Oscar-Winning Comic Roles, with Special Guest Rob McClure: 'A Fish Called Wanda' (1988), 'City Slickers' (1991), and 'My Cousin Vinny' (1992)

Julian, Madeline, and Emilio are graced by the enthusiastic presence of Tony-nominated actor Rob McClure to finish off their episode cycle on Oscar-Winning Supporting Performances with a "Close-Up" about three classic comedic roles, which each garnered their performers the coveted trophies. The first of these would be Kevin Kline's role in "A Fish Called Wanda" (1988), the British-American, Monty Python-adjacent caper where Kline plays the audaciously stubborn diamond thief Otto West. Next is that of Jack Palance in "City Slickers" (1991), the story of three New Yorkers on a cattle-herding vacation in the American West, in which Palance plays their rugged-yet-warm-hearted trail boss, Curly. And rounding out this trio is Marisa Tomei in "My Cousin Vinny," the courtroom dramedy where the titular Brooklyn lawyer is enlisted to represent his wrongfully-accused cousin and best friend in Alabama, depending on crucial contributions from his brash and mechanically-astute fiancée Mona Lisa Vito to work towards their exoneration. 

Though all of these films were released in nearby years, the group discusses why these performances stand the test of time, be it due to laugh-out-loud physical gags, the contrast between locals and fish-out-of-water, or the resonant truths at each role's foundation. Aided by Rob McClure's inimitable experience and expert insight about the "actually, actually" that defines a great comic performance, they trace the vast range of humor among these characters and the greater stories in which they appear, making notable stops along the way at unforgettable facial expressions, one-armed push-ups, and scathing instruction-manual retorts. 

Rob McClure has earned Tony nominations for his roles in the Broadway productions of Mrs. Doubtfire and Chaplin, and has also appeared in Something Rotten!, Mary Poppins, Hello Dolly, Beetlejuice, and many more productions On- and Off-Broadway. You can follow him on Instagram @mcclurerob

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Chapters

• 5:41 Rob's Thoughts on Comedic Acting
• 9:17 Rob's Favorite Compliment
• 15:37 Fluctuations in Comic Roles Being Awarded Over Time
• 25:28 "A Fish Called Wanda" Not-to-be-Confused-With
• 28:03 "A Fish Called Wanda" Plot Summary
• 29:34 "A Fish Called Wanda" Personal Histories
• 37:17 Monty Python Legacy in AFCW
• 41:59 Kevin Kline's Performance as Otto
• 45:11 What Otto Represents
• 48:36 Figuring Out Who to Empathize With
• 51:33 The Audacity of Non-Growth
• 56:35 Worthy Oscar Win?
• 1:01:54 Shout-Out to Wendy
• 1:04:48 Monty Python Easter Egg
• 1:05:30 "City Slickers" Not-to-be-Confused-With
• 1:06:55 "City Slickers" Plot Summary
• 1:08:23 "City Slickers" Personal Histories + Resonances
• 1:13:14 Portrayal of Midlife Crisis + Tourism in "City Slickers"
• 1:17:06 Main Character Dynamics
• 1:19:44 Jack Palance's Performance as Curly
• 1:23:34 Palance's Oscar Acceptance Speech + Warmth in Roles
• 1:26:04 Curly's Intensity + Norman the Calf
• 1:27:46 Worthy Oscar Win?
• 1:31:03 "City Slickers" Little Details
• 1:38:25 "My Cousin Vinny" Not-to-be-Confused-With
• 1:39:31 "My Cousin Vinny" Plot Summary
• 1:40:30 "My Cousin Vinny" Personal Histories
• 1:43:31 "My Cousin Vinny" Reactions
• 1:45:55 Initial Thoughts on Tomei's Performance
• 1:47:54 Comedy vs. Drama in MCV
• 1:50:23 Mona Lisa the Trojan Horse
• 1:56:37 Class Commentary of MCV
• 2:01:06 Ralph Macchio's Presence in MCV
• 2:02:24 Tomei's Oscar Win
• 2:07:52 MCV Little Details, Legal Accuracy, Joe Pesci Performance
• 2:15:42 Great Comic Performances Overlooked by the Oscars
• 2:22:28 Unlikely Shared Universe
• 2:31:15 Closing Remarks