My Favorite Year Reviews

Absolutely charming. Peter O'Toole gives a fantastic performance as an Errol Flynn facsimile named Alan Swan.

A tribute to the golden age of live television. Peter O'Toole plays "Swann", a great drunken washed-up actor. It's got some fun comical scenes.

Starts a little slowly but once Peter O'Toole appears sweeps you up and charms you all the way to the can't help but smile conclusion. Look for Gloria Stuart in the cafe scene.

I love The Sid Caesar Show and Your Show of Shows, the original sketch comedy show, which Carol Burnett and then Saturday Night Live carried on. Those early sketch shows started the careers of many famous writers and comedians. Mel Brooks was one, and this movie is based on a story he wrote about his experiences writing in those early days of TV. I had high expectations, but was disappointed. I haven't been a fan of Peter O'Toole just because his performances usually bother me in their delivery. This was no different. Overall, all the other performances and the story just weren't that funny!

A nostalgic and touching comedy about a young apiring Tv writer who has his dreams come true when his favorite movie star is set to appear on the comedy sketch show he works on and he ends up having to baby sit him due to star's erractic drunken behavior. Mark Linn Baker is superb as the young writer and Peter O'Toole is magical as film idol Alan Swann. Great support from Joe Bologna and Lanie Kazan. Richard Benjamin captures the heart and soul of this story and nails it. This is one of my favorite films of all time.

A delightfully, zany film and one of my personal favorite comedies of all time. A wonderful reminder of the glorious days of live television, the time is 1954 a young writer Benjy Stone, played terrifically by Mark Linn-Baker who works for TV's top show is given the job to chaperoning that week's guest star, a real skirt chaser with a big drinking problem who is notoriously unreliable, Alan Swann a legendary screen swashbuckler played by Peter O' Toole who is absolutely magnificent in comic tour-de-force performance. Stone must make sure that the tipsy Swann shows for rehearsals and the final production. Brilliant supporting performances Jessica Harper, Joseph Bologna, Bill Macy, Lainie Kazan, Anne De Salvo, Lou Jacobi, Apolph, Selma Diamond, Cameron Mitchell, and a smashing directorial debut by Richard Benjamin. Exquisite period detail and a intelligent screenplay, that is full of priceless moments and witty one liners. This is a heartfelt funny movie that works, thanks to the charisma and professionalism of it's star Peter O 'Toole. Highly Recommended.

Certainly enjoyable, if unfocused plotwise. O'Toole shines.

A really magical little movie that deals with movies, hero worship, and the difficulties of live television in 1954. Peter O'Toole gives an Academy Award nominated performance as Alan Swann, a swashbuckling movie star making an appearance on a telev

No offense to the rest of the cast, but whenever Peter O'Toole is on screen, the movie is comic gold. Too bad the running time is so short. I would have loved to see more of his character. "I'm not an actor. I'm a movie star!" Classic.

Grade: B+

Peter O'Toole really saves this from being a crappy movie. That Mark Linn-Baker..I mean Larry Appleton sure has some range. One would swear that his mannerisms are a little too similar in dealing with Balki. No wonder the dude had no career. But yeah Peter O'Toole made this.

Peter O'Toole carries the whole film, since everyone else completely fails. Yet the film is also aimless and lacks variation and surprise. Watch only if you are a fan of O'Toole. Otherwise, nothing to see here.

A TV studio hopes to breathe fresh new life to their comedy show by bringing in a movie star, Alan Swann. But Can Swann sober up to play the part? Peter O' Toole was great, and the true comedy of this film is that which is offstage and unscripted.

Excellent Peter O' Toole. The supporting cast and the story work as a vehicle for him to do his thing--and does he ever!

One of my favorite comedies of all time, right up there with Arthur. Peter O Toole is great here. What a great actor. I love this film.

O'Toole is hysterical in this. He said he had a lot of practice being drunk so the part was a breeze.

I AM A MOVIE STAR, NOT AN ACTOR! Petah in his whimsical best, this one should be re-released so the current generation will enjoy it.

Peter O'Toole at his best here. Acting like a drunken, silly ass. Like there was much acting involved... lol.

Living in a retirement city filled with fast talkin' New York transplants, I really had fun watching this one!

O'Toole's warm yet hilarious Oscar-nominated performance elevates this modest-but-fun comedy massively.

I have watched trhis movie at least 5 times now and it gets better each time I watch it. Peter O'Toole's portrayal of Alan Swann is a masterclass. Some may say it is self indulgent or exaggerated but I believe it to be based largely on Errol Flynn and the golden age of Hollywood flamboyance. As well as the comedic set pieces the film is tinged with pathos. Swann's inability to come to terms with who he has become; his unwillingness until the end to visit his daughter and finally Swann overcoming all his demons to be who he really is and who his adoring public think he is and want him to be are all heart warming moments.