Simply Perfect

Plenty to Like, Plenty to Dislike

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

I always thought Peter Bogdanovich was a great director; what with films like THE LAST PICTURE SHOW, WHAT'S UP DOC?, and PAPER MOON. What happened to him? This film was totally unwatchable. What a waste of time and what is Audrey Hepburn doing in crap like this? Is this suppose to be a romantic comedy? There was nothing funny about this picture, unless you like seeing John Ritter falling down a lot. This movie is a total bore. Anyone who likes this picture needs to get out more. I can see why this film bombed at the box office and pretty much killed Bogdanovich's career. Didn't the actors read the script before committing themselves to this project? Didn't anyone view this picture for releasing it to the public? What a shame!

'They All Laughed' is a superb Peter Bogdanovich that is finally getting the recognition it deserves, and why? their are many reasons the fact that it's set in new york which truly sets the tone, the fantastic soundtrack, the appealing star turns from Ben Gazzara, and the late John Ritter who is superb. and of course no classic is complete without Audrey Hepburn. the film is a light and breezy romantic comedy that is very much in the vein of screwball comedy from the thirties, film is essentially about the Odyssey detective agency which is run by Gazzara who with his fellow detectives pot smoking and roller skating eccentric Blaine Novak(the films co-producer) and John Ritter, basically the Gazzara falls for a rich tycoon magnate's wife(Hepburn) and Ritter falls for beautiful Dorothy Stratten who sadly murdered infamously after production, 'They All Laughed is essential viewing for Bogdanovich fans.

Peter Bogdonavich has made a handful of truly great films, and THEY ALL LAUGHED is one of his best. The cast couldn't be better equipped to play this light but slightly bittersweet screwball comedy. Interestingly enough, the witty, light touch Bogdonavich so effortlessly employs gives the film a rather disarming emotional core. Fresh and immediate, the film starts with absolutely no explanation. There's no soundtrack music to cue us. We meet the characters in action, and as Bogdonavich glides down the streets of New York, the film unfolds effortlessly. Robby Muller's camera captures it all with an understated simplicity that seems accidental, but surely isn't. The cast is terrific. In every way, a classic.

Peter Bogdanovich was one of the new wave of American directors in the early '70s, with movies like "The Last Picture Show", "What's Up, Doc?" and "Paper Moon". So did he just make "They All Laughed" for fun or something? I couldn't determine that the movie was actually trying to say anything; it almost seemed like an excuse to have a bunch of stars. No matter, I didn't think it was a bad movie. The plot centers on a detective investigating a number of people in New York, and the various things that happen as a result. Stars Ben Gazzara, Audrey Hepburn, and John Ritter almost just seem like they're wondering around a lot. Kind of strange.But either way, I wouldn't agree with the previous reviewer who called "They All Laughed" the worst movie ever. Maybe it didn't have any social value or anything, but it was worth seeing. As far as I'm concerned, you can't even talk about the worst movie ever unless you've seen "Baryshnya-Krestyanka"; that is two hours of my life that I'm never going to get back, and Alexander Pushkin must spin in his grave every time that someone watches that garbage, knowing how they fouled up his novel. All in all, you may want to check out "They All Laughed", but it's definitely not for everyone.