The 25 greatest comedy movies of all time
Ever since the dawn of celluloid, comedy has thrived in cinema, with some of the earliest Hollywood stars being silent movie masters. From the revolutionary cinema of Charlie Chaplin to the marvellous stunts of Buster Keaton and the slapstick timing of Laurel and Hardy, comedy was imperative for bringing audiences through the theatre doors, providing something familiar, simple and inviting.
Naturally, comedy became a staple of early cinema, thriving alongside patriotic tales of the American West, where the likes of John Wayne and John Ford defined a new standard for Hollywood. Whilst new stories with complex narratives thrived, comedy continued to be popular, with Howard Hawks’ His Girl Friday becoming a critical and commercial hit in 1940 before Billy Wilder’s Some Like it Hot became culturally iconic over ten years later.
These days, comedy seems to have taken a back seat, with iconic actors of the genre, such as Will Ferrell, Seth Rogen and Sacha Baron Cohen, exploring other creative avenues. Instead, comedy has found its way into sci-fi and fantasy flicks, with seemingly every new release having a good deal of levity to it, for better or worse. With that being said, comedy has always existed as part of other genres, present in Ivan Reitman’s Ghostbusters, Peter Jackson’s Braindead and Gerard Johnstone’s M3gan.
Take a look at our list of the 25 best comedy movies of all time below, where we discuss films from such iconic filmmakers as Woody Allen, the Coen brothers, Edgar Wright, Wes Anderson and Stanley Kubrick.
The 25 best comedies of all time
25. Planes, Trains and Automobiles (John Hughes, 1987)
John Hughes’ 1987 comedy Planes, Trains and Automobiles saw Steve Martin star as an uptight marketing executive alongside John Candy, who played a wildly-irritating yet good-natured curtain ring salesman. Martin was a big comedy star at the time, and Candy’s performance was heralded for marking his departure from teen comedies.
The film focuses on Martin’s Neal Page, who is trying to return to his family in Chicago for Thanksgiving. Struggling to make the journey for a variety of hilarious reasons, he is constantly accompanied and hounded by Candy’s Del Griffith, who makes the travelling experience all the more bothersome.
24. Jackass: The Movie (Jeff Tremaine, 2002)
The 2002 Jackass movie was a continuation of the MTV television series starring Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, Bam Margera, Chris Pontius, Ryan Dunn, Wee Man and several others. The Jackass boys made a name for themselves by pulling off the most stupidly brilliant pranks and stunts the screen has ever seen.
The first Jackass movie took the cast into the big time and opened with a now iconic scene of them racing down a massive hill in a shopping trolley with giant explosions going off in the background. After Knoxville famously welcomed us to Jackass, we saw Steve-O snort wasabi, Margera put a live alligator in his mother’s kitchen, and Ehren McGhehey eats a snowball made of his own piss. Nice.
23. The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (David Zucker, 1988)
The first Naked Gun film is based on the 1980s TV comedy series Police Squad!. It saw Leslie Nielsen star as the buffoonish police lieutenant Frank Drebin while Priscilla Presley, Ricardo Montalban, George Kennedy and even O. J. Simpon also made appearances.
Naked Gun has a heavy reliance on slapstick comedy and delivers its physical jokes with aplomb. Narratively, we find Frank Drebin on holiday in Beirut, happily enjoying himself until he uncovers a plan to assassinate Queen Elizabeth II when she visits America. Just the standard crazy stuff for Police Squad, then…
22. Bridesmaids (Paul Feig, 2011)
Perhaps Bridesmaids was something of a reaction to the largely male-dominated arena of comedy films in the 2000s. It was directed by Paul Feig from a screenplay by Annie Mumulo and Kristen Wiig, the latter of whom plays the lead character Annie, alongside Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Melissa McCarthy, Ellie Kemper and Wendi McLendon-Covey.
The film focuses on Annie, a single, out-of-luck woman in her thirties who lacks any positivity in her life other than her best friend, Lillian. When Lillian becomes engaged, Annie is asked to be her maid-of-honour, but this leads to serious competition with her other friend Helen. Several brilliant capers ensure in the lead-up to the wedding.
21. Paper Moon (Peter Bogdanovich, 1973)
Peter Bogdanovich’s 1973 road comedy Paper Moon arrived with a screenplay adapted from Joe David Brown’s 1971 novel Addie Pray. The black-and-white film takes place in Kansas and Missouri through the Great Depression and starred real-life father and daughter Ryan and Tatum O’Neal.
