Thankfully, I've been blessed with a dad who's a paradigm of good parenting -- the kind of guy who sometimes causes those who meet him to ask me if there's any chance he might adopt them. I don't want to pitch Richard Mernit to you as a saint -- we had our struggles when I was growing up, and he wasn't always the sanguine, happy mensch he's become in what hardly seems like his old age (Dad is one of those perenially young souls who to this day seems a kid at heart). I'll just say that if you were looking for a great dad, you couldn't do better than mine, and we'll leave it at that.
In fact the beauty part of celebrating this Father's Day with my father (via phone) is that neither of us had to go on about how much we love each other and all that crap -- because we know it already. And because I've already celebrated both my dad and my mom on this site, I won't bore you by going on about him and her. I'd rather talk about Harold Ramis.
Ramis, in case you're one of the unfortunate souls who's yet to see Knocked Up, plays Seth Rogen's dad in that movie. And what makes the role so delicious has to do with its canny defeat of audience expectations. You know the scene -- you've seen it so many movies -- where the hero or heroine is having a Dark Moment in the midst of crisis (generally this beat can be found shortly after the second act turning point), and he or she goes to Dad for advice? And Dad delivers the thing that needs to be said, usually in the form of some memorably wise and witty homily? And our hero or heroine gets the message, and feels a little better, and the audience maybe tears up a bit?
Here's a moment from Knocked Up's version of this obligatory scene: Ben, in the midst of relationship crisis, comes to his dad, desperate for advice. “Just tell me what to do,” Rogen entreats Ramis, who can only shrug and smile. “I’ve been divorced three times," he reminds his son. "Why are you asking me?”
Ramis is a joy to watch as this benevolent, friendly, sorry-but-I'm-just-as-clueless-as-you-are father, and I've been chuckling over his small but memorable part in Apatow's hit ever since I saw it. In his cruel-to-be-kind honesty, Ramis's portrayal of Ben's Dad is perfect (leading one to fantasize that he might simply be playing himself), and his character currently tops my list of great movie fathers -- call them Dads We'd Like To Have.
He joins an illustrious group. Who can forget, among cinematic dads, John Mahoney as Mr. Court, the lovable (albeit larcenous) dad created by Cameron Crowe for Say Anything? Or -- pecursor to DeNiro's Dad From Hell in Meet the Parents, Eddie Albert as a dad any daughter would love (and any suitor would fear and hate), in Neil Simon's The Heartbreak Kid (soon to be seen as remade by the Farrellys)?
But watching Harold Ramis do Dad has a lot more to it in terms of resonance. The casting's no accident; as this absorbing profile of Apatow from the Times notes, Apatow actively sought Ramis for the part, the director/actor long having been one of his heroes. There's a tacit sense of torch-passing in the subtext here, or a blessing from an Elder. Because really, if you ever want to go to school on contemporary comedy, the guy who made Ghostbusters (among so many, many others) is your man.
I mean, don't even get me started on Groundhog Day.
Thinking about Ramis and his huge (sadly, often taken for granted) contribution to comedy as we currently know it got me thinking about the notion of celebrating Cinematic Fathers. By this I don't just mean dads portrayed on screen -- I'm thinking more of mentors, role models, men who've inspired us screenwriters and filmmakers over the years.
Apatow cites Garry Shandling, among others, as a surrogate dad in his career. When I stopped to think about it, I realized that I've got a number of them -- Big Guys who'd already proven to be way influential in this medium, and who've hovered over my shoulder throughout the many years I've sat with pen or keyboard in hand. For comedy screenwriting, Billy Wilder and Preston Sturges come immediately to mind. But actually the one father figure in this medium who really influenced me more than anyone wasn't even a screenwriter: Howard Hawks.
He didn't write his scripts but he was a quintessential auteur -- such is the sheer force of Hawks's personality that pretty much every film he made bears his indelible, distinctive signature, and for romantic comedy, the holy screwball trinity of 20th Century, Bringing Up Baby and His Girl Friday has never been topped (only Sturges and Wilder have longer hit-lists, but theirs are generally comedies, not rom-coms).
What I got from Hawks was a certain sensibility -- a pace, a rhythm, and a straight-faced, tough approach to physical and verbal gags. It's been so engrained in me from so early on that I don't usually even think about it as the meta-genetic inheritance that it is, but this Father's Day, I'm thinking about him and my other fatherly Cinematic Inspirers, so I throw it open to you.
For writers: Who do you think of as your Screenwriting Father Figures? Who figuratively raised you, showed you how things are done, gave you a model to imitate... and perhaps struggle to outgrow?
For non-writers: Who are your favorite Cinematic Dads in the comedy and romantic comedy field? I've cited a couple of notables, but I'm sure there's many more worth noting. Have you got a beloved Dad We'd Like To Have who's only existed on screen?
Living Rom-Com wants to know.
To your list I would add Woody Allen, and of course I agree with Preston Sturges and Billy Wilder (and his two great collaborators Charles Brackett and I.A.L. Diamond) and Howard Hawks certainly. And what do two of the three Hawks romantic comedies you mentioned have in common? "His Girl Friday" and "Twentieth Century" were both based on plays by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur. And that leads me to think of the man who directed the original Broadway production of "The Front Page" (the source of "His Girl Friday," I don't have to tell you), and the person whom I've always considered to be the ultimate comedy father-figure, George S. Kaufman. He only wrote a few screenplays, but his theater work was highly influential not just on plays and musical comedy, but on movies, radio and television, even to this day I would argue. As a playwright working as a director, it's certain that he helped shape and influence "The Front Page," and "The Front Page" influenced just about every comedy that came after it. And if you read the trio of great comedies he wrote with Moss Hart, "Once In A Lifetime," "You Can't Take It With You," and "The Man Who Came To Dinner," you will find the DNA of everything we have come to know as Situation Comedy. (They also have strong romantic comedy elements as well.) Plus, by all accounts, Kaufman was a funny guy who was depressed most of the time, so I've emulated him in at least this one area, although I think I would prefer to have eumulated him in talent and accomplishment. Anyway, this is just my way of saying Happy Comedy Father's Day to the man James Thurber called "The gloomy dean of American humor," George S. Kaufman.
