A Thousand Clowns

At some point, everybody has to do a bunch of things they do not want to do, right!! Jason Robards plays a character who is plagued with the tedium of monotony and banal laboriousness!! As a result, he throws caution to the wind about accepting basic responsibilities. He and his ward, Nick, are completely capable of conveying messages to each other which involve an entirely different set of priorities than the mass public is accustomed to dealing with. The film "A Thousand Clowns" evokes a very flippant disposition about many ominous circumstances. Being perennially jobless, and living together in a New York City's makeshift definition of a cramped studio apartment, the New York Child Welfare Department does not feel that this is a suitable environment to raise an adolescent boy. The recurring song "Yes Sir,That's My Baby" throughout the entire movie, signifies an extremely nonchalant attitude that both Jason Robards and his ward (Barry Gordon / Nick) purvey in this film!! It's all about asking different questions, and wanting different answers!! Murray and Nick's ultimate desires are to pinpoint what exactly it is they want to do with their lives, and how they want to do it, without threat of fatal repercussions,, Suffice it to say, they are fighting a dreadfully losing battle while attempting such a dubious endeavor!! The movie "A Thousand Clowns" winds up being one big acrimonious jeremiad which denounces boredom and anonymity!! In addition to Jason Robards and Barry Gordon, there were many other terrific acting performances in this movie. Barbara Harris plays the perpetually misunderstood social worker who has her seriously low salary written all over her face. She develops an ideological crush on Murray (Jason Robards). Martin Balsam plays Murray's brother, he gives his brother a lending ear and is Murray's succor for empathy, yet, he realizes the urgency of the prevailing situation. Gene Saks is the total corporate man lock, stock, and barrel. He is painfully aware of the fact that he is not funny. Such a harsh reality can leave permanent scars on your fragile ego, as a result, this clown (literally) becomes Jason Robards' greatest nightmare!! Director, Herb Gardner, is sensational at instigating a catastrophically horrible occurrence, and making it utterly hilarious!! Such a scenario purports the real definition of comedy, especially a dark comedy!! What the film "A Thousand Clowns" ultimately makes provision for is the concept that a prerequisite to getting by in this world does not mean that you must engage in a total capitulation to the conventional!! More to the point, you have to sort of have a compromising relationship with conventionalism in order to feasibly survive!! Like most relationships, there is always give and take!! The film "A Thousand Clowns" takes on a very unique approach to what specific problems are afflicting Murray (Jason Robards), and how Murray's feelings about these dilemmas, affect everyone around him. Marching to a radically different drummer has created a rather fatal side effect of potentially catastrophic devastation regarding any definition of an harmonious family unit between Murray and Nick, or whatever the kid's name is this week!! The visceral reactions from all of the characters in this movie, give the movie audience a crystal clear indication that this film cannot afford the luxury of being ironic!! What was wonderful about this film is that human responses replaced stilted ones!! It is almost as if the title "A Thousand Clowns" translates to a thousand people with a thousand errors!! This domino effect disaster equals a million discrepancies, and so on, and so forth!! Excellent film!! Some off Broadway critics in New York have rated this play turned movie as perhaps the best movie ever written. I don't really agree with this assessment of the film, however, I do feel that "A Thousand Clowns" was superbly done!! A PERFECT TEN!!

It's a shame that being in black & white is now a nearly fatal handicap; this is one of the few movies I consider perfect. From the enthralling, completely believable performances by everyone in the small cast, to creative details in the score, cinematography and editing, to dialogue with as many great lines as The Princess Bride or Monty Python & the Holy Grail, to the reality of its bittersweet message (given especially by Martin Balsam, in the abandoned restaurant), this is a level that film-makers very rarely achieve. If you get a chance to see this, get ready for a real treat. Like all perfect movies, it repays re-viewing with details and depths previously unnoticed.