The film drew high praise from Roger Ebert, who said it is “a genre movie about a con man and a little girl is teamed up with the real poverty and desperation of Kansas and Missouri, circa 1936. You wouldn’t think the two approaches would fit together, somehow, but they do, and the movie comes off as more honest and affecting than if Bogdanovich had simply paid tribute to older styles.”
20. Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (Adam McKay, 2004)
Long before social media was the primary means of communication amongst young people, they used to converse on the school lunchtime fields by solely using quotes from Adam McKay’s directorial debut Anchorman: The Legend of Burgundy. It was written by McKay and Will Ferrell, who also starred in the lead role alongside Christina Applegate, Paul Rudd, Steve Carell and David Koechner.
Anchorman focused on the titular Ron Burgundy, a sexist and largely idiotic news reporter from San Diego. His archaic 1970s world of comfort is thrown into doubt when he clashes with his new, unwanted female co-anchor. Anchorman is brimming with iconic moments, and Ferrell and McKay were on absolute fire with their writing.
19. Young Frankenstein (Mel Brooks, 1974)
The 1974 Mel Brooks film Young Frankenstein took the well-worn story of Mary Shelley’s classic novel and added a healthy dose of humour for good measure. Gene Wilder played a descendant of Dr. Victor Frankensein, while Peter Boyle played his famous monster.
The film largely parodies the horror genre, with a particular target being the many film adaptations of Shelley’s novel from the 1930s. Wilder’s Frederick Frankenstein is a successful lecturer at an American medical school and does all he can to avoid being associated with his mad grandfather, but when he is informed of having inherited his estate in Transylvania, he can’t help but become wrapped up in the old family business.
18. Annie Hall (Woody Allen, 1977)
Annie Hall is one of those films that seems to have transcended the limits of comedy and is often considered one of the greatest films ever made, period. The 1977 Woody Allen-directed film saw Allen star as Alvy Singer, who tries to figure out why his relationship with his titular ex-girlfriend – played by Diane Keaton – has come to an end.
While Annie Hall does indeed possess moments of comedy, it is not afraid of rearing a head or two of seriousness as well. It explores (although rather datedly) the gender stereotypes of sexuality, the nature of growing up in a Jewish family and how psychoanalysis seemed to have permeated the very nature of then-contemporary society.
17. Ghostbusters (Ivan Reitman, 1984)
Perhaps the most iconic of all comedies is the 1984 supernatural laugh-a-thon Ghostbusters, directed by Ivan Reitman from a screenplay by Dan Akroyd and Harold Ramis. The two writers also performed in the film alongside Bill Murray as three parapsychologists who start up a ghost-catching business in New York City.
It’s after the dean of the university they work in dismisses the work of the three unconventional academics that they open their spectral elimination service from out of an abandoned firehouse. While the film is a touch dated by today’s standards, certainly in terms of its special effects, Ghostbusters remains a hallmark of the comedy film and will likely be so for years to come.
16. Superbad (Greg Mottola, 2007)
While we had been introduced to Seth Rogen through Freaks and Geeks and a minor role in Donnie Darko, it was with the release of Superbad in 2007, which he co-wrote with his partner Evan Goldberg that we first saw his real genius. The film starred Jonah Hill, Michael Cera, Rogen, Bill Hader and Christopher Mintz-Plasse in simply one of the greatest coming-of-age comedies of all time.
Inspired by Rogen’s real-life experiences at high school, Superbad tells of a small group of outcast teenagers on the brink of graduating. They are desperate to see the school year out by partying and losing their virginity but run into several stumbling blocks along the way. Superbad is brilliant from beginning to end and is certainly deserving of its place on this list.
15. The Big Lebowski (Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, 1998)
Another of those comedy films that is just chock-full of iconic characters, moments and quotes, The Big Lebowski, directed by the Coen brothers and released in 1998, saw Jeff Bridges take on one of his most iconic roles at The Dude, the ultimate Los Angeles slacker. He was joined by John Goodman as the borderline-deranged Vietnam war veteran Walter Sobchak, who also delivered one of his finest performances.
