The 9 Best Steve Martin Movies Of All Time
Posted by movieblSteve Martin is, undoubtedly, one of the funniest and most influential comedians of the past 25 years, even if his latest movies have been just about as entertaining as a prolonged bout of constipation. Once, one of the weirdest, oddest and edgiest comedians out there, he’s now relegated his talents to cliche-ridden family movies and arthouse musings like Shopgirl or his much, much earlier book Cruel Shoes - one of my favorite books. Nothing wrong with the arthouse musings - Steve is a renaissance man - but it ain’t comedy. As for the Cheaper by the Dozen type of stuff…not too wild and crazy about that, myself. Here’s a list of what I think are the 9 best Steve Martin movies of all time…
The Jerk (1979)
How can you not love this movie?! Anyone who doesn’t like this movie should be punched in the neck. This is the loving tale of a lovable idiot trying to make it in the world…that’s my life story! Except that I wasn’t raised by a poor Southern Black family. I’m buying a thermos for this movie!
Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid (1982)
Here we have a classic spoof of the 40’s era film noir crime drama Steve Martin style. As funny as this movie is, it is actually exceptionally well shot and holds up well against the classic movies it pokes fun at.
The Man With Two Brains (1983)
This really, really is one of my all time favorite movies. Not only is it responsible for one of the most beautifully stupid poems in literary history:
Pointy birds
Pointy, pointy
Anoint my head
Anointy, nointy
It’s also given me my life’s philosophy in this line uttered by Dr. Hfuhruhurr:
I envision a day when the brains of brilliant men can be kept alive in the bodies of dumb people.
Ha, frickin’ Ha!
Three Amigos (1986)
Steve Martin. Chevy Chase. Martin Short. The concentrated comedy energy here is enough to destroy several small planets. This movie is so goddamn obscure it’s amazing it’s even in my list. But, holy crap, is it funny. The singing bush scene, alone, is worth spending your child’s college fund on.
The Little Shop of Horrors (1986)
While Steve didn’t have a large role in this flick as the sadistic 50’s era dentist, he stole the show for the time he was on screen. Little did we know he would later show up as a dentist in the drama Novocain which, just like the drug, put many people to sleep.
Roxanne (1987)
This is a modern day retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac, a story long forgotten by most, and not usually taught in modern day literature classes…where they now teach Sponge Bob Square Pants to 20 year olds because they graduated from public schools with barely enough intelligence to floss their tooth.
Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)
While you might mark this John Hughes flick as the beginning of Steve’s downward spiral into family comedy drollery, TP&A is still hilarious. The chemistry cultivated between Steve Martin and the late John Candy is priceless…both hilarious and heartbreaking.
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988)
Steve Martin and Michael Cain cultivated a surprising comedic chemistry in this movie as two money hungry hustlers. The scene wherein Martin pretends to be a war vet paralyzed from the waist down while Michale Cain whips him in the shins will be expounded upon for generations! In fact, I have to embed a video of it right here for you kids:
Parenthood (1989)
If Planes, Trains, and Automobiles was the beginning of Steve’s decent into lame-ass family comedy, then this was his okay to deploy the landing gear. BUT, it is hilarious. Parenthood is a quirky little comedy that is everything Cheaper by the Dozen is not.
