There are so many worthwhile, classic movies around that I often wonder why horrible flicks remain so popular. I guess there is no accounting for taste after all but at least there are currently many avenues for adding some of the many great films ever made to your collection. One method that has risen in popularity of late is MGM's manufactured-on-demand Limited Edition Collection. This is a means for serious collectors to expand their viewing habits to include some often nearly lost treasures. There is a caveat here that has been discussed in many sources concerning the quality of the releases. They are not equal to contemporary standards we have become accustomed to but for those of us who remember Video tape or broadcast television they are generally a cut above that. I mention this because my personal tastes center on the content even if it means occasionally sacrificing a degree of quality. I would rather have a less than perfect copy of some of the films in this series than miss the experience of enjoying them again. I recall seeing many of these movies either on an old black and white TV with rabbit ear antenna or in a ill kept local movie house but like many of our generation this is where our love for film began. Sure, I would prefer a pristine, high definition edition of these movies but since that most likely will never occur at least I can watch some fantastic performances are relive a few favorite stories. One film recently added to this series is ‘A Thousand Clowns’. When I first saw this film I was on the cusp of my teen years and many of my friends derided me for seeing this instead of sneaking into a more ‘exploitive movie with them. The film came to my attention as the one that brought Martin Balsam his Best supporting Actor Academy Award and its nominations for best picture and best adapted screenplay. Even at that tender sage I could recognize this film was something special; a humorous, poignant look at life I had little personal experience with. Now it’s more decades than I care to consider later and although the transfer is less than ideal I am afforded to opportunity to return to this film now filtered through my own experiences. I’d rather a less than perfect copy of this film than not own it at all.

At its heart this is a buddy film but not like the ones many of us are accustomed to watching. Instead of cops, or guys on a road trip this is a simple tale of a boy, Nick (Barry Gordon who lives with his eccentric Uncle Murray Burns (Jason Robards) in New York City. With this premise it’s easy to understand while it appealed to me as a boy of the same age in the same city. The film is based on the successful Broadway play by the same name from playwright Fred Coe. It is largely understood that the character of Murray’s brother Arnold (Martin Balsam) was based on one of the greatest American humorists, Jean Shepherd, a close friend of Coe. You might remember him from the film versions of one of his stories which he also narrated, ‘A Christmas Story’. Murray deeply cares for his nephew but it might not be overly evident from an outside perceptive. He is unemployed, most recently from a local children’s television series, ‘Chuckles the Chipmunk’. Five months ago he left due to ‘creative differences’ and the market for kid shows writers are not exactly overwhelming. Murray is just about at the end of his unemployment payments and things are getting tight. He shares a messy one room flat with his nephew Nick, the illegitimate son of his sister. The arrangement has been made to work since the boy was seven but now a few clouds have gathered on the horizon. Ultimately the school becomes concerned and escalates the situation to family services resulting in the assignment of a case worker, Sandra Markowitz (Barbara Harris), to investigate the home life. Murray’s unorthodox view of the world does allow him to think out of the box to resolve this development and he proceeds to seduce Sandra. This would not go over well if discovered by her supervisor, Albert Amundson (William Daniels), especially since he also happens to be her boyfriend. As a condition of the new relationship Sandra pushes Murray to commit to finding a job. His stubborn, abrasive and impulsive manner is not exactly conducive to the interview process; he abruptly gets up and walks out of several. Desperate to keep custody Murray goes back to the host of Chuckles, Leo Herman (Gene Saks) to get his old job back. When the abrasive man insults Nick Murray holds back only to happily watch as the boy finally steps out of his usual meek shell and stands his ground.

Robards was one of the great actors of his time although mostly recognized for his dramatic abilities. This film give a lesser seen look at his comic side as he reprised a role he created for the Broadway stage. Balsam was an amazing character actor that brought a touch of style and realism to every part he took on. He earned the golden statue he took home for this performance. A film like this was crafted during a time when a comedy cared more about a subtle humor instead of rank, puerile comedy or completely imbecilic situations. This comedy has the pathos to touch the audience blended with humor that reaches out on a humanistic level.