Posted by: Frank Conniff | June 17, 2007 at 09:27 PM
As an amateur screenwriter going to varrious conference events and through books I can remember hearing rave after rave about how good Shane Black is; Shane makes it "fun" for the reader. YET in those same conferences and books screenwriters are told not to write like Shane Black until you've "earned" it. So I consider Shane Black the "paradoxial dad" for the general screenwriting public.
William Goldmman fits the bill as a good screenwriter's dad, as do you, Billy, as several times in the past I have picked up your "Writing the Romantic Comedy" book just to see how I measured up. Where was my "cute meet?" What is my lead characters' "chemical equation?"
In the movies one of most memorible portrayals of a father you are ever going to see in your lifetime was the one given by Richard Jenkins in "North Country." In "North Country" Richard Jenkins plays the role of Hank Ames, lifetime union worker at the plant where his crusading daughter, Jossie Ames (played by the actress Charlize Theron) decides to work. There is a key scene, which makes the picture if you asked me, where the union roughnecks are wearing down Jossie at the podium and Hank steps out of his comfort zone to come to his daughter's rescue. I can still remember getting choked up, as I watched Hank carry his daughter in his arms, past his fellow union workers who vehimently hated Jossie.
When "North Country" came out the media made a big deal about how Chalize Theron dressed down for the role, BUT what they missed was the GREAT job Richard Jenkins did as her father.
- E.C. Henry from Bonney Lake, WA
Posted by: E.C. Henry | June 17, 2007 at 09:42 PM
Although it wasn't a comedy, Best Cinematic Father, hands down, goes to Gregory Peck's Atticus Finch in "To Kill A Mockingbird".
Posted by: binnie | June 18, 2007 at 04:08 AM
I would have to add Steve Martin to the list of writers who have had an impact on comedy.
Posted by: MaryAn | June 18, 2007 at 07:21 AM
No time to say much more than James L Brooks. Look up his imdb credits and you will be amazed! Aside from his amazing movies that we all know (Broadcast News, Terms of Endearment, As Good As It Gets), let us not forget he's been one of the creators for some of our most beloved tv shows: Mary Tyler Moore, Taxi, and The Simpsons.
So I nominate James L. Brooks as the filmmaker that has most inspired me, my Father's Day Mentor, the man who helped give us Homer Simpson.
Posted by: tc | June 18, 2007 at 10:11 AM
Jean Renoir, Clint Eastwood.
Posted by: tiago | June 19, 2007 at 02:55 AM
Mernitman: As a favorite dad, I vote for Dick Mernit - even though, to my knowledge, he's never been in a movie. He's everything and more than you said he is.
Posted by: Barbara | June 19, 2007 at 03:28 PM
Frank: Thanks so much for your affectionate tribute -- I share your love for Mr. Kaufman, and of course, for his collaborator Moss Hart. Woody Allen is one of my mentors, as well.
EC, William Goldman! Yes, yes, yes.
Binnie: Atticus towers.
MaryAn: Totally -- the thinking comedy-writer's icon.
tc: James L. Brooks is The Man.
Tiago: You're reminding me of that kid in PLATOON -- talk about being pulled in two directions! But both powerhouse influences, obviously. Now I'm fantasizing a mash-up of RULES OF THE GAME and UNFORGIVEN where they're hunting people instead of rabbits...
Barbara: Awwww. There is a movie in Dick and Dee, though, don't you think?
Posted by: mernitman | June 19, 2007 at 06:46 PM
Albert Brooks, anyone?
Glad to see you're doing well, Billy!
Scribe
Posted by: ScribeLA | June 19, 2007 at 09:18 PM
Paul Dooley in Sixteen Candles.
"Mike is a dork." Had to be the most comforting line ever.
Posted by: brooke | June 20, 2007 at 06:22 PM
Just off the top of my head, without pausing to think, Lionel Barrymore in You Can't Take it With You comes to mind. Love that strangely reassuring gravelly voice. Think he must have played a bzillion takes on that role...
Posted by: Patty | June 21, 2007 at 03:33 PM
Just wanted to say Harold Ramis is one of my favorite writer/directors. Incredibly underratted. Doesn't get enough love from the masses.
One of my fav screen dads is Levon Helm in one of my favorite movies, COAL MINER'S DAUGHTER.
The scene where Pa Webb and young Lorreta go collecting coal always chokes me up.
He tries to convince her not to marry Moonie.
"Don't do it Lorettie. Don't throw all them young years away. You're my pride, girl. My shining pride."
"I can't help it, daddy. I love 'em."
Posted by: Laura Reyna | June 22, 2007 at 11:43 AM
ScribeLA: LOVE that Albert.
Brooke: Exact-a-mente.
Patty: Yes, Lionel was an Everydad in his day.
Laura: And as Olympia said to Cher in a similar situation, "Oh, that's too bad."
Posted by: mernitman | June 26, 2007 at 11:35 PM
Really cool site you have here. I've only been reading for a short while scouting different styles for my sites upcomings blog, @ http://www.shodega.com but this post made me want to say "2 thumbs up". Keep up the good work.
Posted by: Frank Trane | April 19, 2008 at 09:59 AM