The Comic
The Comic is a 1969 American Pathécolor comedy-drama film co-written, co-produced, and directed by Carl Reiner. It stars Dick Van Dyke as Billy Bright (which was the original title of the film), Michele Lee as Bright's love interest, and Reiner himself and Mickey Rooney as Bright's friends and colleagues. Reiner wrote the screenplay with Aaron Ruben; it was inspired by the end of silent film era and, in part, by the life of silent film superstar Buster Keaton.
Plot
Billy Bright (Dick Van Dyke), a silent-era film comedian, narrates this film which begins at his character's funeral in 1969 and tells his life story in flashbacks, unable to see his own faults and morosely (and incorrectly) blaming others for anything that has gone wrong.
More details
| author | Carl Reiner |
|---|---|
| director | Carl Reiner |
| editor | Adrienne Fazan |
| genre | comedy-drama |
| keywords | adultery alcoholism buster keaton charlie chaplin commercial date detergent dual role file flashback force funeral groovy harold lloyd leading lady life story move pitch pratfall serve sidekick silent comedy film silent-era film comedian stan laurel talk show talkie tv commercial vaudeville |
| musicBy | Jack Elliott |
| producer | Aaron Ruben Carl Reiner |
| productionCompany | Acre Enterprises |
| publisher | Columbia Pictures |
| theme | black comedy silent slapstick |