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Robert De Niro, Jerry Lewis, Diahnne Abbott, Sandra Bernhard, Shelley Hack ... see more see more... , Tony Randall , Ed Herlihy , Lou Brown , Margo Winkler , Scotty Bloch , Victor Borge , Joyce Brothers , Kim Chan , Jeff David , Frederick De Cordova , Tony Devon , Richard Dioguardi , Peter Fain , Ellen Foley , Marta Heflin , George Kapp , Doc Lawless , Thelma Lee , Leslie Levinson , Charles Low , Mardik Martin , Bill Minkin , Liza Minnelli , Ralph Monaco , Whitey Ryan , Catherine Scorsese , Charles Scorsese , Katherine Wallach , Mick Jones , Edgar J. Scherick , Martin Scorsese , Joe Strummer , Marvin Scott , Loretta Tupper , Sel Vitella , Diane Rachell , Ray Dittrich , Matt Russo

Martin Scorsese's satirical comedy/drama caustically explores the lengths to which a nobody will go to be as famous as his idol. Practicing his patter in his basement with cardboard cut-outs of his fa... read more read more...vorite celebrities, mediocre aspiring comedian Rupert Pupkin (Robert De Niro) believes that one appearance on the evening talk show of the Johnny Carson-esque Jerry Langford (Jerry Lewis) will be his ticket to stardom. After he helps Jerry escape the advances of amorous fan Masha (Sandra Bernhard), Rupert takes Jerry's patronizing brush-off as a true promise for an audition and begins haunting Jerry's office. Provoked by Masha's needling and a rejection from Jerry's smooth production exec Cathy Long (Shelley Hack), Rupert makes a disastrous trip to Jerry's country house with embarrassed date Rita (Diahnne Abbott), then hatches an even more outlandish scheme to get ahead. With Masha's help, Rupert kidnaps Jerry and demands as ransom the TV appearance that he believes will turn his fantasy into reality. ~ Lucia Bozzola, Rovi

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40 critics

PG, 1 hr. 41 min.

Directed by: Martin Scorsese

Release Date: January 1, 1983

Keywords: underrated

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DVD Release Date: December 17, 2002

Stats: 1,366 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (1,366)

  • spielberg00
    April 28, 2012
    spielberg00
    The plot here seems a bit far-fetched, I know, but in a world that has turned so celebrity-obsessed (and, no, itâ(TM)s not just dumb little girls acting as if Justin Bieber is somehow the Beatles; most of us have actually been guilty of this, though usually at a much lower level)... read more, it seems (for the most part) absolutely plausible. Like Peter Weirâ(TM)s THE TRUMAN SHOW, the film is a comedic gem, medicated with the highest possible dose of political satire; ironically, any comedy mastermind would ruin it. Had Woody Allen done it, he would have delved into the charactersâ(TM) persona too far, quite possibly so much that we could see some unintended and unsubtle hypocrisy. Had Mel Brooks directed it, it would have become a nonsensical joke-fest with all too much emphasis on the stand-up comedy and not nearly enough on the underlying theme of mania. Martin Scorsese tackles it perfectly. You canâ(TM)t expect a film from him without some sort of violence (except last yearâ(TM)s family movie HUGO), even if itâ(TM)s a comedy. The first person to bring obsession to crime would certainly be him. I especially love the scene in which Langford is confined to a chair, held at gunpoint, a phone in front of him, and Pupkin is raising up cue cards (some of which are upside-down or blank) for Langford to read to tell someone in his office to make Pupkin the âKing of Comedyâ? on the upcoming show.

    READ MORE ABOUT THIS OVERLOOKED CLASSIC:
    http://themoviefreakblog.wordpress.com/2012/04/28/review-the-king-of-comedy/
  • cosmo313
    December 6, 2011
    cosmo313
    Robert De Niro and Jerry Lewis star in Martin Scorsese's darkly comedic satire about media obsession, and the lenths people will go to in order to become famous.

