Gilbert Gottfried's Amazing Colossal Podcast - Mini-Ep #40: After The Fox and Miracle on 34th Street

Episode Date: December 24, 2015

Each week, comedian Gilbert Gottfried and comedy writer Frank Santopadre share their appreciation of lesser-known films, underrated TV shows and hopelessly obscure character actors -- discussing, dissecting and (occasionally) defending their handpicked guilty pleasures and buried treasures. This week: The original "Casino Royale"! The tragic tale of Badfinger! And the "perfect" Christmas movie! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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You're just saying that because George Schlatter put that bug in your ear. But it's an honor. And, okay. You want to go first? Do you want to go first? No, you're running out of movies. Go ahead. Okay.

This is one written, it's Neil Simon's first screenplay. Oh. Music by the great Burt Bacharach. Okay, I've got an idea. Is Sinatra in this? No, it's not that one. The great Martin Balsam

is in it. How do I not know this? Neil Simon's first screenplay. I'm stumped. Peter Sellers. Yo, I know this one. Yay, oh, God. And Victor Mature.

Yeah, there's After the Fox. After the Fox. Wow. Yes, haven't thought of it in years. Yeah. I thought you were talking about Come Blow Your Horn. Yeah, yeah. Peter Sellers, Martin Balsam, Victor Mature.

Another Peter Sellers, Martin Balsam victor mature uh another peter sellers martin balsam picture yes yeah and the funny thing with this movie is like here's martin balsam who was uh abergast the detective in psycho right right stabbed to death death on the staircase. And had a great, wonderful fall down the stairs. Oh, yes. And 12 angry men. Sure. Always a great dramatic actor. And here he's very funny. Yeah. And he plays the manager of Victor Mature, who's doing a complete self-parody of being, you know, because I heard with Victor Mature, he was,

you know, this handsome, pretty boy actor. And one time he wanted to join a country club and they said, well, we don't allow actors. We don't want actors in here. And he said, watch any one of my 64 films and see if you still think I'm an actor. That's a great line. Yeah. He must have had a sense of humor.

He's in the Monkees movie. Oh, yeah. He's in the head, yeah. And I think he probably jumped at the chance to make fun of his career. And so he plays this character, an aging movie star named Tony Powell. That's funny. And Martin Balsam's his crazy manager. And Victor Mature, I mean, Peter Sellers is playing like this brilliant Italian thief.

And they want to rob gold. You know, brilliant Italian thief. And they want to rob gold. And they do it under the guise that they're filming a movie that's about robbing gold. I saw it years and years ago, and now I'm piecing it together from memory. Yeah. Did Vittorio De Sica direct this movie? Yes. Vittorio De Sica, who directed Bicycle Thief.

Bicycle Thief, of all things, yeah. And Umberto D. The Shoeshine. Yes. You know, just a brilliant director. And always very sad films, depressing films. Yes. And Peter Sellers, I think, picked De Sica to direct this.

And then they didn't get along at all. Of course. Who did Sellers get along with? Oh, and then they didn't get along at all. Of course. Who did Sellers get along with? Oh, no. He was supposed to be nutty. But it makes fun of the whole picture industry. So it's kind of a satire of Hollywood. Yeah.

Yeah. And it's also like a mad kind of caper film. And they talk about scenes in this that were used later. Like there's a scene where Peter Sellers is like someone is talking to Peter Sellers through this beautiful girl. And that was later used in an Austin Powers thing. Okay. Of someone talking through someone else's. But, yeah, it's a very funny film.

Sellers made a lot of films like that one, like The Mouse That Roared. You've seen that one? Yeah, years ago. The Wrong Box with Ralph Richardson. Oh, yeah. There's a lot of those pictures from that time of his career that are very, very funny. And you wish he'd made more of them. And, most importantly, because I didn't sing in the George Slaughter episode.

No, you didn't. I was disappointed. The theme song for After the Fox, it was written by Burt Bacharach. Right, right. And it was performed by Peter Sellers and the group The Hollies. Wow. I've got to go back and hear this. And it was, oh, who is the fox?

I am the fox. Who are you? I am me. Who is me? I am a thief. You make you cause your poor, poor mother grief. Oh, after the fox, after the fox, into the hunt with chains and locks. After the fox, after the fox, somebody's always chasing.

After the fox, da-ding-ding, da-ding-ding, da-ding-ding, da-ding. Oh, where is the gold? It's on the truck. Where's the truck? I won't tell. We'll make you tell. Then I'll lie. You make your poor, poor mother cry.

