I need to tell you all about the most amazing film! This is not a current event. It was up for a few academy awards in 1965 when it was made, but it is at least as timely today as the day it came out.
A Thousand Clowns, based on the original play by Herb Gardner, is truly one of the most entertaining films I have ever seen. Wikipedia entry.
I saw it first in a theater growing up in Kansas. Yes, even at age eleven I got quite a bit out of it, but these days I borrow it from my public library. I have some scenes memorized! It is truly my kind of humor, a thought-provoking critique of the stupidity of modern life, with great music, and superb performances from everyone.
I am biased because I LOVE Jason Robards! And his character, Murray Burns, struggles in the funniest ways with the ridiculousness of life today (and even in 1965!) When he calls to hear the recorded weather forecast in the morning, he says: “I’m using a machine to talk to a machine.” And I love the way he gets up every morning and yells at his neighborhood before anyone is up! “Hello campers…”
There are lots of important midlife messages in this movie! (You knew I’d get to this subject eventually, didn’t you?) Murray is the original non-conformist, which he does wonderfully, but it’s causing problems in his life because he doesn’t want the child welfare department to take away his nephew, who has been living with him for the past 7 years.
There are lots of good warnings in this movie:
“Don’t learn how to become one of the nice dead people…stay awake and know who the phonies are!”
When he speaks about stopping in midlife to make a major change, he says:
“You have been given the rare opportunity of returning the unused portion of your life, and having your money refunded.”
When Murray speaks about Nick (his nephew) and what he’s learned from hanging out with him, he says:
“I want him to know the sneaky, subtle, important reason he was born a human being and not a chair!”
There are SO MANY great lines in this film! Kudos to the writer!!! It is such an intelligent, whimsical, funny, freeing reminder of the value of questioning everything in our lives, and not becoming a chair.
One line has become particularly important to me. Through the years, I’ve come to really value the words “I’m sorry.” Time can’t change the past, but I’ve come to fully appreciate the power of a strong, heart-felt apology.
“That’s the most you should expect from life, a really good apology for all the things you won’t get.”
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I love this film and got my nephew to raise when I was 21 and my nephew was turning 6. An interesting aside is that Robards was apparently battling alcoholism in real life for much of his early career. One might guess that his personality in the film mirrored his own alcoholic behavior.
In any case I still love and own this film on a VCR. Guess I should upgrade to a DVD.
Norm:
Thanks for bringing my attention to this old post. It seems this film is again out on DVD! I know now what I want for Christmas!
-Laura Lee