Rating: 
Summary: A true gem in comedy movies
Review: "In 1954, television was live and comedy was king". An era before my time maybe, but still a memorable time to bring us back too from 1982 (the year this movie came out). Veteran "movie star" Peter O'Toole plays fictional veteran "movie star" Alan Swann who has to appear on a live comedy series for the first time. Mark Linn Baker (in his first role, before he would be famous as Larry on Perfect Strangers) as the young writer on the staff who has to keep him sober til show night. Other cast members include Bill Macy as the head writer, Joe Bologna as the star of series, Cameron Mitchell as a gangster who Bologna spoofs in one of his skits, Lani Kazan as Baker's mother (she would reprise the role in a Broadway musical remake in the 90s) and Lou Jacobi as his (Baker's) uncle. An extremely funny movie all around. Especially the climax scene where O'Toole and Bologna beat up the gangster's henchmen in front of the studio audience AND the television audience.
Rating:
Summary: I WANT to GO to the WALDORF!
Review: This movie has more memorable lines than almost any other besides The Godfather.
"This old thing? I only wore it once."
"I'm not an actor, I'm a movie star!"
"Women are unwell, gentelemen vomit."
"So is this, mum, but sometimes I have to run a little water through it."
Don't hesitate! Order this one now!
Rating:
Summary: "Oh God, this makes me happy!"
Review: I can't add much more than the other 5-star reviews here. This is the only film I ever took 8 different people to see on 8 different occasions when it was released. Genuinely funny, an abundance of memorable lines and one great scene after another make this a classic. There isn't a wasted moment in this, and the performances are letter-perfect. Of course with Mel Brooks working behind the scenes here - drawn from his own experiences with Sid Caesar - it doesn't get any more accurate than this. The only gripe I have is the one I've been whining about for years: When will this finally be released on DVD!?!
Rating:
Summary: A fine tale of when actors were actors and stars were stars
Review: My Favorite Year is many things. It is a depiction of the early days of television - everything was live and an oops was seen by the whole world. It is a depiction of the cross over between the big screen and small screen. It is the story of a man who is at a point in his career where his fame over past exploits is all that he can market - the present day star is a relentless boozer and womanizer and likely soon to be unemployable. It is is also the story of one man's entry into the world of television as a writer for a variety show of 1954. All of this being said, My Favorite Year tells all the stories and tells them well. You can sense the enthusiasm of the writer as he gets to chance to meet and work with his favorite movie star. You get something of his dismay when he has to fight his bosses, and he's so junior, everyone is his boss, in order to let his idol stay on the show after he shows up tanked the first day. He willingly undertakes the task of overseeing his idol as he makes his way through New York. He, and we, also learn a great deal more about his idol which makes him so much more human and down to earth. We see the writers dealing with actors with huge egos. The pitfalls of producing a comedy sketch when the victim is a "percieved" crime boss are well demonstrated even as we laugh until our sides hurt. At the same time the writer is overseeing his idol, he is actively pursuing a woman he is hopelessly in love with. SHe regards him as an embarressment best avoided. Dinner with the two of them is priceless both visually and through the dialog. The conclusion is a reprise of the swash buckling of the 30s that was fizzling out in the early 50s. How many pirate movies were made in the 50s? Very few. It is almost a salute to the men who gave everyone so much entertainment as they grew up and grew older and more sophisticated. It is a flashback to a simpler time. The cast from Peter O'Toole down to the mumbling non-entities are excellent and the combined talents make this movie work so well. O'Toole is exceptional as the actor on his way to oblivion who still manages to reach down and pull out one more performance. The story of how he came to be where he is was extremely well done. In all, this is a superb movie about a subject that is now perceived as ancient history by many Americans. It is a marvelous essay on the differences between stars and actors. I recommend it to everyone who is interested in fine comedy movies.
