‘The In-Laws’: The film Michael Imperioli called the “funniest movie ever made”
Known for his memorable performances in beloved cultural monuments such as Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas and The Sopranos, Michael Imperioli deserves every bit of acclaim that’s come his way. Recently, he bolstered his oeuvre with yet another impressive performance in the second season of the hit HBO show The White Lotus, garnering critical acclaim as well as prestigious accolades for his portrayal of a Hollywood executive named Dominic Di Grasso.
In addition to collaborating with revered auteurs like Scorsese and Spike Lee, Imperioli also regularly draws inspiration from his wide range of cinematic influences. During a conversation with Criterion, the actor opened up about his favourite films of all time and how they have impacted his journey as an artist within the film industry. Ranging from the New Hollywood gems of John Cassavetes to the enigmatic works of Pier Paolo Pasolini, his list is simply fantastic.
Even within that collection of seminal masterpieces, Imperioli singled out one particular action comedy from the 1970s as his personal favourite. Titled The In-Laws, the 1979 Arthur Hiller film is a genuinely hilarious gem starring Alan Arkin as a dentist who becomes hesitant about his daughter’s upcoming marriage when he finally meets her soon-to-be father-in-law (played by none other than Peter Falk). Eventually, he finds himself in the middle of an international case full of political intrigue.
While talking about the film, Imperioli praised the central pairing of the two leads: “The funniest movie ever made. A buddy comedy with unparalleled chemistry between the two leads, Peter Falk and Alan Arkin (and Cassavetes’s DNA is at work even beyond the Falk connection, as John would replace the director of the disappointing not-quite-a-sequel, 1986’s Big Trouble). Falk and Arkin are a mismatch made in heaven.”
Continuing to provide some interesting trivia about the legacy of his favourite comedy of all time, Imperioli added: “Rumour has it this was Brando’s favourite movie and is the reason he signed on to The Freshman, which was written and directed by The In-Laws scribe Andrew Bergman. Richard Libertini almost manages to steal the film in the last act as an eccentric Central American dictator/ventriloquist/art-lover.”
Andrew Bergman’s brilliant screenplay and the unique on-screen dynamic between Arkin and Falk proved to be a lethal combination, delighting audiences through the years. In fact, the CIA reportedly screened the movie for new employees since the plot of the film revolves around the operations of the organisation. Although the 2003 remake failed to capture the magic of the original, the legacy of Hiller’s work is untouchable.
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