    Rupert Pumpkin (Robert De Niro) is an aspiring stand-up comedian with ambitions that outweigh his talent. He sees te... read morelevision talk show host Jerry Langford (Jerry Lewis) as his idol, and is willing to do anything, including kidnapping in order to get Langford to give him his big chance to become the star he's always seen him self as being.

    Lewis and De Niro give some really good performances in their respective roles, and it is a joy to see them playing off one another. Lewis seems really grounded and downplays his schtick tremendously, but I think that is all for the best. De Niro is wonderful at playing these desperate, pathetic types who you feel bad for, even though you maybe shouldn't. Sandra Bernhard is terrifically nuts as an obsessed Langford fan and stalker who agrees to help Rupert with his scheme. She's really unhinged and sometimes grating, but it is quite funny and a job well done.

    In a lot of ways, this really felt like Taxi Driver, but, uh, with jokes, and not quite as dark and gritty. When I first heard about this film and its plot, I really was expecting it to be quite dark, gritty, and intense, especially with Scorsese at the helm. Surprisingly though, the film is only PG, but it still manages to get its point across without being too extreme. I believe there's probably some sort of word for being able to pull off a feat like this without things coming off as watered down, but I can't think of it right now. Maybe it's nuance, perhaps genius.

    This is another one of Scorsese's films that is quite terrific and well made, yet unfortunately more overlooked and underappreciated than it deserves. It's not a brilliant masterpiece or anything, but it's definitely quite solid and enjoyable (though not for all tastes), and fits in perfectly with Marty's oeuvre.

    If at this point, you like what I've had to say, then you should definitely go give it a watch.
  • fb1664868775
    October 28, 2011
    fb1664868775
    This small masterpiece by Martin Scorsese features yet another great performance by Robert DeNiro.
  • TheGame90
    February 1, 2011
    TheGame90
    It's been a while since I saw it. But this is a very good movie. Robert De Niro is just brilliant in this. I really wanna see it again.
  • gokhale1
    November 26, 2010
    gokhale1
    Martin Scorsese's 1983 black comedy, "The King of Comedy" is also most probably the 'King of all underrated pictures'!

    It is boggles the mind to know that a superb film of such grand qualities could be so mercilessly sidelined by the film-going public and even Scorsese fans fo... read morer that matter! This film is significantly different in style from the iconic director's earlier works, but it is still one of the most refreshingly unique stories told on screen! Maybe the expectations from people were different, what with it being preceded by one of his masterpieces, "Raging Bull". but hell...it still had Robert De Niro in it, for Christ sakes..and that too in one of his most accomplished performances ever!


    De Niro stars as Rupert Pupkin, a struggling stand-up comedian who is waiting for that "big break", as he believes he is really good at his work. So far without luck, Pupkin keeps going to stage-doors to seek autographs from other famous stand-up comics! After trying really hard, he finally manages to strike a first meeting with an established and highly popular stand-up comic, Jerry Langford (Jerry Lewis). Rupert tries to convince him about how good he is and believes that all he needs is one chance and urges Jerry to listen to his work. Jerry seems to show some interest and asks Rupert to get in touch with his secretary.

    Elated about his meeting with Jerry, Pupkin starts building castles in the air and indulges in surreal fantasies including various scenarios about how it would be when he is famous..he spends a lot of time at home imagining having conversations with Langford, imagining himself performing to a wide audience, so forth. Meanwhile, he starts bragging to his friend Rita (Diahnne Abbott) about how he met Jerry and they are practically friends and that he is soon gonna be famous.

    However, Rupert has to come face to face with the ground reality, when things turn out to be drastically different in real life!

    He is initially discouraged by Jerry's secretary on his daily visits who politely keeps sending him back. Even Jerry avoids meeting him personally and asks his staff to get rid of Rupert under some pretext or the other. Refusing to take a hint and call it quits, Rupert finally resorts to drastic measures to get what he seeks....