It focuses on the simple life of The Dude (Christian name Jeffrey Lebowski), who just wants to get high, listen to Creedence Clearwater Revival and bowl with his friends. However, that easy life is thrown into chaos when he is mistaken for the multi-millionaire Jeff Lebowski by thugs who demand his fortune. Absolutely brilliant, even if that is “just, like, [my] opinion, man”.
14. School of Rock (Richard Linklater, 2003)
Where would this list be without one of contemporary comedy’s most significant figures, Jack Black? He made a truly excellent performance in Richard Linklater’s 2003 classic School of Rock, which was written by The White Lotus’ Mike White, as the failing rock guitarist Dewey Finn.
Dewey is way behind on his rent payments and plans to get some cash together by posing as a substitute teacher at an affluent preparatory school. Using his musical knowledge, Dewey quickly realises that his fourth-grade class possess some serious talent, and he enters them into a battle of the bands competition, hoping to use the prize money to pay his rent. Not only is School of Rock hilarious and one of Black’s best films, but it also has touching moments of emotion too.
13. Shaun of the Dead (Edgar Wright, 2004)
The British filmmaker Edgar Wright may have made the celebrated TV series Spaced long before the release of Shaun of the Dead in 2004, but it was the latter that made him a household name. An influential horror comedy that changed contemporary British filmmaking, Wright’s film told the story of two friends in contemporary London who are caught up in a zombie apocalypse.
Starring such icons as Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, the film went on to define a new kind of snappy, modern comedy, where clever cinematography and editing became just as important as prompting laughs as the script.
12. The Jerk (Carl Reiner, 1979)
Many younger viewers forget just how influential the American comedian Steve Martin was, with his finest hour coming in the 1979 Carl Reiner movie The Jerk. Starring the Hollywood icon as a country boy who travels to the big city without much thought or planning, much of the film’s comedy is created by Martin, who bumbles his way around modern life with an incredible physical performance.
Although the actor is joined by a supporting cast that includes the likes of Bernadette Peters, Richard Ward and Mabel King, this is very much Martin’s movie, being highly enjoyable even decades after its original release.
11. The Grand Budapest Hotel (Wes Anderson, 2014)
Wes Anderson has made some of the finest modern comedies of all time, even if many see his films as more gentle arthouse dramas. His best comedy, and the finest movie of his filmography, is 2014’s Grand Budapest Hotel, a comedy caper that tells the story of a colourful hotel and its eccentric workers and guests. Just like all of Anderson’s flicks, The Grand Budapest Hotel also features a staggering ensemble cast that includes Ralph Fiennes, Adrien Brody, Jeff Goldblum and Bill Murray.
The Grand Budapest Hotel is Anderson’s sharpest movie, with the narrative being water-tight, allowing each character and respective performance to shine through and take centre stage. It’s a masterful movie.
10. The General (Buster Keaton, Clyde Bruckman, 1926)
There were few actors and filmmakers as successful in the formative years of Hollywood cinema than Buster Keaton, the star of such classic movies as Sherlock Jr., Steamboat Bill, Jr. and 1926’s iconic comedy, The General. The film, which is stuffed full of shockingly daring stunt work, tells the story of an engineer who tasks himself with reclaiming his cherished locomotive after it is taken from him.
The most impressive aspect of this classic is the fact that, even after almost 100 years of existence, The General is as funny and as technically proficient as it was when it was released.
9. Groundhog Day (Harold Ramis, 1993)
Though Groundhog Day has long received the praise it deserves from fans and critics alike, one should not underestimate just how revolutionary the film was from a screenwriting perspective. Starring the beloved American comedian Bill Murray, the film follows a miserable news reporter who is forced to relive the same day over and over again for no real reason, forcing the protagonist to rethink his life decisions.
Establishing a new avenue of storytelling which has since been copied by countless other movies, Groundhog Day is a revolutionary comedy and a charming drama that is almost perfectly composed.
8. Withnail and I (Bruce Robinson, 1987)
The favourite film of countless British comedians, Withnail and I is an iconic movie of the late 1980s that, in many ways, is the country’s equivalent to such American slacker films as Richard Linklater’s Dazed and Confused. Telling the story of two unemployed actors who head to the countryside for a holiday, the film is made by the magnificent lead performances of Richard E. Grant and Paul McGann.
