De Niro’s most wicked performance for a Scorsese picture, this is an incisively comical take on what happens when the determination to succeed in showbiz is taken to the extreme.

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One of the inspirations for Joker (2019), The King of Comedy was a box-office flop for Martin Scorsese but has since gained a reputation as a fascinating addition to the director’s enviable filmography. 

Made after Raging Bull (1980), the contrast is certainly obvious—while the legendary boxing biopic is about one man’s rise to stardom and his eventual decline into mediocrity, The King of Comedy does it the other way i.e. how one man aims to starve off mediocrity in hopes of becoming famous. 

The film is also the director’s attempt at a commentary on showbiz, particularly how ruthless it is to new kids on the block. 

Rupert Pupkin is the man in question, with an ambition that far exceeds his ability, but he is passionate about being a comic and has something to say for himself—and to others.  And the only way to do it is to be on primetime TV with his daily show. 

“Better to be king for a night than schmuck for a lifetime.”

Jerry Lewis plays Jerry Langford, a veteran of his trade, who is forced to play Rupert’s nefarious game on the latter’s own terms. While Robert De Niro has certainly delivered more sensational performances in his career, his role as Rupert could be his most wicked for a Scorsese picture. 

His seemingly devilish smile hides a sadness from being perpetually ignored, not just by Jerry, but by society at large.  Scorsese asks: why must there always be a price to pay to become successful? 

When the determination to succeed is taken to the extreme, the consequences likewise become magnified.  The King of Comedy is entertaining as an incisively comical if sometimes absurd take on the pursuit of fame, when fame is simply a longing for recognition and to be heard.

Grade: A-

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