Mr. Saturday Night

Mr. Saturday Night Information

Mr. Saturday Night is a 1992 film that marks the directorial debut of its star, Billy Crystal.

It focuses on the rise and fall of Buddy Young Jr., a stand-up comedian. Crystal produced and co-wrote the screenplay with the writing duo Babaloo Mandel and Lowell Ganz. It was filmed from 1991 to 1992 and released on September 23, 1992, by Columbia Pictures.

Co-star David Paymer received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

The opening title sequence was designed by Elaine and Saul Bass.

Plot

Mr. Saturday Night details how stand-up comedian Buddy Young Jr. became a television star, with the help of his brother and manager, Stan, but alienated many of those closest to him once his career began to fade.

Through a series of flashbacks, the brothers are seen during childhood entertaining their family in the living room. The older Buddy continues his career as a comic in the Catskills, where he meets his future wife, Elaine.

Buddy's fame grows, as does his ego. He hits the big time with his own Saturday night television show. But over the warnings of his brother, Buddy uses offensive material on the air, costing him his show and beginning his career slide.

As an older man, long past his prime, Buddy is estranged from Stan as well as from his daughter, Susan. A chance at redemption comes out of nowhere when a young agent named Annie Wells finds him work and even gets Buddy a shot at a role in a top director's new film. Buddy nevertheless gives into his own self-destructive nature, continuing to take its toll on the comic's relationships with his family.

Cast

Billy Crystal as Buddy Young, Jr.
David Paymer as Stan Young
Julie Warner as Elaine Young
Helen Hunt as Annie Wells
Jerry Orbach as Phil Gussman
Ron Silver as Larry Meyerson
Mary Mara as Susan Young
Jerry Lewis as Himself

Reception

The film received mixed reviews from critics. It holds a 56% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 25 reviews with the consensus stating: "Billy Crystal's flawed directorial debut can't seem to decide whether it wants the viewer to love its protagonist or hate him, but it features fine work from Crystal and his co-stars."

Box office

The film performed poorly at the U.S. box office. According to boxofficemojo.com it grossed less than $14 million.

Awards

Paymer was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance. He lost to Gene Hackman for Unforgiven. At the Golden Globe Awards, Paymer was nominated for Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture (again losing to Hackman), as was Crystal for Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy (losing to Tim Robbins in The Player).

During the Academy Awards the next year, Crystal hosted. When announcing the nominees for Best Film of 1992 during the opening, Crystal added his movie to the list, immediately afterwards adding the line, "I just wanted to see how it feels."

Cameos

Comedians Jerry Lewis, Carl Ballantine, Slappy White and Jackie Gayle appear in the New York Friars' Club scene.

Home media

The film was released twice on DVD, the first time on December 8, 1998 by PolyGram Video, and again on June 4, 2002 by MGM Home Entertainment.