Teri Garr Unfortunately, he passed away at the age of 79, but he left behind an incredible body of work that includes some of the best (and funniest) films ever made. Before Garr retired in 2011, she had a long and prosperous career. She has appeared in a wide variety of films and TV shows and has accumulated accolades worthy of a trophy case. Over the course of his storied career, Garr has received an Oscar and BAFTA nomination (both for the timeless 80s comedy). Tootsie) and won the National Board of Review Award.
Before Garr passed away, she worked with Mel Brooks on one of the best comedies of all time, worked with Steven Spielberg on one of the best science fiction films of all time, and played Phoebe’s birth mother in Friends. Renowned new yorker critic Pauline Kael described Garr as “the funniest neurotic silly lady on screen“(through People). Her comedic style has influenced everyone from Tina Fey to Jenna Fischer. Garr was as adept at drama as he was at comedy and starred in some truly excellent films.
10
One from the heart
Long before he became famous for self-financing the big-budget box office bomb MegalopolisFrancis Ford Coppola directed the underrated musical One from the heart. As Megalopolis, One from the heart was initially a critical and commercial disappointment. But it has since been re-evaluated as an underrated gem (which may or may not happen with Megalopolis). It tells the tense love story of Hank, a mechanic played by Frederic Forrest, and Frannie, a travel agent played by Garr.
As with almost all of Coppola’s work, One from the heart It’s visually stunning. One from the heart It’s far from being Garr’s best film, but it has many merits. Coppola tells the story seriously and clearly has a deep love for the musical genre and takes the opportunity to put her own stamp on it.
9
Stick
Andrew Fleming’s cult classic comedy Stick is an absurdist reimagining of the Watergate scandal. Kirsten Dunst and Michelle Williams play two teenage friends who, through a series of comedic misadventures, become the legendary “Deep Throat,” who talked to journalists Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein and overthrew the presidency of Richard Nixon. Imagine a cheeky comedic version of All the President’s Men. Garr plays Williams’ character Arlene’s single mother; they live together in the Watergate complex.
Stick is a deliciously irreverent take on one of the most significant events in US political history. It takes the mystery of Deep Throat’s identity – which, at the time, was still unknown to the public – and simply runs with it, with hysterical results. Garr has only a supporting role in the film’s extensive star-studded ensemble, but she gives an unforgettable turn opposite Williams.
8
Oh, God!
Carl Reiner addressed the delicate topic of faith in Oh, God!his classic religious satire from 1977. The story revolves around a mild-mannered supermarket manager named Jerry Landers, played by John Denver, who is chosen by God, played by George Burns, to spread his teachings. As Jerry tries to spread the word of God across an increasingly skeptical America, he faces backlash from the media, religious leaders and even his own wife, Bobbie, played by Garr.
Burns is the undeniable star of Oh, God!giving a turn as memorable (and hilarious) as Almighty that launched an unprecedented franchise with two sequels. But Garr gives a great performance alongside Denver as the long-suffering wife who doesn’t believe her husband was actually recruited by God. It’s an interesting exploration of religious skepticism and the fickle nature of faith.
7
Lord mother
Michael Keaton landed his first leading role in the 1983 comedy classic Lord mother. He plays a licensed automotive engineer in Detroit who must become a stay-at-home father and care for his children while his wife, played by Garr, returns to the workforce and climbs the corporate ladder at an advertising agency. Garr shares incredible chemistry with Keaton in this film. Their charming dynamic combines with a sweet, sentimental early-career script by John Hughes for a real winner.
At the moment, Lord mother It was something quite innovative. Working mothers and stay-at-home fathers have become common in the modern era, but back then they were more stigmatized because gender norms were much stricter. When defending a father who raises his children and a mother who brings home the bacon, Lord mother challenged these gender norms.
6
After hours
After becoming known as a director of crime films in the 1970s, Martin Scorsese broadened his horizons in the 1980s. He made a boxing biopic, Raging bull; a satire of fame, The king of comedy; a pool game sequence, The color of money; and a fictional account of the life of Jesus, The Last Temptation of Christ. In 1985, Scorsese directed After hoursa black comedy about an office worker named Paul Hackett, played by Griffin Dunne, whose nighttime journey home becomes an existentialist odyssey.
