“All I need to make a comedy is a park, a policeman, and a pretty girl.”
– Charlie Chaplin
AFI’s “100 Years … 100 Laughs” is a list of the 100 funniest American movies of all time, as chosen from 500 nominated pictures by a jury of 1,800 leaders in the film community (including directors, screenwriters, actors, editors, cinematographers, critics, historians, film executives, and more).
AFI’s “100 Years … 100 Laughs” television special, hosted by Drew Barrymore, originally aired on June 13, 2000, becoming the third installment in AFI’s televised specials to celebrate American film.
Each movie selection is feature-length (typically more than 60 minutes); in the English language, with significant creative and/or financial production elements from the U.S.; and, regardless of genre, deemed to have a total comedic impact that creates an experience greater than the sum of the smiles (ranging from slapstick to romantic comedy to satire to comedies of manners and comedies of errors). They can also possess a legacy quality: the “laughs” of these films should have echoed across time, enlivening and enriching America’s film heritage while continuing to inspire contemporary artists and audiences.
And, indeed, along with AFI’s original list of the 100 greatest American films, these follow-up compilations inspired The Massie Twins to become even more exhaustive film enthusiasts – and then professional critics. Of course, we didn’t personally agree with every selection (any list is highly subjective, and comedy is perhaps one of the most personal and arbitrary of the genres), but it nevertheless represents a superb starting point for anyone looking to expand their movie-viewing repertoire. Click the titles to read the full reviews!
AFI’s 100 Years … 100 Laughs (2000)
8. It Happened One Night (1934)
10. Airplane! (1980)
12. A Night at the Opera (1935)
15. The Philadelphia Story (1941)
16. Singin’ in the Rain (1952)
21. A Fish Called Wanda (1988)
23. When Harry Met Sally… (1989)
27. There’s Something About Mary (1998)
29. This Is Spin̈al Tap (1984)
30. Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)
35. Harvey (1950)
36. National Lampoon’s Animal House (1978)
40. It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963)
42. Big (1988)
46. Manhattan (1979)
47. Shampoo (1975)
51. The Seven Year Itch (1955)
52. Ninotchka (1939)
53. Arthur (1981)
54. The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek (1944)
56. Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)
57. Diner (1982)
60. Topper (1937)
66. Take the Money and Run (1969)
69. Bananas (1971)
70. Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936)
72. Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948)
74. 9 to 5 (1980)
77. The Palm Beach Story (1942)
80. Sleeper (1973)
83. Father of the Bride (1950)
87. Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)
89. The Jerk (1979)
93. Fargo (1996)
99. The Nutty Professor (1963)
100. Good Morning, Vietnam (1987)