Although filled with many British idiosyncrasies, Bruce Robinson’s film is a thrilling piece of independent comedy that can be enjoyed by fans of cinema the world over, thanks to its sharp focus on its central characters.
7. Duck Soup (Leo McCarey, 1933)
It wouldn’t be appropriate to make a list of the 25 greatest comedies of all time without mentioning the Marx brothers, with the industry icons being just as iconic as Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton. Their greatest moment came in the 1933 Leo McCarey movie Duck Soup, which starred Groucho and Harpo Marx in a story that followed two industry spies who get caught up in a war of businesses.
Yet another classic comedy that very much stands the test of time, Duck Soup is a hilarious gem of early Hollywood that captures the eccentricity of the early industry as well as its technological ambitions.
6. Team America World Police (Trey Parker, 2004)
Filmmakers and writers Trey Parker and Matt Stone are responsible for making one of the greatest TV comedies in South Park, but their magnum-opus is, no doubt, 2004’s Team America World Police. A hilarious satire constructed entirely using puppets, the movie was released amid the start of America’s ‘war on terror’ and followed a special force of patriotic individuals who took politics and foreign policy into their own hands.
This is indeed the most eloquent way to describe Team America, with the film being far more concerned with grossing out the audience with outrageous action scenes, moments of sexual intercourse and much, much more. It’s an insane cinematic expedition which is undeniably side-splittingly funny.
5. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones, 1975)
There are several names you must include when discussing the greatest-ever comedies, and the British comedy troupe Monty Python is certainly one of them. Made up of John Cleese, Graham Chapman, Eric Idle, Michael Palin and Terry Jones, the troupe made some of the greatest comedies of the 20th century, but we’ve picked just one of their movies to represent their efforts, 1975’s Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
Where some of their other movies may have dated, The Holy Grail remains a bonafide classic that makes the most of the group’s silly sense of humour, placing the comedy within a tale that follows King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table.
4. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (Stanley Kubrick, 1964)
The influential American filmmaker Stanley Kubrick wasn’t exactly known for his sense of humour, with his glittering filmography teeming with moody think pieces. Still, behind the scenes, Kubrick was quite the joker, and his 1964 movie Dr. Strangelove proved this beyond doubt. Melding his ability to craft unbeatable dramatic stories and sharp satire, Dr. Strangelove followed a group of generals attempting to prevent nuclear destruction with a comedic lack of conviction.
Poking fun at the lack of human morality in such army generals, Kubrick employs the skills of Peter Sellers to elevate his material, with the actor taking on three characters in the film, embodying each of them terrifically.
3. Some Like It Hot (Billy Wilder, 1959)
Nominated for six Academy Awards, Billy Wilder’s Some Like it Hot only walked away from the ceremony with a statuette for ‘Best Costume Design’, but it was worthy of so much more. The surprisingly progressive tale follows two male musicians who join an all-female band in disguise when they are pursued by violent mobsters. Very much a classic comedy, crime caper, Some Like It Hot is a classic of the late 1950s.
Thanks to a terrific script from Wilder, I.A.L. Diamond and Robert Thoeren, the fabulous leading cast of Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis and Marilyn Monroe effortlessly glide through Some Like it Hot, creating a comedy that flows with humour and cinematic joy.
2. This Is Spinal Tap (Rob Reiner, 1984)
In the late 20th century, musicians like Led Zeppelin, Michael Jackson and Prince formed a massive following, with fans eager to experience the behind-the-scenes action of such superstars in a world without social media. Rob Reiner’s 1984 mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap was a comedic response to such requests, with his movie telling the story of a fake band and their troubled tour.
With a handful of fantastic performances from the likes of Christopher Guest, Harry Shearer and Michael McKean, Spinal Tap is a hilarious film that taps into the comedy of the music industry with pinpoint accuracy.
1. Airplane! (David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, Jerry Zucker, 1980)
Comedy exists in several different genres, being injected into horror movies, romance flicks and westerns, but few films take the time and effort to create 90 minutes of pure hilarity. David Zucker, Jim Abrahams and Jerry Zucker did just this in 1980, releasing the parody movie Airplane! which takes the mick out of disaster films of the time but also stands alone as a hilarious comedy in and of itself.
Stuffed with hundreds of jokes, puns and background gags, Airplane has something for everyone, especially with masterful performances from Robert Hays and Leslie Nielsen steering the plane.
