The Funniest Classic Wacky Comedies, Ranked

Ranker Film
Updated August 11, 2023 2.5K votes 328 voters
Over 300 Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The Funniest Classic Wacky Comedies, Ranked
Voting Rules
Vote up the funniest comedies with zany plots and slapstick humor that were released before 1980.

Slapstick comedy can create the type of belly laughter that is all but impossible to hold back. The best wacky comedy films feature over-the-top characters endangering their physical well-being for a hilarious punchline. This is a list of the top classic comedy movies including everything from Blazing Saddles to The Pink Panther to Duck Soup.

What films will you find on this list of the funniest classic movies? Maybe you'll vote? Monty Python and the Holy Grail to the very top. The scene during which the Black Knight gets his arm cut off and declares it “just a flesh wound” has been tickling funny bones for generations. Young Frankenstein – starring Gene Wilder – is another one of the best classic comedies released before 1980. Jerry Lewis starred in several of the best slapstick films of all time, including the iconic 1963 version of The Nutty Professor. Other good movies featured on this list include Bananas, City Lights, and Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein.

Which classic comedy deserves the top spot on this list? Give your favorites a thumbs up, and please add any great films that are missing.

Most divisive: High Anxiety
Ranked by
  • Young Frankenstein
    1

    Young Frankenstein

    Gene Wilder, Peter Boyle, Cloris Leachman
    129 votes
    • Released: 1974
    • Directed by: Mel Brooks
    In the comedic film, Young Frankenstein, Dr. Frederick Frankenstein (Gene Wilder) inherits his infamous grandfather's estate in Transylvania. Accompanied by his loyal assistant Igor (Marty Feldman) and his lab assistant Inga (Teri Garr), he finds himself drawn into the family business of reanimating the dead. He creates a monster (Peter Boyle) with unintended hilarity ensuing. Directed with a deft hand by Mel Brooks, this spoof of classic horror films won an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. The movie is renowned for its comedic elements mixed with classic horror tropes, providing a unique twist on the Frankenstein lore.

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  • Blazing Saddles
    2

    Blazing Saddles

    Cleavon Little, Gene Wilder, Madeline Kahn
    134 votes
    • Released: 1974
    • Directed by: Mel Brooks
    In the satirical comedy Blazing Saddles, a small Western town's destiny hangs in the balance. The mayor, played by Mel Brooks, appoints a black railroad worker named Bart (Cleavon Little) as sheriff to ruin the town's reputation. Bart teams up with an alcoholic gunslinger, Jim (Gene Wilder), in a bid to save the town from greedy land-grabber Hedley Lamarr (Harvey Korman). This 1974 film, packed with slapstick humor and social commentary, was nominated for three Academy Awards and is renowned for pushing boundaries of taste and appropriateness.

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  • Monty Python and the Holy Grail
    3

    Monty Python and the Holy Grail

    Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam
    130 votes
    • Released: 1975
    • Directed by: Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones
    In Monty Python and the Holy Grail, King Arthur (Graham Chapman) embarks on an absurd, comedic quest for the famed relic. Accompanied by his Knights of the Round Table, including Sir Lancelot (John Cleese), Sir Robin (Eric Idle), and others, they traverse a fictitious medieval England. The film is a parody that humorously subverts the Arthurian legend with slapstick humor and satirical commentary. Directed by Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones, it's a cult classic in the comedy genre. Despite its low-budget production, the movie gained critical acclaim and numerous award nominations.

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  • Airplane!
    4

    Airplane!

    Robert Hays, Julie Hagerty, Peter Graves
    118 votes
    • Released: 1980
    • Directed by: Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker
    In the 1980 comedy Airplane!, ex-fighter pilot Ted Striker (Robert Hays) finds himself thrust into an unexpected role. When food poisoning incapacitates the flight crew, including his ex-girlfriend Elaine Dickinson (Julie Hagerty), Striker must overcome his crippling fear of flying to land the plane safely. The film, directed by Jim Abrahams and the Zucker brothers, is renowned for its rapid-fire humor and satirical take on disaster films. Leslie Nielsen plays Dr. Rumack, a character whose deadpan delivery became iconic. Despite its comedic nature, Airplane! won a BAFTA award for Best Screenplay.

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  • The Pink Panther
    5

    The Pink Panther

    Peter Sellers, David Niven, Robert Wagner
    90 votes
    • Released: 1963
    • Directed by: Blake Edwards
    In this first film of the beloved comic series, dashing European thief Sir Charles Lytton (David Niven) plans to steal a diamond, but he's not the only one with his eyes on the famous jewel known as the "Pink Panther." His nephew George (Robert Wagner) also aims to make off with the gem, and to frame Charles for the crime. Blundering French police inspector Jacques Clouseau (Peter Sellers) intercedes, but finds his career -- and his freedom -- jeopardized.

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  • History of the World, Part I
    6

    History of the World, Part I

    Mel Brooks, Dom DeLuise, Madeline Kahn
    99 votes
    • Released: 1981
    • Directed by: Mel Brooks
    A comedic romp through time, History of the World, Part I is a satirical film directed by Mel Brooks. This farcical cavalcade presents an irreverent look at human history from the Stone Age to the French Revolution. The narrative unfolds in episodic bursts, guided by the wry narration of Brooks himself. Notable performances include Madeline Kahn as Empress Nympho and Gregory Hines in his film debut as Josephus, a Roman slave. Clever, outrageous, and unabashedly silly, this movie offers a humorously skewed perspective on significant historical events and figures. Despite its title, there was never a Part II.

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