Hanky Panky (1982)

In 1982, Gene Wilder took a break from writing and the director's chair to solely serve as the star of Sidney Poitier's 1982 film Hanky Panky. Pairing with him as a female lead was Gilda Radner. The two first met on the set and love quickly blossomed culminating in a marriage a few years later. It all began on Hanky Panky where the two principles become two people, one wrongly accused of a crime, running from the law together to protect their names and solve a mystery while they're at it. Michael Jordon (Gene Wilder) is an architect visiting New York on business when he jumps into a cab with a distressed woman, Janet Dunn (Kathleen Quinlan). Through flirting and trying to get Janet to have a drink with him, she tells him she is on the run and asks him to put an envelope into a mailbox for him. Michael obliges and unwittingly puts himself in harms way delivering this package. to try to clear things up, Michael travels back to the hotel she was staying in, only to find her in a scuffle with another man. Being filmed on camera at the scuffle with a gun in his hand, he is believed to be the nefarious character she was fighting with. With everyone chasing him despite his innocence, Michael tries to evade, seeking refuge in the apartment he was staying in while in New York. As he is packing his suitcase in the apartment, a woman Kate Hellman (Gilda Radner) comes in, and believing she is a burglar, Michael fights her until the lights are turned on and the two realize neither is a danger. When the police show up at the apartment, Michael has to leave immediately, and Kate decides to come with him to both aid in clearing his name and investigate her brother's death personally. Neither can expect just what they will have to do to get these goals accomplished, but are in it together, as long as it takes. It is almost magical to see a real life romance blossom on-screen. Gene Wilder and Gilda Radner's incredible chemistry is apparent, even if one is only half watching the film. The chemistry is sensational; you can really tell the two are falling in love, and makes Hanky Panky all the more fun to watch. There were also a number of great comedic gags in the film. The scene in which Michael takes over flying a plane is almost as hilarious as the scene in which Michael needs a change of clothes and takes a magic suit and can't find his change on a bus. The comedy was not without its flaws, however. For instance, there is so much going on in the film that not everything gets fleshed out by the film's end. The entire mystery is never solved, or revealed to the audience, so it is a little hard to become too invested in the film. That being so, Hanky Panky is a good Saturday night comedy that you won't regret watching, even if it's only to see Gene Wilder and Gilda Radner fall in love.

This will not be numbered among the better films made by Sidney Poitier(director), Gene Wilder (star) nor Richard Widmark (supporting actor), all of whom have been involved with superior films, but will provide a solid base for an evenings entertainment. The plot is of the genre in which Bob Hope, Danny Kaye, Red Skelton, Gene Wilder, himself, and many others before and since, have made excellent use for laughs, the spy thriller comedy. I don't know that I would call them a spoof on the serious film since,often, they do have their own brand of suspense and "thrills"; but they can be very funny indeed. In this case, the writers have relied far too much on some of Wilder's trademarked vocal emissions and far too little on his ability to deliver comedy lines and gestures. In fact, it is as difficult to find a funny line in the film as it is to find a novel plot device. Wilder does as well as could be expected under the circumstances, which, for me, was the major source of fun though not laughs. Gilda Radner was completely wasted, given no opportunity to do more than any third rate actress could have equaled. Richard Widmark is menacing early on, but becomes wooden as the dialogue and action descend to Perils of Pauline levels. There are a number of other highly capable actors who sink under the weight of the script. This is also a wonderful movie where you can see the comedic chemistry between Gene Wilder and Gilda Radner.Overall rating: 7 out of 10.

This is one of the funniest movies I have ever seen. Gene Wilder and Gilda Radner are unique. I really enjoyed the movie and recommend it to everyone. If, after watching Hanky Panky, you think it was worth it, please don't forget to watch See No Evil Hear No Evil and Silver Streak, which are two other wonderful movies with Gene Wilder.

Strained comedy/ thriller with Wilder and Radner trying too hard to inject energy into a lifeless script. Few laughs surface and that is a shame on the part of Wilder and Radner. Poitier directed.