Undescribable Perfection

Too much of everything

It's no definitive masterpiece but it's damn close.

It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

I don't know what the critics were smoking back in 1991 to give this hilarious film a negative review, maybe it was the beginning of a more "dark Era" and this attempting at a thirties Hollywood screwball comedy film, felt out of place or it was the "jumping in the bandwagon" bash against the great Sylvester Stallone, the "winner of the worst actor of the decade" by the "fabulous" Razzies (what a joke !!). Unfortunately, the audiences teamed with the critics and "Oscar" was a major flop when it was released in theaters, but became huge succesful on video and found its audience there, even if it's still largely underrated nowadays."Oscar" is a delightfully well-staged and nicely paced "'comedy of errors", based on the 1967 French film of the same name, starring Louis de Funès, but with the setting moved to 1931, during the Depression-era in New York City, telling the story of a Mob Boss, Angelo "Snaps" Provolone (Stallone), trying to going straight after a promise he made to his dying father, Eduardo (Kirk Douglas), but it won't be an easy task...This was the first John Landis' film, after the major Box Office hit of his "Coming to America" ('88) starring Eddie Murphy, and probably the expectations were higher for the director to deliver another audience friendly contemporary comedy, but Landis took a risk honoring (and resurrecting) a dead genre and glad he did so.The performances are all top notch, well directed by Landis and perfectly adequate to the characters they're playing, the settings and the tone of the movie: Sly Stallone is a great comedy actor, he have the right delivery timing, funny expressions and truly dominates the central role of the film with the great support of Peter Riegert and Chazz Palminteri as his (not so bright) henchmen; Ornella Muti & Marisa Tomei as his dominating wife and spoiled teenage daughter; Landis' usual collaborator, the veteran Don Ameche as Father Clemente; Tim Curry as the linguistic Dr. Poole; Vincent Spano as the greedy accountant and the duo Harry Shearer & Martin Ferrero, playing the tailors Finucci Brothers, which are hilarious. Kirk Douglas joined the cast in the prologue, alongside Yvonne De Carlo (God Bless Lily Munster !!) in her last screen role, offering a memorable cameo.In short, this is one of the funniest comedies ever put on-screen, people shouldn't listen to Stallone's haters or the snobbish movie critics, who probably didn't even get the movie. For fans of a good farce, this is the movie to watch, i give it a solid 9 stars !!

I say that if you like comedies, this is a MUST see movie. This is, no contest, Sly's best movie. This is one of the all-time best movies. I've been watching his shows since the first Rocky came out and I love his ass kicking flicks but this is better. This has some of the best beauties caught on film, great music, an outstanding cast, AND you will laugh yourself legit. You know, until some bankers scare you crooked again. Obviously, I find this to be watchable yearly.

for me,it remains a lovely surprise. an old fashion comedy, with a brilliant genius of humor from Silvester Stallone, admirable job of Ornella Mutti and Linda Gray escaping from the circle of "Dallas" in charming manner. but, more important, "Oscar" is a great resurrection of old fashion comedy. and, maybe, this is its basic virtue. the humor who has not the desire to impress, sweet, seductive, familiar, out of vulgar allusion, using the Mafia motif in smart way and the love as key of beautiful end. so, a refreshing film. one of the most important pretext for see it. less twice. better, often.

Oscar is a screwball comedy based on the Claude Magnier stage play.It was a remake of the 1967 French film of the same title with the settings moved to the Depression era New York City.Its central character is on a mob boss trying to go straight. It stars Sylvester Stallone in the title role together with Marisa Tomei, Ornella Muti, Tim Curry, and Chazz Palminteri. Angelo "Snaps" Provolonep made a promise that he would reform his life and give up his involvement with criminal activities upon the death of his father.Unfortunately,there are a variety of personal and professional obstacles that he must go through.Among them is that he needs lots of money since he is getting married soon.His accountant asked him for a raise.Later,he discovered that his daughter got pregnant.And there are more.Critics thrashed Oscar and compared Stallone to comedy as one movie writer would put it,"Stallone is to comedy as John Goodman is to ballet".But despite the fact that he isn't a comic genius,he definitely can go through gags and made fun of by others without getting mad.In other words,he can tolerate how others would treat him.Unfortunately,this movie became a traumatic experience for him that he gave up comedy and never did a comedic film again.But nevertheless,it was still a funny film that would enjoy somehow.Regarding Stallone,he was decent in comedy.Too bad many people believed the numerous critics who trashed this film.