Oh, enter the box. It's time for a remake starring you. Our friend and coordinator. What are we calling you these days, Paul? Pre-interview coordinator, interview coordinator, associate producer. Paul Rayburn is here, and he's laughing hysterically at Gilbert. I'm a huge Backerac fan. He's a a baccarat fan i never heard that one at all yeah it's like baccarat it's like it was impossible for him to write a song that wasn't totally

catchy well what's new pussycat well also with with sellers yeah there's sort of a sort of a collaboration again. And one film that sucks, that's a big mess, but the score is great because it's Burt Bacharach and Herb Albert and the Tijuana Brass. Casino Royale. Casino Royale. Yeah, the original. A mess of a movie, but the music is great. It is, it is.

It's criminal that that film, with that talent, and Woody Allen and David Niven and everybody that shows up in that movie, and Sellers, of course, that it's such a flopperoo. It's just the biggest disappointment in the world. Oh, yeah. Woody Allen. John Huston. Oh, yes.

Everybody had their hands in that pie, and it's just a mess. And I think it had a bunch of directors working on it so and it was one of those it's obviously one didn't know what the other one was doing yeah the other one i'm disappointed by and i hate to say and i'll get angry mail from from people and from all from our friend mike mcpatton i'm sure is the magic christian the one with ringo oh yeah and peter sellers and written by the great terry southern which it doesn't it doesn't hold together either. And I just saw it recently. I think that was one of those films that when people saw it, they were stoned.

And they really, oh, man, this is great. I want to love it. You know, it's one of those films where you love all the elements, like Casino Royale, and it's just the pieces don't come together. But I got chastised by Mike McPatten for not liking the loved one. Now, the Magic Christian. Yeah. Oh, I think that's where.

Oh, God damn it. What? Take it easy. Wait, no. This is getting me angry. What's the name of that group that sounded just like the early Beatles? No. Does the music for the Magic Christian?

Yeah. Oh, well, look at that. I should know this. It was Come and Get It. Oh, Badfinger. Badfinger. Badfinger, right. Badfinger.

Yeah, because Paul McCartney wrote the song. Yeah, Paul McCartney wrote it, and that's why it sounds like an early Beatles. Yeah, they were on Apple Records. They were on the Beatles label. Yes. A band with a lot of tragedies. That's a whole other story. Oh, God.

The story of Badfinger. And, of course, that was, If you want it, here it is, come and get it. That's a good song. Make your mind up fast. That's the thing I like best about the Magic Christian is that song. Oh, that song is great. They had hits.

They had a lot of hit songs, but they were a tragic story. Is there anyone alive from Badfinger? I think two members of Badfinger committed suicide. If I'm not mistaken. One, Pete Hamm for sure. I'm trying to remember the other guy's name. Paul is looking it up as we speak. Don't forget

to follow us on our Facebook page. Gilbert Gottfried's Amazing Colossal Podcast on Twitter at Real Gilbert ACP and on Instagram, Gilbert Podfrey, P-O-D-F-R-I-E-D. You see, it's kind of a pun on the last name. Ah, never mind. This will be the only podcast in podcast history

to talk about both Badfinger and a Christmas movie. Because I'm going to segue quickly. I have to say, too, before we go, your mind is amazing. When was the last time you saw After the Fox? Oh, God. 35 years ago? Years the last time you saw After the Fox? Oh, God. 35 years ago? Years ago.

And you've retained the theme song. I remember the theme song. Amazing. And Martin Balsam's performance. I want to talk really quickly, and this is not at all an obscure film. This is a classic, classic film. And it's, for my money, I've talked about it on Facebook and social media, but I'm going to talk about it now here, is my favorite Christmas movie,

and I watch it every year, and boy, if it doesn't hold up beautifully, and that's Miracle on 34th Street. The original. Yes. Not the Sebastian Cabot TV version. Oh, God. And not the one that John Hughes made a couple of years ago

with Richard Attenborough as Chris Kringle. And there's also a really bad black and white TV version with Thomas Mitchell, Uncle Billy, from It's a Wonderful Life. You know that actor. Yeah. As Santa Claus. This is the one with Edmund Nguyen where he won the Oscar.

A very young Natalie Wood. Maureen O'Hara is Natalie Wood's mother who just passed away. I tell you, it's a perfect film. I don't know if you're into Christmas films. You're probably not. But this is a... No, on Christmas,

I watch Schindler's List. Do you? I set him up. Oh, lordy. This was written and directed by a guy named George Seaton, who you would love the fact that he was a writer on two Marx Brothers pictures, on The Night at the Opera and A Day at the Races.

Other than that, he directed some films. He directed Country Girl with Grace Kelly and Teacher's Pet with Clark Gable and a handful of other films. Not household name films, not big films, not like this one. This was a labor of love, and I read somewhere once, I think he put some of his own money into the film. It was shot on location at the Thanksgiving parade, which they didn't do in those days.