    Paul D. Zimmerman's screenplay is certainly out of league compared to what Scorsese had done thus far with De Niro, but not entirely. The character of Pupkin is just another version, albeit of a much lighter shade of a frustrated loner resorting to extreme behaviour, earlier depicted in the form of Travis Bickle in "Taxi Driver". But of course, the dark comedy of "The King of Comedy" is miles apart from the bleak, hard-hitting drama of "Taxi Driver"; yet as far as the subject handling is concerned, this film succeeds just as well as any other great Scorsese film in terms of story-telling.

    Sure enough, Scorsese's direction is nothing short of brilliant and is in no way any weaker compared to his earlier directing efforts. There are some remarkably well executed scenes which are quite unforgettable.

    Robert De Niro portrays one of the best on-screen characters he has ever portrayed and delivers one of his greatest performances..yes, you read it right! This acting performance of his is right up there in terms of sheer sincerity and talent, with his Jake La Motta or his Travis Bickle or even the early Johnny Boy!

    Comedian Jerry Lewis pleasantly surprises with a great performance as the famous man fed up with the adulation of this particular fan. He proves that he can pull off serious scenes just as well as he can do comedy.

    Sandra Bernhard is superb as the freaky Masha.

    Diahnne Abbott appears momentarily but does well.


    Do watch "The King of Comedy". It is a scathing satire on the world of popular media and stardom. And watch it especially for an effervescent performance by Robert De Niro...no one else could've pulled this one off quite like he did!
  • ythelastman89
    March 15, 2010
    ythelastman89
    An extremely well done film from Martin Scorsese that brings together comedy and horror quite nicely. Robert De Niro gave one of his best performances as Rupert Pupkin, the talk show host that never was. It is a highly suspenseful and shocking film that should be essential to any... read more fan of Scorsese or De Niro.
  • sanjurosamurai
    March 8, 2010
    sanjurosamurai
    its difficult to even describe this film other than to simply say, its brilliant. its hilarious at moments, and disturbing at others. deniro gives us one of the best performances of his stellar career, and really all of the other actors delivered as well. the film feels like a... read more coen bros. style black comedy, only scorsese made this film before the coens even started working. the execution of the film is perfect. a true masterpiece.
  • tsigur
    October 6, 2009
    tsigur
    De Niro is amazing, one of his best performances. I watched this movie again and it was like watching for the first time. I honestly think this is one of Scorsese's best. Not only is De Niro amazing, but also what surprised me is how amazing Jerry Lewis is in this film. It seems ... read morelike every performance in this film is extremely naturalistic and that just shows how great Scorsese is with actors. There is also the scene stealing Sandra Bernhard who really astounds ("I feel like Tina Turner!!" is one of my favorite lines of the movie.) There is also the mixture of reality and the surreal which is done perfectly. The scene where he is standing in front of the black and white picture of everyone laughing is a work of art. One of the best of the black comedies and worth another watch if you haven't seen it in a while.
  • SirPant
    September 7, 2009
    SirPant
    De Niro's best comedy performance of his career. I guess there isn't much competition really, he's not really known for his 'Laugh out loud' comedy performances, which is strange though because this is a fantastic dark comedy, where his timing is perfect. One of Scorsese's (and D... read moree Niro's) more overlooked pieces. Jerry Lewis is also, as always, brilliant.
  • DrZeek
    July 14, 2009
    DrZeek
    Secretary: Is Mr. Langford expecting you?
    Rupert Pupkin: Yes, I don't think he is.

    A film that manages to be much more disturbing than one might think. It features good performances and provides some satirical looks at the celebrity obsessed culture. Mainly though, this is a ve... read morery awkward film that gives you an interesting look at a desperate man that takes things a bit too far.

    Rupert Pupkin: Why not me? Why not? A guy can get anything he wants as long as he pays the price. What's wrong with that? Stranger things have happened.

