RIP Gene Wilder: The five greatest roles of a comedic genius

Gene Wilder is one of those great comic actors who so many of us really associate with our childhoods. When I was first really getting into comedy, developing my own voice and my own taste -- Wilder was a big touchstone for me. So it is with a heavy heart that I write this amid the news that he has passed away at age 83.

Wilder never made that many movies, and he has been largely missing from the Hollywood landscape for the last several decades. But for a brief period, largely during the 1970s, he was one of the most popular comedy stars in the world -- and his frizzy haired, manic persona is unlike any other in movie history.

As sad as the news of his death is, at the very least, it provides an opportunity for film buffs to reassess his career and for younger audiences -- who may either only know him for his iconic role as Willy Wonka, or don't know him at all -- it's a chance to rediscover a truly unique talent.

There's a lot people may not realize about Wilder. He was a great comedy writer (he was behind many of the best jokes in Young Frankenstein, for instance), he was an ideal comedy partner (although he and Richard Pryor reportedly never got along in real life -- they had exceptional chemistry) and he had a big heart -- as evidenced by his exemplary love for Gilda Radner, who battled and eventually succumbed to cancer while married to him.

I will always have a soft spot for Wilder. Here are his five greatest film performance (with one honorable mention):

Honorable mention: Bonnie & Clyde (1967)

A very young Gene Wilder has a small but pivotal cameo role in this classic gangster movie. He plays one half of a fairly bougie middle class couple who have their car stolen by outlaw bank robbers while they're in it. At first they befriend the crooks, and get a cheap thrill out of mingling with them, but when Wilder reveals his profession -- undertaker -- the scene gets deadly serious. His role in The Producers (which came out the following year) may be more famous, but this one holds up better.

Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory (1971)

This will probably be the part for which Wilder is best remembered, and it's easy to see why. It's a real tour de force that has yet to be topped (cough, Johnny Depp, cough). He is by turns menacing, mirthful and magical -- perfectly capturing the mercurial character created by Roald Dahl in his book. Wilder's lovely singing voice imbues the musical numbers with real whimsy, and his sarcastic line readings make this children's film sublime for adults.

Blazing Saddles (1974)

Wilder is one of the highlights of this raucous, political incorrect Western parody. Curiously, he was not the first choice for his role as a former gunfighter gone to seed, but he is perfect in it. Some of his off the wall lines are delivered with such a sly touch that "The Waco Kid" winds up being the least dated thing about this blockbuster comedy. His monologue about facing down a would-be gunman who turns out to be a child is still one of my all-time favorites.



Young Frankenstein (1974)

Wilder was the star of the show in his other big, Mel Brooks-directed hit of 1974. Despite being deliriously over-the-top throughout, Wilder's brilliance in this film is borne out of his commitment to taking himself and the material seriously, no matter how silly it is. As Dr. Frankenstein (emphasis on the steen) he is marvelous and he motivates career best work out of dream cast, which includes Peter Boyle, Madeline Kahn and Teri Garr.

Silver Streak (1976)

A fast-paced who-done-it with lots of homages to Alfred Hitchcock, features Wilder in an against-type romantic role. It also eventually becomes his first pairing with his unlikely comedy soul mate, Richard Pryor. This film breaks cliches by making their partnership an equal one, with each actor pushing the other outside of their comfort zone in funny and surprising ways. Meanwhile, the movie itself is a real throwback mystery that is a lot fun from start to finish.

Stir Crazy (1980)

Wilder's second pairing with Richard Pryor (directed by Sidney Poitier) is still my favorite. He and Pryor play too lovable losers who get imprisoned for a crime they didn't commit -- and despite that set-up, laughs ensue. Endless comedies have ripped off their opposites attract, mixed race dynamic, but few captured the genuine affection and bemusement these two could convey on screen. In a strange way, their on-screen friendship was groundbreaking, and man were they hilarious together.