When Comedy Went to School Review
By David Kempler
Take My Wife, please
Lawrence Richard's documentary "When Comedy Went to School" is a light and at times pretty funny look back at the Catskills Mountains, when the area was the largest vacation destination in America. It was a place where European Jews, primarily from New York, would come every summer to escape the heat and to bond with people of similar histories.
Narrated and hosted by Robert Klein, it succeeds at explaining the Catskills origins and demise, and tossing out some nice laughs in the process. Its only failings are that it glosses over some of the heavier aspects and spends a bit too much time analyzing comedy and what makes it work, never a good thing.
Located about two hours north of New York City, the Catskills, at its peak, exploded into hundreds of hotels and their satellite bungalow colonies. They provided endless plates of food, activities from morning through the night, and the best comedians in the world, all included for the price of your room. Many of America's legendary comedians made their names there and went on to stardom on television and film. Unfortunately, it was their moving to TV and film that played a major role in the death of the Catskills. There was no longer a need to go somewhere to see performers when you could sit on your couch and see them perform for free.
The best parts of "When Comedy Went to School" feature routines by Rodney Dangerfield, Alan King, Robert Klein, Buddy Hackett, Don Rickles, Henny Youngman, Milton Berle, Jackie Mason, and many others. The other highlights come from some who recount stories from the era. Jerry Stiller was particularly fun to listen to.
The biggest problem - if you can call it that - is that the target audience skews towards the elderly, Jews, and those fascinated by comedians, in general. The target of the filmmaker is a small one to shoot at. There is probably a great documentary to be made on this topic, but this isn't it. Yet, it is pretty funny and for those who crave nostalgia, it is definitely worth it. Add one star if you are an
alte cocker. Look it up.
