Brilliant Screwball/Slapstick Comedy Performances by Serious Dramatic Actors

[Grandioso 2592]

I fucking love it when award winning actors slum it, stop taking themselves so seriously, and take a totally lowbrow role in a trashy TV/movie comedy - especially when they kill it. 

 

Kathy Bates

Robert DeNiro

Christopher Meloni

Gary Oldman

Alec Baldwin

Tom Cruise

Cate Blanchett

[futureman 22473]

movie 43

liev schrieber is great as well.  and richard gere.  many solid entries for movie 43.

Edited April 18, 2019 by futureman

[Grandioso 2592]

2 for 1: Tom Hanks & Bruce Dern

[futureman 22473]

in southeast asia we call that kinda thing “bad karma”.

[Grandioso 2592]

While this movie isn't a pure comedy, this scene with Robert Mitchum is absurd/scary/hilarious. Totally out of left field role.

 

[Grandioso 2592]

Michael Caine's comedic magnum opus

[Grandioso 2592]

7 minutes ago, futureman said:

in southeast asia we call that kinda thing “bad karma”.

Literally LOLing. 

[Parliament 14260]

Did OP actually mention Meet the Parents?  

[Nivek 16944]

Michael Caine's comedic magnum opus

Leap of Faith would be the inverse for Steve Martin. Razor’s Edge would be the same for Bill Murry.

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

George C. Scott in Dr. Strangelove FTW !!  And there's not a close second except maybe Peter graves in airplane.

[Guest]

5 minutes ago, Nivek said:

Leap of Faith would be the inverse for Steve Martin. Razor’s Edge would be the same for Bill Murry.

Tom Cruise in Collateral was also very extreme with regard to his usual work.  It’s still hard to reconcile his being a cold blooded assassin.  Navy pilot? Of course, but not a fucking hit man.

[next2naus 439]

Surely you can't be serious?

[Parliament 14260]

Winner

[Go Pokes 979]

George C. Scott in Dr. Strangelove FTW !!  And there's not a close second except maybe Peter graves in airplane.

 Oh it’s close.

 

 

Harvey.

Harvey Manfrenjensenden

 

 

[strangulation! 1716]

1 hour ago, Onboard 2.0 said:

George C. Scott in Dr. Strangelove FTW !!  And there's not a close second except maybe Peter graves in airplane.

i thought Kubrick tricked him as Scott wasn't interested in a comedic role, and what made the final cut were what Scott thought were outtakes?

[WBT 20599]

12 hours ago, Grandioso said:

2 for 1: Tom Hanks & Bruce Dern

Hanks wasn't a serious actor yet though.  His breakout role was Bosom Buddies and The Burbs was a year after Big and the same year as Turner and Hooch.

Edited April 18, 2019 by WBT

[Grandioso 2592]

19 minutes ago, WBT said:

Hanks wasn't a serious actor yet though.  His breakout role was Bosom Buddies and The Burbs was a year after Big and the same year as Turner and Hooch.

True. I was kind of looking at their whole career. Hanks' entire early career was pretty comedic - also thinking of Bachelor Party. 

[South Austin 52518]

13 hours ago, Grandioso said:

Gary Oldman

He was also good in his Friends cameo.

Edited April 18, 2019 by South Austin

[South Austin 52518]

23 minutes ago, WBT said:

Hanks wasn't a serious actor yet though.  His breakout role was Bosom Buddies and The Burbs was a year after Big and the same year as Turner and Hooch.

He had done Punchline and Nothing in Common, which I think started his transition from pure comedy to more dramatic roles.  But yeah, at the time of The 'Burbs, comedy was still his primary genre.

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

33 minutes ago, strangulation! said:

i thought Kubrick tricked him as Scott wasn't interested in a comedic role, and what made the final cut were what Scott thought were outtakes?

Wow,  didn't know that.

[Grandioso 2592]

Michael Sheen as "Wesley Snipes" 

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

38 minutes ago, Go Pokes said:

 Oh it’s close.

 

 

Harvey.

Harvey Manfrenjensenden

 

 

Kline has played comedy in his past, but that role was brilliant.

[Grandioso 2592]

 

[Cheeseweasel 26438]

 

 

 

[Lidig8r 1873]

20 minutes ago, Dr. Beeper said:

 

Dudes, post #2

And don't call me Shirley

[Liquor and Poker 3659]

Any of the Ernest movies.  Wow, Jim Varney had some serious range.

