When someone has the list of credits that Gene Wilder does, listing his best movies is going to lead to some arguments by film nerds. The only thing that might inspire more disagreements is ranking them.
Yet, we at We Got This Covered are a pretty opinionated bunch, and think that even though others might disagree, we can give a few pretty good reasons as to why we think Silver Streak is better than The Frisco Kid. So, whether you’re a fan of the legendary actor or only know him from his iconic turn as Willy Wonka, read on to find out what we think are the 10 best Gene Wilder movies, ranked!
10. Start the Revolution Without Me
Slapstick and unseriousness defined many of Wilder’s best roles, but to describe him as simply a physical comedian is a complete disservice to the charm and energy he brought to every role. In this satirical period comedy he plays both a haughty aristocrat and a dim-witted peasant who were switched at birth (alongside his twin brother(s), played by Donald Sutherland). Despite the four men leading massively different lives, on the eve of the French Revolution their paths intersect once more, with some seriously funny consequences. Ridiculous? Yes. Witty and brilliant? Even more so.
9. See No Evil, Hear No Evil
There hasn’t quite been a double act to reach the comedic heights of Wilder and Richard Pryor, and in this unfairly maligned movie they’re at their very best. Pryor is a blind man and Wilder a deaf man, and the pair accidentally find themselves being framed for a murder. Despite their disabilities, the two complement each other well, eventually managing to clear their names and make us all laugh in the process. This was the last commercially successful film the pair did together, with one final effort (Another You) bombing pretty hard a few years later.
8. The Frisco Kid
In terms of plotting this Western comedy isn’t one of the best movies Wilder’s been in, but his performance (alongside co-star Harrison Ford, when he was actually young) ensures that it’s still a hilarious and engaging film. Wilder stars as an Eastern European rabbi who is trying to make it to California from the East Coast, only for his simplicity and overly trusting nature to make it near impossible until he teams up with a bank robber with a heart of gold (Ford). This one is all about the chemistry between the two leads, and that alone makes it worth watching.
7. Stir Crazy
The legendary Sidney Poitier directed this comedy, which reunited Wilder with Pryor, resulting in commercial and critical success. Again, the pair play two unfortunate friends who end up being framed for a crime (in this case, bank robbery) and are sent to prison for life. However, through a series of comedic and unlikely events, they manage to escape from jail while also finding the real perpetrators along the way.
6. Silver Streak
The very first Wilder and Pryor collaboration and probably the best, Silver Streak is a thriller-comedy that tells the story of a murder on a cross-country train called the Silver Streak. Wilder stars as George, a man who is somewhat framed for the death, and Pryor is a car thief with whom he accidentally goes on the lam with, in an attempt to follow the train and get to the bottom of the killing. Fabulously funny and absurd in all the right ways, the brilliant performances make this slightly convoluted script seem tight.
5. Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex* (*But Were Too Afraid to Ask)
Wilder stars in the second of the vignettes that make up this Woody Allen classic, and he steals the screen from everyone else, so much so you’re still thinking about his scene towards the end of the movie. Wilder’s character is odd in all the right ways, and his story is so absurd it’s beyond brilliant, but could really only be held together by an actor of his ability.
4. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
Wilder is absolutely fantastic as the titular Wonka in this adaptation of a Roald Dahl classic. The way he switches between whimsical and menacing gives the viewer whiplash, yet he also manages to keep the magic alive throughout his performance. In the film, Wonka is a reclusive chocolate maker who allows five lucky winners to tour his factory of wonders, in the hope that one of them will end up becoming a worthy successor to his chocolate empire. There isn’t a better actor to bring Dahl’s unique world to life, and frankly if you’re pulling for Depp in this debate then you’re in the rare space of having an opinion that’s factually incorrect.
3. The Producers
Having Wilder act in a Mel Brooks production is basically unfair to all other comedic actors, which explains why our top three films on this list are all borne from their collaborations. The Producers tells the story of an unscupulous Broadway producer and his nervous accountant (Wilder) who discover that if they produce a flop show, they can actually make more money as they will be able to embezlle it. Cue their attempts to make Springtime for Hitler: A Gay Romp with Adolf and Eva at Berchtesgaden, and one of the funniest films in history.
2. Blazing Saddles
A second satire of Westerns on this list, but by far the better one, which is saying a lot about its quality as The Frisco Kid is a pretty great watch. Blazing Saddles is groundbreaking, gut-clutchingly funny, and one of the smartest films ever made, and a huge part of that is Wilder’s exceptional performance as the sharpshooting drunkard the Waco Kid. It’s hard to overstate just how great (and important) this film is, and to appreciate it you really do just have to watch.
1. Young Frankenstein
The third Brooks and Wilder collaboration in a row on this list and our personal favorite, Young Frankenstein is simply sumptuous. This parody of the horror genre delivers a laugh a minute while also keeping audiences hooked. Wilder stars as the younger relative of Mary Shelley’s infamous doctor, and in the film he’s determined to prove his grandfather was right about being able to bring life into the world. Riotously hilarious.