“WHAT DO YOU MEAN I’M FUNNY?”
THE BEST COMEDIC MOMENTS IN MARTIN SCORSESE MOVIES

Written by Matthew Pejkovic

When describing the work of Martin Scorsese, the usual words used would be: “violent”, “mobsters”, “religion”, “rock ‘n’ roll” and “cinema”. Yet another word that belongs in the conversation is “funny”. Don’t believe me? Here is a selection of the best comedic moments in Martin Scorsese movies.

“WHAT’S A MOOK?” (MEAN STREETS, 1973)

Scorsese’s breakthrough semi-autobiographical classic Mean Streets turned American cinema on its head, and gave new insight into Italian American culture as festered in the rough part of town.

As well as being an energetic, violent and at time bleak portrayal of arising Mafioso, Charlie (Harvey Keitel) and the struggles with his “profession”, his religion and his loyalty towards his punk friend Johnny Boy (Robert DeNiro), Mean Street is also side splittingly funny during the interactions between low level mobsters. Take for example this scene where the insult “mook” brings more confusion than offense…

“BRING IT OVER!” (RAGING BULL, 1980)

Raging Bull -Scrosese’s biopic on former boxing champion Jake LaMotta - is a cinematic masterpiece that fires on all cylinders, especially in Scorsese’s direction and the iconic performance by Robert De Niro who took method acting and raised it to unparalleled heights.

Yet amongst the violence and rage that was ever present in La Motta’s life, the blackest of comedy creeks through, such as during a domestic argument over an over cooked steak that, well, has “defeated its own purpose.”

RUPERT AUDITIONS FOR JERRY (THE KING OF COMEDY, 1982)

Scorsese’s first stab at comedy brought about one of the more underappreciated movies in his filmography The King of Comedy.

A pitch perfect and suitably black satire on celebrity, The King of Comedy was far removed from Scorsese’s other works and as a result didn’t find an appreciative audience until years later. It was also the first time Robert De Niro could let his pitch perfect comedic chops shine (his political indies with Brian DePalma don’t count), taking his talent for shining in awkward situations to new heights as deluded comedian Rupert Pupkin, with the now iconic audition tape for late night show host Jerry Langford (a perfectly cast Jerry Lewis) a brilliant example of one deluded man’s soaring fantasy come crashing down to Earth in an instance.

“WHAT’S THE MATTER WITH YOU?!” (GOODFELLAS, 1990)

Scorsese has a knack for making his audience both tremble and laugh during the most intense of scenes, and his 1990 masterpiece Goodfellas is chock-a-block full with those moments.

Placing the iconic “What do you mean I’m funny?” scene aside, it’s the grilling from Robert De Niro’s hit-man wise-guy Jimmy Conway to his wayward spending mob friends that takes the crown, De Niro’s patented repetition of his lines and open ended questioning of the poor judgement of his crew flaunting convention while all matter of eyes are still on them, comedic gold Mafioso style.

“TAKE IT EASY” (CASINO, 1995)

A major influence in the life of Martin Scorsese was of course his mother Catherine. On top of raising young Martin and instilling the Roman Catholic values and vintage Italian culture that is very much a part of his cinematic vision, Catherine Scorsese also appeared in many of her son’s films from first  indie feature Who’s That Knocking at My Door all the way to Casino.

It’s in that film where Catherine truly brings the funny as the mother of underboss Artie Riscano (Vinnie Vella), keeping her Mafioso son in check for his frequent cursing, a by-product of the real life criticism given to Goodfellas star Joe Pesci by his own mother.

CENSORSHIP BOOBS (THE AVIATOR, 2004)

Filmmaker Howard Hughes had a long standing feud/relationship with the Hollywood Production Code Administration, the reigning censorship body of the 1930s who took task with Hughes’ more controversial films such as Scarface and The Outlaw.

It’s the latter which is the focus in this scene, with Hughes (Leonardo DiCaprio in one of his best performances) taking his case to the censor board that his star Jane Russell’s “bust” is no more revealing than other boasts allowed by the censors. And to prove it, he brought along his aviation engineer (a perfectly oblivious Ian Holm). Behind the camera, Scorsese was sure to be in fits as he makes fun of the many censor boards who took on his own work.

DIGNAM ADDRESSES THE ROOM (THE DEPARTED, 2006)

Of the many great talents that star in The Departed (Jack Nicholson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon) only one actor received an Oscar nomination: Mark Wahlberg, who steals every scene with ease as tough talking, foul mouthed Boston cop Sergeant Dignam.

Spitting out William Monaghan’s dialogue like a man on a mission, Wahlberg both shocks and cracks the audience up with his abrasive style, like when a standard briefing to his Boson police colleagues and one oblivious FBI agent leads to some of the best put-downs heard in a long time.

JORDAN & DONNY’S LEMON QUAALUDES ADVENTURE (THE WOLF OF WALL STREET, 2013)

Most of Scorsese’s great comedic moments are all about the attitude and the dialogue. The Wolf of Wall Street features plenty of both, but adds glorious slapstick to the Scorsese canon.

A lot of this can be found in the films centre piece, a depiction of drugged out chaos framed in “you’ve got to be kidding” comedic gold, as morally lacking stock broker Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his equally messed up partner Donny Azoff (Jonah Hill) feel the debilitating effects of expired Quaaludes to side splittingly funny results. If there is one thing for certain, it’s that no one will look at ham the same way again…