[Go Pokes 979]

Kline has played comedy in his past, but that role was brilliant.

True, but he hadn’t done comedy at that point.

[Mileslong 4728]

[Grandioso 2592]

I know Jimmy Stewart was in Harvey, but his role as the everyman dad dealing with a pain in the ass family vacation is his comedic best IMO.

Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation

 

[strangulation! 1716]

1 hour ago, Onboard 2.0 said:

Wow,  didn't know that.

Unlike Pickens, George C. Scott—who plays bombastic General Buck Turgidson—was well-aware that Dr. Strangelove was a comedy, but was nevertheless hesitant about playing his character too “big.” Kubrick coaxed Scott to deliver broad, animated performances as Buck, promising him that they were merely an exercise and would not be used in the final cut. Of course, the takes that went to print were among the actor’s wackiest. Scott felt terribly betrayed, and vowed never to work with Kubrick again. Although Dr. Strangelove remained their sole collaboration, Scott did eventually come to appreciate the film and his performance.

http://mentalfloss.com/article/63436/15-things-you-might-not-know-about-dr-strangelove

[Captain Ron 12883]

Ralph Bellamy in Trading places, not a lowbrow role, but he was not a comic actor and he kills it with Ameche

15 hours ago, Grandioso said:

I fucking love it when award winning actors slum it, stop taking themselves so seriously, and take a totally lowbrow role in a trashy TV/movie comedy - especially when they kill it. 

....

Christopher Meloni

 

 

Not bad, but I pick Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle

[SwanderedTalent 5761]

 

[Grandioso 2592]

^^^ Good one! I knew there was a Liam Neeson one out there.

[Go Pokes 979]

2 hours ago, SwanderedTalent said:

 

I watch this video about three times a year.  It's just hilarious, but this version cut off the beginning.  

[Nolacycling 893]

Rod Steiger in Mars Attacks.

[bamachine 1231]

It was far more than Nielsen in Airplane! Bunch of dramatic guys and gals in that one.

[C-Man 27230]

6 hours ago, Go Pokes said:

 

True, but he hadn’t done comedy at that point.

 

His first main role was the Pirate King in The Pirates of Penzance.

[Go Pokes 979]

1 minute ago, C-Man said:

His first main role was the Pirate King in The Pirates of Penzance.

I'm not sure if that is a point in my favor or not.  I know nothing about that musical, but either way, it doesn't sound like a role that would have prepared us for how amazing he was in Wanda.  At least I wasn't prepared for it.   I only knew him as the guy from Sophie's Choice, The Big Chill, and Silverado.  And Cry Freedom, which I never saw but I'm pretty sure it wasn't a comedy.   

[C-Man 27230]

3 minutes ago, Go Pokes said:

I'm not sure if that is a point in my favor or not.  I know nothing about that musical, but either way, it doesn't sound like a role that would have prepared us for how amazing he was in Wanda.  At least I wasn't prepared for it.   I only knew him as the guy from Sophie's Choice, The Big Chill, and Silverado.  And Cry Freedom, which I never saw but I'm pretty sure it wasn't a comedy.   

It's a musical comedy. And IIRC you can definitely see he would have the chops to play Otto down the road.

[Go Pokes 979]

Okay, I give. 

Mods- please delete all mentions of Kevin Kline from this thread.  Apparently, that was a fucking terrible example.  

[Don Johnson 4754]

Probably ineligible as it was his first movie, but this and Real Genius(2nd movie) are such outliers compared to the rest of his career.

[Don Johnson 4754]

[futureman 22473]

boom 

[SuingToGetAMessageBoard? 3861]

5 hours ago, SwanderedTalent said:

 

That is gold.

[ztejas 43467]

 

[Grandioso 2592]

Oh shit.

DUH.

[bamachine 1231]

^Although playing a stoner, he was kinda the straight guy, surrounded by comedy.

[futureman 22473]

I wouldn’t call big lebowski screwball or slapstick.  it’s goddamn brilliant cinema. 

airplane! and shit like that is slapstick. 

Edited April 18, 2019 by futureman

[RPM 26322]

You young un's got a lot to learn. Let Billy Wilder edjumacate you.

 

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

27 minutes ago, RPM said:

You young un's got a lot to learn. Let Billy Wilder edjumacate you.

 

Tony Curtiss sure, but hadn't Jack already done Mr. Roberts ?  Comedy, but a bit dark at the end.