Rating:
Summary: Peter O'Toole at his best
Review: This is one of those rare films that really does get better with repeated viewings. Peter O'Toole has the role of a lifetime as Allan Swann, a debauched leading man (who in reality is a cross between Errol Flynn and John Barrymore). In one memorable scene after another, O'Toole pulls out all the stops in a multi-layered performance that is alternately hilarious and touching. He is helped by an extremely witty script that pays homage to the cinema's so-called "golden age" with just the right blend of affection and satire. Mark Linn-Baker is equally good in the difficult role of O'Toole's guardian and script-writer, balancing a tricky combination of chipmunk-like naivete and outrageous chutzpah. I would also praise the entire supporting cast, which includes some great comic turns from Lainie Kazan, Cameron Mitchell and Joseph Bologna. Kazan, in particular, is hilarious as Linn-Baker's Jewish mother extraordinaire and the scene in which O'Toole visits her Brooklyn home is a comic highlight. Leonard Maltin is missing the point when he asserts that this film shifts gears and focus too often. My Favorite Year is a slice of life - a tribute to a zany period of Hollywood and live TV, and a time when stars were often larger than life extroverts. Director Richard Benjamin opts for not just a one-dimensional portrait of Allan Swann's lovable eccentricities, but a fully-rounded depiction that also touches on the downside of being a revered- and reviled - star. If this is "shifting gears", then I'm all for it! A film with so many memorable characters, a great script, and excellent direction surely deserves five stars. This is a greatly-overlooked triumph.
Rating:
Summary: Just one of the best films ever.
Review: This is a truly charming film, and one of my "favorites". And a little known fact is that the writer of the film, Dennis Palumbo, is the same Dennis Palumbo that wrote the book, "Writing From The Inside Out: Transforming Your Psychological Blocks to Release the Writer Within". Anyway, this is a cult "favorite" that seems to get better and better every time I see it. Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: Swashbuckler, Drunk, Hero!
Review: A glowing recounting of the fictional Benji Stone's favorite year of his entire life, 1956, when he was a production guy/sometimes writer for a big TV variety show. When Stone's all-time fave movie hero, Alan Swann (Peter O'Toole, in top form), is scheduled to guest on the show, Benji is saddled with the unwieldy job of making sure the swashbuckling, drunken, womanizing star actually makes it to the week of rehearsals and then the show. As the ultimate fan gets to know his idol, clay feet and all, a sweet and genuine friendship ensues.
Rating: 
Summary: A Forgotten Gem Of The 80's!
Review: This film delivers a hilarious riotous good time. A perfect cast of which Peter O'Toole stands out and shines as the dashing movie star Alan Swann. Some very funny moments make this film very enjoyable. But it is also a tribute to the golden age of television; when it was live. This film is very funny, endearing and gives O'Toole the opportunity to shine in his tailor-made role. Extras: the old lady that O'Toole dances with at the restaurant is Gloria Stuart. From a scale of 1-10 I give this film an 8!
Rating:
Summary: Double the Lads bet for me you Toad..
Review: Pretty strong words from a man who does not know the show he signed on for is a Live Broadcast and in front of an audiance. Movie Starhas been, Alan Swan is about to get a second chance. Not at his carrier,But at Life, Benji Stone is about to help him. He is going to escort his Film Idol and learn Hero,s are Human to. It is a wonderfullife lesson for both and a ton of laughs for us. Joe Bologna as King Kiser T.V.Big time star. is pricelessTaking on the mob boss CarlRocheck with a less than flattering sketch on his show titled Boss Highjack.When they get together in Kings office with their attorneys, Its a classic scene. O'Toole is at his finest. And once again supporting cast is top notch. Watch for the line of his in the Ladys Restroom when he is told Hey this is for Ladys only.He turns and says This is to Ma but every now and again I have to run a little water thru it.Priceless Film work. That should not be missed.Highly Recomended. Praise indeed..
Rating:
Summary: Very Funny With a Fantastic Cast
Review: This sometimes forgetten gem of a film is a wonderful combination of comedy with an intense emotional message of redemption. Although O'Toole was nominated for an Oscar for his portrayl of aging matinee idol Alan Swann ("I'm not an actor, I'm a movie star!), many people have either not seen or completely forgotten this great film (including, it seems, the studio, who has yet to release it on DVD). Their loss. One of the funniest movies of its time, it stands up today just as well as it did when it came out years ago. The ensemble cast is excellent. Mark Linn-Baker (in his pre-t.v. sitcom days) and O'Toole are the main characters, but they are greatly complimented by Joseph Bologna, Selma Diamond, Lani Kazan, Michelle Jones and other great actors, most of whom you will not know by name, but will recognize once you see them. The story as told from the memory of Benji Stone (Linn-Baker) is great. When Alan Stone is booked to appear on the old-time live t.v. show (based on Your Show of Shows), Benji is assigned to babysit over his hero, who is now a washed-up alcoholic. O'Toole was born to play this part. From the opening narration, this movie is an emotionally funny ride through the days of old-time t.v. If you have never seen this movie, rent it, buy it or borrow it. You won't be disappointed, and once you have seen it once, you will want to see it again and again. I cannot give this movie a higher recomendation. It is truly a forgotten classic.
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