    Robert De Niro teams up again with director Martin Scorsese, staring this time as Rupert Pupkin, a wannabe stand-up comedian. Rupert's idol is talk show host Jerry Langford, played by Jerry Lewis. Rupert manages to have a conversation with Jerry, who tells him to give him a call some time, in an effort to get rid of Rupert. This doesn't work. Rupert begins to try with all his might to get a meeting with Rupert, get him to listen to his material, and become a good friend of his. Rupert tries to impress a woman through these efforts. He even brings another Jerry fan, played by Sandra Bernhard, into the mix. During all this, we are treated to a number of fantasy sequences in which Rupert has become successful and is in fact a good friend of Jerry's. There is no need to spoil what ends up happening, but things do take some radical turns.

    As mentioned, I found this movie to be very creepy and dark (especially whenever Bernhard was on screen). De Niro does a great job with this character, a lonely man, who may or may not have the talent he needs, but is clearly standing in the same weird-man line that Travis Bickle is in. Rupert is made more interesting by his basic manner. He is a polite individual, well spoken and dressed, looking for a way in.

    Jerry Lewis deserves a lot of credit here for being an amazing straight man in this movie. The way he puts up with a lot of the events that unfold in this movie is portrayed wonderfully through his facial expressions and reactions.

    This was a strange picture, but not one I regret watching. The Scorsese/De Niro team does manage to remain solid.

    Rupert Pupkin: I'm gonna work 50 times harder, and I'm gonna be 50 times more famous than you.
    Jerry Langford: Then you're gonna have idiots like you plaguing your life!

View All The King of Comedy Reviews

Critic Reviews

Roger Ebert
January 25, 2010
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

It is frustrating to watch, unpleasant to remember, and, in its own way, quite effective. Full Review

Dave Kehr
March 31, 2008
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader

The uncenteredness of the film is irritating, though it's irritating in an ambitious, risk-taking way. Full Review

Variety Staff
March 31, 2008
Variety Staff, Variety

To be sure, Robert De Niro turns in another virtuoso performance for Martin Scorsese, just as in their four previous efforts. But once again -- and even more so -- they come up with a character that i... Full Review

Vincent Canby
May 20, 2003
Vincent Canby, New York Times

It's very funny, and it ends on a high note that was, for me, both a total surprise and completely satisfying. Yet it's also bristly, sometimes manic to the edge of lunacy and, along the way, terrifying. Full Review

Joyce Millman
January 1, 2000
Joyce Millman, Salon.com

It's Martin Scorsese's second least popular movie, after The Last Temptation of Christ. Which is a shame, because it's Scorsese's second greatest film, after Taxi Driver. Full Review

Dennis Schwartz
May 25, 2010
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Creepy, frighteningly funny and brilliant as cultural satire. Full Review

Adam Smith
March 31, 2008
Adam Smith, Empire Magazine

Neither funny enough to be an effective black comedy nor scary enough to capitalise on its thriller/horror elements. Full Review

March 31, 2008
Film4

Worlds away from the bravura flash of other DeNiro-Scorsese collaborations, this underrated, claustrophobic, chilling satire is particularly prescient of today's celebrity-fixated society. A modern cl... Full Review

Steve Crum
June 7, 2007
Steve Crum, Video-Reviewmaster.com

Fascinating drama with DeNiro as psycho, talk show wannabe, and Jerry Lewis giving great performance.

Emanuel Levy
February 22, 2007
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

Misunderstood by critics in 1983, this is one of the most incisive (and scary) movies about the desperate desire to achieve fame in American society, and the shallow nature of pop culture; De Niro and... Full Review

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The King of Comedy Trivia

  • In which movie, directed by Martin Scorsese, did Jerry Lewis basically play himself, though his caracter was a talkshow host called Jerry Langford?  Answer »
  • What do all these movies have in common: Taxi Driver, Goodfellas, Raging Bull and The King Of Comedy  Answer »
  • Scared Stiff The Ladies Man The Bellboy Arizona Dream Sailor Beware The King Of Comedy Who am I?  Answer »
  • In The King Of Comedy (1983) who takes over as guest host of The Jerry Langford Show when Jerry becomes "unavailable"?  Answer »
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