The Comic

The Comic is a 1969 film directed by the ever-capable Carl Reiner, who was best known for The Dick Van Dyke Show. The film features Dick Van Dyke, best known for his lead role in the simply-named show mentioned earlier. The cast also includes Michele Lee and Mickey Rooney, both distinguished figures in Hollywood during their era. With a black-and-white canvas hinting at a classic old-time film experience, The Comic nudges us to take a peek behind the curtain, into the life of a film star beyond his chores of keeping the audience entertained.

Dick Van Dyke portrays the character of Billy Bright, a quintessential silent film comedian whose life story unfolds through the narrative. His journey through fame, loss, love, and redemption sometimes beautifully, sometimes painfully, mirrors the much too real-life struggles of the Hollywood golden era. This fictional character is suggested to be inspired by real life silent film era comedians like Buster Keaton and Harry Langdon. The film allows us to look at the often-overlooked balance between the on-screen jovial nature of early cinema actors and their often quite overburdened off-screen lives.

While centered around Billy Bright, the film also delves into other character studies. For instance, the portrayal of Mary Gibson by Michele Lee offers an exploration of the pitfalls for women in Hollywood during the earlier years of cinema. It offers commentary on bright-eyed starlets, navigating the maze-like system involving expectations, manipulations, and glass ceilings, all against the backdrop of an industry where reputation and solidarity often walked an uneven tightrope.

When you leap back half a century to 1969, films were generally focused on resurfacing old genres in new lights or creating new genre-blends, rather than commenting on the industry that created them. In that sense, The Comic was a breath of fresh air, combining tragedy, humor, and touching romance into a genre all of its own category – silent movie homage.

Billy Bright's movie plots and comedic style intersperse the picture in segments, echoing back to the films of Charlie Chaplin and Harold Lloyd, where the comedy relied heavily on slapstick humor and expression rather than dialogues. These on-screen moments act as a soft contrast to the rest of the narrative, allowing audiences to understand first-hand why Bright is a renowned figure, to begin with. The movie offers a valuable look into how the film industry operated during the silent film era, while simultaneously giving viewers an actress's perspective on the industry and its issues.

Renowned actor of his time, Mickey Rooney's character, Cockeye, provides a supportive role as he serves as Bright's comedic sidekick on-screen as well as a friend off-screen. The dynamics of their relationship, as with many in the industry, is complex and multi-layered and adds another layer of authenticity to the narrative.

The movie is shot almost entirely in Black & White to replicate the era it's depicting, but that merely serves as an aesthetic choice. While the film strip might lack colors, the multi-layer drama within doesn’t. It gallops through the turmoil engulfing Bright's life, highlighting the stark contrast between Bright's on-screen hero persona against his off-screen fallen hero reality.

The Comic is a film about introspecting the stardom of silent movie stars, wrapped up in layers of comedy, romance, and melancholy, making it an emotionally engaging watch. It is a significant period piece that reminds us of the origins of the cinematic medium and the toll it's taken on some of its most iconic stars. It is as much a love letter to silent cinema, as it is a ghost story about its pitfalls. While it evokes nostalgia for the golden age of Hollywood, the film also impresses upon the viewers the darker underbelly of the era, shaping its perspective on fame, fortune, and the price one pays for them.