My next choice for the Never-Ending Movie Day is a classic from director Blake Edwards: The Great Race (1965). It is another one of those few select movies that needs no introduction - although I am introducing it here. *grins*
The Great Race is a multifaced farcical slapstick movie that covers all of the comedic bases. It parodies and satirizes other films and even the stars of the film, poking good natured fun at themselves and their public personas. It also gives homage to other films. It is packed full of stunning visuals, live action, hilarious scenes and scenarios, and of course, boasts the biggest pie fight in movie history - reportedly using 2,357 pies.
That's a lotta pies!
This is a film that has no weak players. Every single casting choice worked and worked perfectly. Tony Curtis is marvelous, Jack Lemmon is wickedly hilarious, the lovely Natalie Wood is bold and outrageous, and both Keenan Wynn and Peter Falk play their sidekick roles to perfection. There is not a single weak link in this balanced ensemble cast.
It might surprise people who already love this film, but when it was originally released it was not well-received at all and was considered a critical and commercial flop. Some critics said it was overdone slapstick with no substance, and even a few said that Natalie Wood was "hopelessly miscast" and that the energies of Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis did not quite make the slapstick work. Oh! How wrong they were!
I do have to be fair to the critics and movie audiences of the time, even though I think they were crazy and delusional. There were other epic comedy movies, race movies, slapstick movies and television shows, all coming out in the same timeframe. And so, they were overloaded with lots to compare against and of course you'd prefer movies that had your favorite actors - And also they had just watched Tony, Jack, and/or Natalie in other very different films: Everything was fresh in theirs minds and the movie failed because of that.
It is what we say about some films: It was ahead of its time.
There are many movies that failed at the box office but later became considered cult and modern classics. Timeless! Like It's A Wonderful Life (1946), and the original Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory (1971). As it was with The Wizard of Oz (1939), these films were born far before their time, but became not only popular classics, but are so ingrained in the American culture that many people watch them every single year of their lives. What is a Christmas without It's a Wonderful Life!
The Great Race is one of those films. It is a film you should plan on watching in advance. Don't watch other similar movies, or too many other films before watching. Watch it as it deserves to be watched, when you are ready, awake, untired, and in the mood to be entertained.