to his funniest film. Personally happy to see it up there.
Oh yes I have seen Harold Lloyd's Saftey Last included too.

Also, given the week in it; Jerry Lewis being involved in both films that sneak into list getting joint 100th spot seems quite appropriate.

[Autopsy Turvey]

The Carry Ons were – whether we like it or not – contributed to popular culture and their commercial success means they have to be considered when looking at the history of British film history, but some prefer to look the other way.

I've never been quite sure where the line is drawn between Carry Ons and Mel Brooks, for example. If people can agree that Blazing Saddles/Young Frankenstein are among the all-time greatest comedy films of all time, why do they get so sniffy when someone argues the same of Carry On Cowboy/Screaming? Never mind about their historical value and commercial success, the Carry On team is the greatest collection of comedy actors ever assembled in one place, it seems weird that the snooty cineast tastemakers still can't bring themselves to realise this.

[newbridge]

I've never been quite sure where the line is drawn between Carry Ons and Mel Brooks, for example. If people can agree that Blazing Saddles/Young Frankenstein are among the all-time greatest comedy films of all time, why do they get so sniffy when someone argues the same of Carry On Cowboy/Screaming? Never mind about their historical value and commercial success, the Carry On team is the greatest collection of comedy actors ever assembled in one place, it seems weird that the snooty cineast tastemakers still can't bring themselves to realise this.

They're just not very well known outside of the UK. I believe a number of the Carry On films are featured right now on the US Filmstruck streaming service, which is something close to a snooty cineast tastemaker seal of approval.

[purlieu]

Plenty I've not seen so I have no detailed comments, other than Ghostbusters is way too fucking low. And thank God the Simpsons film isn't in there.

[Brundle-Fly]

Ten MIA

Way Out West (1937)
Hellzapoppin' (1941)
Abbot & Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)
School For Scoundrels (1960)
The Rebel (1961)
It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963)
Bedazzled (1967)
Who Framed Framed Roger Rabbit? (1988)
Kingpin (1996)
The Incredibles (2004)

[Howj Begg]

Good to see Playtime so high. Preston Sturges' rep should be far higher.

[notjosh]

I agree that 'Pulp Fiction' is pushing it (and if that's in there, then 'Fight Club' damn well should be), but I think 'Singin' In The Rain' absolutely belongs on there.

Singin' in the Rain is absolutely hilarious and Jean Hagen's Lina Lamont is one of the great comedy performances of all time.

Biggest omissions for me are Gremlins 2: The New Batch, Why Worry?, Ball of Fire and Monkey Business.

[BlodwynPig]

Don't watch comedy films. I've seen In the Loop and Four Lions, that's about it.

[Avril Lavigne]

I'm surprised Beavis & Butt-head Do America isn't in that list, even my brother who didn't 'get' them at the time was won over by that movie.

[Sin Agog]

Playtime for me.  But I know that one's a really hard sell for most people, especially when Holiday is in the mix.  Mind you, best tennis serve ever.

Did you see that animation put together from a lost Tati script a few years ago, The Illusionist?  Right up there with his best.

School For Scoundrels (1960)

Love that film!  At least they threw a couple of other Ealings in there for good measure (I remember being amazed when Kind Hearts once nudged its way into the Top 10 of an Empire comedy films list).

I usually find myself more intrigued by the tail-end of a list than the top half, which always confirms my opinion that a list made by one informed mofo tends to be of more worth than something tallied together from a bunch of people, but s'far as they go this was quite a Lubitsching list!  Having rewatched it a few days ago, I like that they saw fit to include What We Do in the Shadows.  So it's not all old stuff. They did a good job actually of not succumbing too much to the dry and dusty fusty tweed men who express merriment through a wry twiddling of the corners of their moustaches, while not turning it into a parade of half-baked stoner bro-flicks where all the characters learn something about something in the final scene.