Overview
A chaotic week in live television brings laughter and unexpected challenges as a junior writer navigates the world of celebrity.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- witty
- warm
- nostalgic
- lazy sunday
- comfort viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as a joyful, funny, good-natured tribute to early television, especially Peter O'Toole's comic performance and the lively ensemble.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The plot centers on a top-rated live variety show in television's formative mid-1950s period.
Benjy is assigned to babysit Alan Swann while trying to keep him functional for the broadcast.
Swann's drinking problem and unpredictable behavior endanger the live show and drive much of the comedy.
Benjy confronts Kaiser's hostility, Swann's instability, and a union boss's threat to stop the broadcast.
Films like My Favorite Year, and why
The Dick Van Dyke Show
warm backstage comedy, live television setting, and affectionate nostalgia for entertainment history
The Producers
show-business ensemble comedy built around performers, backstage mishaps, and theatrical egos
Tootsie
period entertainment comedy balancing comic chaos, friendship, and a troubled celebrity guest
Being There
good-natured show-business satire with eccentric personalities and performance-centered humor
Movie Details
- Director
- Richard Benjamin
- Release Date
- 1982-10-01
- Runtime
- 92 min
- Rating
- 6.6 / 10 (121)
Cast
- Peter O'Toole
- Mark Linn-Baker
- Jessica Harper
- Joseph Bologna
- Bill Macy
- Lainie Kazan
- Anne DeSalvo
- Basil Hoffman
- Lou Jacobi
- Adolph Green
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is My Favorite Year about?
- A junior television writer must shepherd his hard-drinking childhood idol through one disastrous live broadcast while backstage rivalries threaten the show.
- What is My Favorite Year like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of My Favorite Year as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is My Favorite Year violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in My Favorite Year.
- What did critics think of My Favorite Year?
- Critics broadly praised the film as a joyful, funny, good-natured tribute to early television, especially Peter O'Toole's comic performance and the lively ensemble.
- Which films are like My Favorite Year?
- Films with a similar feel include The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Producers, Tootsie, and Being There.
- How long is My Favorite Year?
- My Favorite Year runs 92 minutes.
- Where can I watch My Favorite Year?
- In United States, My Favorite Year is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