Jason Robards, Jr. plays the lead role of the unique, quirky, firmly unemployed Murray Burns and effortlessly masters the clever dialogue the way it was meant to be performed. Writer, Herb Gardner, created a delightful character like those you yourself rarely meet who have an uncommon outlook on life. This movie caught my attention and prompted me to check out the screenplay from the library so I could experience the dialogue again and again. There are so many one-liners and passages to admire, and you'll enjoy the charming performance on ukuleles of "Yes, Sir, That's My Baby" by Robards and Barry Gordon which is played against the background of Murray and Sandra exploring New York. The sad thing about discovering a gem like this play for the first time is knowing that you won't experience that same pique of excitement and discovery again the second time through it again. But you do continue to marvel at the mind that can create such a fresh screenplay. Unfortunately, I could not find much more information about the author, Herb Gardner, than what was on the cover jacket of the screenplay: He was born in Brooklyn and worked as a teen-ager selling orange-juice and checking coats at the Cort and National Theatres. "He saw some plays as many as 140 times and reports that that's an excellent way to learn the craft of the dramatist." He was also married to actress Rita Gardner. Some favorite quotes: "If most things aren't funny, Arn, then they're only exactly what they are; then it's one long dental appointment interrupted occasionally by something exciting, like waiting or falling asleep. What's the point if I leave everything exactly the way I find it? Then I'm just adding to the noise, then I'm just taking up some more room on the subway." ". . . it could have been any day, Arnie. . . sitting in the train going through any day. . . in the dark through any year. ... Arnie, it scared the hell out of me. You got to know what day it is. You got to know what's the name of the game and what the rules are with nobody else telling you. You have to own your days and name them, each one of them, every one of them, or else the years go right by and none of them belong to you. . . And that aint' just for weekends, kiddo. . . ."

Screen-adaptation of the Broadway hit grinds itself into the ground with a firm belief that kooky equals lovable, and vice-versa. It's tough to love anything here, particularly Jason Robards' performance as a life-loving eccentric (here we go) who is investigated by authorities to see if he's a proper guardian for his live-in nephew (played by Barry Gordon as a wizened little wiseass). A grueling piece of work. Martin Balsam won a Supporting Oscar playing Robards' brother; perhaps the Academy was just giving a fine actor his due. Had to be, because this brand of arms-flailing theatrics and sub-Neil Simon/jokey dialogue shows off no one to their best advantage. Helped a bit by the decent black-and-white cinematography, and by Barbara Harris' innate grace. *1/2 from ****

A Thousand Clowns is about a twelve-year-old Barry Gordon who lives with his Uncle, Jason Robards. A social worker played by Barbara Harris shows up and ends up falling in love with Robards. But the child welfare people try to force Robards to get a good job so that they won't have to take Gordon away from him. Gordon, who also fancies Harris, looks up to his Uncle as his role model and loves his lifestyle. But then Gordon sees that Robards is willing to give up that great lifestyle in order to keep his "family" together. The film is an excellent portrayal of the "not a care in the world" way of life and should definitely be seen by anyone who loves comedy. It's one of only a few films that made me laugh out loud and I'm sure if you see it, you'll agree with me. It's only flaw is one scene in which Gordon sees what his uncle's life has been reduced to. But even that was necessary as it shows the way anyone would succumb to social workers. The film was nominated for four Academy Awards including Picture, Supporting Actor (Martin Balsam as Robards' down to earth brother), Adapted Screenplay, and Score. Sadly, Best Supporting Actor was the only award that it was able to take home that night.

Most of us have "favorite" films that we think no one else in the world has seen. You just want to tell everyone to go out and rent it, hoping that they too will say, "Wow, what a movie! I can't believe I've never seen it before!" "A Thousand Clowns" is just such a film. Rarely seen on television, this Oscar nominated (best picture) Oscar winning (best supporting actor/Martin Balsam) film is special in many ways. Superbly cast (child actor Barry Gordon is a must see!) and smartly written. The satire and tragedy blend so well you will be caught laughing and crying at the same time throughout the movie.1000 Thumbs up!