Garr plays Julie, a waitress who falls in love with Paul almost immediately. She delivers a typically eccentric performance that is perfectly in line with the sly satirical tone of Scorsese’s direction. After hours is one of Scorsese’s most underrated films. It’s unlike anything he’s ever done: a twisted dark comedy with frenetic energy.
5
Dumb and dumber
The Farrelly brothers Dumb and dumber brought together a comedic duo for the ages. Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels star as two dim-witted friends who mistake a ransom for a lost briefcase and embark on a cross-country road trip to return it to its rightful owner, Mary Swanson. Dumb and dumber was one of Carrey’s first starring vehicles and remains one of his most hilarious films. From selling a decapitated parakeet to a pepper prank gone wrong, Dumb and dumber is full of great jokes.
Garr plays Mary’s stepmother, Helen. Since it’s a small role and she spends most of the film trying to negotiate a hostage situation, she doesn’t have many opportunities to be funny. But she still laughs a lot — especially when she shares the screen with Daniels.
4
The conversation
Before their reunion in One from the heartGarr worked with Coppola on his 1974 thriller The conversation. The conversation stars Gene Hackman as a surveillance expert named Harry Caul, who takes on a seemingly routine job and overhears something he shouldn’t. In a contemporary play about ExplosionCaul quickly becomes concerned that he is being targeted by a sinister conspiracy. Garr appears in the supporting cast as Caul’s girlfriend, Amy Fredericks, who he keeps at arm’s length.
Amy has a small but crucial role in the film. It highlights how reserved Caul is because he can’t even open up to his significant other. The conversation is one of the best films in the post-Watergate wave of paranoid political thrillers. Directed by Coppola at the height of his powers, it’s tense, tense and scary.
3
Close encounters of the third type
After the great success of JawsSteven Spielberg was given a blank check by Hollywood and used that blank check to realize his passion project. Close Encounters of the Third Kind is a cinematic exploration of Spielberg’s obsession with UFOs and the possibility of alien life arriving on Earth. Richard Dreyfuss stars as factory worker Roy Neary, who goes down the rabbit hole of conspiracy after witnessing a flying saucer.
Garr delivers one of her most powerful dramatic performances as Roy’s wife, Ronnie Neary. Much of the film focuses on the spectacle of the spaceships and the mystery of the extraterrestrial visitors, but Garr brings raw human emotion to the proceedings. She gives a poignant turn as a woman who helplessly watches her husband go mad, unable to stop his descent into madness despite her best efforts.
2
Tootsie
Sydney Pollack Tootsie is one of the greatest high-concept comedies ever made. It has an interesting premise and gets all the laughs possible from that premise. Dustin Hoffman plays actor Michael Dorsey, who resorts to dressing as a woman to land a female role on a popular soap opera. Things get complicated when Michael falls in love with his co-star, Julie, played by Jessica Lange. Tootsie is a classic farce with an elaborate comical situation that escalates into chaos.
Garr plays Sandy, Michael’s friend and also an unemployed actor, who auditioned for the same role on the soap opera and ended up getting it. Garr revolutionized the “stupid blonde”Archetype with this performance. She proved that these characters don’t have to be one-note caricatures; they can have real depth, personality and vulnerability.
1
Young Frankenstein
Garr made his debut in Mel Brooks’ classic horror satire Young Frankenstein in 1974 – and it was a huge breakthrough. She plays Dr. Frederick Frankenstein’s lab assistant turned lover, Inga, who helps him awaken the monster and then, when he gets out of control, helps him tame it. From the charade sequence to the “Puttin’ on the Ritz” sequence, Young Frankenstein has some of the most hilarious scenes ever filmed.
Young Frankenstein is, by far, Teri Garr’s best film. It’s a hilarious parody of the old Universal Monsters movies, with non-stop laughs, but it’s also lit and shot so well that it looks real. Garr stars opposite two of the most intimidating co-stars she could ask for – Gene Wilder and Marty Feldman – and comes away with some of the film’s funniest moments.
Source: People