The King of Comedy (1983) * * * *

Directed by:  Martin Scorsese

Starring:  Robert DeNiro, Jerry Lewis, Sandra Bernhard, Diahnne Abbott, Tony Randall, Shelley Hack

It is too bad Rupert Pupkin was 20 years too early for American Idol or Last Comic Standing.  He wouldn't have needed to barrel into talk show host Jerry Langford's (Lewis) limo and plead for a spot on his show.  And Jerry wouldn't have had to politely brush him off and exit from such an awkward situation.  Jerry insincerely tells Rupert to call him, which Rupert tries to no avail, and then Rupert takes extreme measures to ensure he gets a slot on the show.  Extreme, as in dropping by Jerry's office and then his home unannounced, followed by kidnapping him.  This is the premise of Martin Scorsese's The King of Comedy, one of his most satisfying films to date.    

Robert DeNiro plays Pupkin and it takes a few moments to realize it is DeNiro.    With slicked back hair, a cheesy mustache, and a nerdish suit, Rupert is a repository of self-confidence.  He can't understand why Jerry wouldn't agree to book him automatically.  The only time we see Rupert "performing" is in his mother's basement, where he speaks to cardboard cutouts of famous people as if he were hosting his own show.   We don't know if he ever performed at a club or an open mic night.  It doesn't matter.   He has such faith in his abilities (unseen by us) that he just knows Jerry will one day call and ask him to appear on the show sight unseen.

To say Rupert is delusional is putting it mildly.  He shows up at Jerry's office and is soon escorted out of the building by security.  After a few more rejections, he shows up at Jerry's country home unannounced with a date in tow.  Jerry is livid, his date is mortified from embarrassment, while Rupert is perplexed because Jerry now wants him out of his house.  Rupert does not know when he isn't wanted.  All he cares about is his single-minded pursuit of fame.  When asked why Jerry said he would call, Jerry replies, "If I hadn't, we would still be standing on the steps of my apartment building." 

Rupert's next step is even more bizarre.  He, along with his friend and fellow Jerry stalker Masha (Bernhard), kidnap Jerry.  Rupert's ransom demand is a slot on the show, knowing full well he will be arrested after and spend time in prison.  His rationale: "I'd rather be king for a night than a schmuck for a lifetime."    When we see Rupert's act, he is a hit with the audience, although in truth none of his jokes are as funny as his name.

The King of Comedy isn't about Rupert's act, but his obsession with fame.  This leads him to stroll into situations aggressively without regards to others' feelings.  He seems like a nice guy, but he sure can't read people well.  Such as is with narcissists like him.   But since Jerry is not exactly a warm and fuzzy guy, we can almost identify with Rupert's passions to an extent.  The only voice of reason is Rupert's sometime girlfriend (Abbott-DeNiro's real life wife at the time), who can at least read that Rupert is nuts and Jerry surely doesn't want them in his house.

Somehow, Rupert thinks he is born to be famous.  In the end, he will be more famous for kidnapping Jerry than his stand-up act.   That suits him fine, I think.  Scorsese is familiar with the theme of obsession in previous films like Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, and Mean Streets.   Just because Rupert is less prone to violence than a Travis Bickle or a Jake LaMotta doesn't make the obsession any more healthy.  Scorsese is fascinated by these people and their shallow single-mindedness.    So are we.     The King of Comedy is, at its roots, a comic look at Rupert's nature.     It is not as edgy or serious as Taxi Driver or Raging Bull, but we witness it all the same and can't look away.    

It takes courage to make dark material like The King of Comedy and make it palatable. Scorsese is a master craftsman and can do that.  We don't know much about Rupert.  He is a blank slate with a cheerful exterior and a burning desire to achieve something in this world.  In the end, he doesn't even mind going to jail.  He got what he wanted, which is more than can be said for a lot of people.