Contents
Introduction and Reviews
The Cast
Filming Locations, Part 1
Filming Locations, Part 2
Filming Locations, Part 3
Unanswered Questions
Memorabilia Gallery
DVD Video Comparison

Dick Shawn

Dick Shawn

Apparently he was in his best element and best able to be appreciated by the audience when doing standup comedy. Has much, if any, of Shawn's material been captured on film? If not then that's a terrible loss. Based on what we see of his comedy when he's soloing in his movie roles, especially in his early roles, he can be funny in an incredibly unique way. If his movie appearances had been limited to the early roles for which he's best know, The Producers and It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World, it would have been enough to secure Shawn's place in movie history. However, that would have deprived us of the treat of watching his performance in Angel; not as comedic as other roles but still memorable.

Shawn's character, Mae, is used partly as comedy relief but it's a sign of quality that she's not comedy relief because of what she is but because she's the comedian of the group. Shawn's portrayal of Mae as a real person helps keep the entire movie real. The movie wouln't have anywhere near the believability it does if this character had been played as a stereotype.

Angel was my first exposure to Shawn's work. After I'd seen his performances in the above two films I noticed that he seemed to exude happiness in both those movies, yet in Angel he has an aura of bitterness. Was this possibly something from his personal life leaking into the character or did he add this bitterness to a character who could have had a bitter streak in real-life?

It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963)

Shawn delivers a manic performance as one of the all-star cast searching for the hidden loot. Watch his intensity in each scene.

What Did You Do in the War, Daddy? (1966)

He plays a lead role in this movie but from what I've seen he's not really a lead actor that can carry a movie on his own; Shawn's unbeatable when he's soloing as a comedian, such as his scenes in The Producers, otherwise he needs other leads to act against for best effect.

The Producers (1968)

Dick Shawn owns the scenes he's in, which are standup comedy pieces where he's soloing. It's too bad his character's part couldn't be expanded in the play within the film to give him more screen time.