It's truly a shame that this film has escaped the attention of the last few generations of movie watchers -- not only have most people not seen this film, it's likely that only a small percentage of folks have ever even heard of it. I dare say that both the character Jason Robards portrays and this film as a whole are more relevant today than half of the comedies produced 5 or 10 years ago. The bottom line is this, if you're looking for great acting and smart dialogue, and are getting tired of the 'I've-just-wasted-the-last-couple-of-hours-of-my-life' feeling that comes over today's average TV viewer or cineplex visitor, then you simply must do yourself a favor and seek out this hidden gem.

....this was a 'period' piece strictly for 'naw yawkahs'. Man what a mess - the same old Borscht Belt hackneyed shticks. Reminded me of 'The Dick Van Dyke Show' with old hoofers and has been vaudeville clowns. A preview of the angst filled 'drama' that is part of our lives in the USA today. For the many that say this was/is a classic whatever - a waste of time.

I first saw it years ago as an idealistic college student who did not want to become one of the great gray working millions, saddled with a job I didn't like, a huge mortgage, etc.. At that time, I fell in love with the movie and the characters. That's the problem. The movie cast a spell over me and sprinkled some weird kind of fairy dust over me. I wanted to be Murray Burns: a nonconformist, a smart ass, a non-contributor, a guy who ALWAYS did ONLY what HE ALONE wanted to do. And so, for a few years, that's what I did. Those years, I must admit, were not very happy ones for me. Self-indulgence is a dead-end. I needed to be working hard, towards a goal, with a family, for me to feel truly fulfilled. And I think that is the case with most of us. Murray Burns and his world are totally unrealistic AND unhealthy. Do not try to emulate him. It is a trap and a prison. It's like smoking dope all the time: you lose your drive and you increase your cynicism. But perhaps I'm being too serious. Murray does have the kid, and he seems to fall in love at the end, so maybe there is hope for him. The movie has some great lines and funny characters. The black and white scenes of NYNY in the 1960's are wonderful, Martin Balsam as Murray's brother is one of our greatest actors, Barbara Harris is great, William Daniels is great, Barry Gordon as Rafael Sabattini, etc., is great. See it and enjoy it but don't take it to heart like I did. Alexander Hamilton imitations???

In most ways that matters, this is the perfect film. Yes, as an adapted stage-play it sometimes gets a little claustrophobic by modern standards that say movies are a collection of chase-scenes, fight-scenes, love-scenes and with the odd bit of dialog tossed in to grease the wheels. But in this age of special effects this film offers us two of the most spectacular effects there are - great writing and great performances. I first saw this movie when I was 13 years old, in the spring of 1966, at the Paramount theater in Baltimore. When I walked into the theater, in my private universe, everyone had this thing in life that they were supposed to do, be it sinner or saint, business or baking. When I walked out that universe was closed forever. What if, I wondered, there is no fit? What if, like Murray Burns, life was made up of a series of trade-offs and compromises. As I write these words the Paramount has been dark for decades. Most of the movies that I saw have been digested and placed in their apportioned slots in my life. But not this one. A THOUSAND CLOWNS is like a pig in a python for me. Its imprint is still fresh 41 years later. Friends know that I'm "into" movies. I watch them. I sometimes write and lecture about them. Silent or sound, domestic or foreign, classics, b's, newly released - it doesn't matter. I'm fairly omnivorous. I'm often asked for my favorite movie. I never struggle for an answer or give out my top five. I simply smile and reply, "A THOUSAND CLOWNS." Some are puzzled by it. Most have never heard of it. None of them really seem to understand it. My world changed in 1966 in ways that, even now, I'm still discovering. This is the movie that as present at the creation. One last thing - if you want to put together an interesting double feature, watch this in tandem with King Vidor's 1928 masterwork, THE CROWD. The two films share some fascinating common themes.