Oh, yeah. And it's really a terrific film. He was so convincing in the part that I read that Natalie Wood actually thought he was Santa Claus, and she was not a naive kid. She was a jaded show business kid. It's a perfect film. Jack Albertson shows up in a little bit part, and a lot of character actors from the day that you would love.

William Frawley. Oh, my God. From I Love Lucy. From I Love Lucy is the advisor of the judge love. William Frawley. Oh, my God. From I Love Lucy. From I Love Lucy as the advisor of the judge played by, you know, Gene Lockhart? You know that actor?

Oh, yes. Yeah. If you look at him, you recognize his face immediately. He's very funny as the judge. Porter Hall. It's just, I tell you,

it's a perfect film full of wonderful character actors. It strikes just the right chord. It's just sentimental enough. It's not treacly. It's not corny. It's funny. It's super smart, and it's my idea of a perfect movie.

So that's pretty much all I can say about it. There's some great trivia about it, too, that Maureen O'Hara didn't want to play the part, and she went back to Ireland, and then she read the script, and she fell in love with the script, and wound up doing the film. There's some great trivia about it on IMDb. I love It's a Wonderful

Life, but I don't see that purely as a Christmas movie. This is purely a Christmas movie. They released it in the summer, strangely enough. You know what's funny? It's a Wonderful Life was remade by Marlo Thomas.

Yes, you don't have to go there. And Orson Welles was Mr. Potter. And I heard that Marlo Thomas went up to Frank Capra. Oh, yes. And she said to him, she said, I'm going to be remaking It's a Wonderful Life.

Can you give me any advice? And he said, yes, don't. That's a great story. If only he'd been alive to give Adam Sandler the same advice about Mr. Deeds. Oh, God. But this film is a perfect film. As I said, it's sentimental, but it's not trite, and it's not sappy. And Edmund Gwynn is a revelation as Kris Kringle.

And it's perfectly made in every sense of the word. That's all I got. And there was an old... Two suicides. Oh, yes, Tom Evans. Yes, thank you. Two suicides and bad finger. Look up after the fox.

There was another old great character actor in it. Oh, God. Italian character actor? No. So what do we got? Dara. Research. She's on it.

Peter Sellers. Victor Mature. Britt Eklund. Britt Eklund. Who was Peter Sellers' wife? Martin Balsam. Oh, Akeem Tamaroff. Oh, Akeem Tamaroff. Oh, Akeem Tamaroff.

Akeem Tamaroff. Yes. He was the one who was talking. Of course. Akeem Tamaroff was talking, and the words are coming out of this beautiful girl's mouth. That's why I know the gag. So what do we got here?

We've got a sentimental Christmas movie. We've got two suicides in Badfinger. Very sad story, the story of Badfinger. And after the Fox, at one point they go to court after he's... And they show the film in court. And of course, it's horrifying. And everyone's embarrassed and their heads are down. And then one guy is cheering and screaming and all enthusiastic.

And they said, who is that guy? And he said, he's a film critic. That's funny. As long as we're talking about sellers, I'll recommend The Wrong Box. If you can find it, TCM runs it sometimes. It's an inheritance, a black comedy about an inheritance, and The Mouse That Roared. Yeah, so Peter Sellers and Victor Mature and After the Fox. And the comedy of Martin Balsam.

Oh, yes, and the comedy of Martin Balsam. And Miracle on 34th Street. Which I urge you to see, even though you don't believe in Christmas. Damn you, your heart and black soul. Even though I don't believe in Christ, I can still. It's a sweet film. Natalie Wood is great it's Edmund Gwynn

like I said won the Oscar it's a you won't be disappointed if you haven't already seen it see you next time Jingle bells you're a clown you know that

I'm not a clown you're a clown. Okay Samantha what holiday song should we do next? Do them all daddy. All of them? Okay here we go. Jingle bells, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Santa, Okay, here we go. The holidays just fly How rainy is Santa? It won't be long We'll jingle and bingo All through the night we'll sing a merry old song I wanna do the hoop I saw mommy kissing Santa

Don't you think the holidays just fly? Here we go. Take it, Skeets! Oh, reindeer Santa, it won't be long We'll jingle and mingle All through the night we'll sing a merry old song All through the night we'll sing a merry old song Have a holly jolly and just sing

I'll be home for Christmas Deck the halls, we're still good-bye He knows if you're good and he knows if you're crying Over the fields we go Rockin' around the Jack Frost Don't you think the holidays just fly on by? Don't you think the holidays just fly right on by? Don't you think the holidays just fly?

How about the mix? The mix sound good? Yeah, the mix You like the mix? Yeah. How about the mix? The mix sound good? Yeah, the mix. You like the mix? Yeah, I like the mix.