Steve Carell names his two favourite movies of all time
When it comes to stalwarts of American comedy in the 21st century, one of the first names that springs to mind is Steve Carell. He is, of course, known for playing Michael Scott in the American version of The Office, the NBC adaptation of Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant’s British (and far better) original.
Carell has also performed in some of the most beloved comedy movies of the past 20 years or so too. They include Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, in which he played the daft weather reporter Brick Tamland, and The 40-Year-Old Virgin. There’s a dramatic edge to Carell too, though, as proven by his performance in Foxcatcher, The Big Short and Little Miss Sunshine.
During a past feature with MTV, Carell named his two favourite films of all time. He said: “Probably Dr. Strangelove or Being There. Peter Sellers being the common thread there.” It’s unsurprising to learn that a comedian like Carell is in great admiration of one of the old-school greats like Sellers, famed for playing Inspector Clouseau in The Pink Panther.
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb is Stanley Kubrick’s 1964 anti-war black comedy in which Sellers played three roles, including the lead titular character. The Cold War satire tells of a mad US Air Force General who suddenly orders a nuclear attack on the Soviet Union and the resultant efforts by the US President and his staff to prevent it from happening.
Discussing the film, Carell said: “Dr. Strangelove, very silly but at the same time incredibly dark subject matter. Thought-provoking… the things they got away with in that movie were astounding. So indicative of that period in history, too. Something that gives you chills and makes you laugh at the same time is pretty amazing”.
Being There is another satire movie, only directed by Hal Ashby. The film arrived in 1979 and is a screen adaptation of Jerzy Kosinski’s 1970 novel of the same name. Sellers was nominated for ‘Best Actor’ at the Academy Awards for his performance as Chance the Gardener, who becomes an advisor to a wealthy tycoon after his former employer passes away.
Carell said of Ashby’s movie: “I think Being There was so muted and so… there was a tone that movie struck that I had never seen before in a movie. It was so gentle and kind yet thought-provoking. I thought it was very smart, and I thought his portrayal of that character was brilliant.”
