Hidden Gems - The Frisco Kid | Page 2 | Mechanics' Institute

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Hidden Gems - The Frisco Kid

At the beginning of The Frisco Kid, a small Jewish community in 1850 San Francisco writes to a rabbinical school in Poland asking for a rabbi. They send Gene Wilder. Along the way he meets some of the best and worst kinds of people: thieves and liars, but also many who help him out of kindness. He needs the help of an outlaw (played by Harrison Ford) to go through dangerous territory. Fans of the Marx Brothers will no doubt see their influence, and most will appreciate this buddy movie for its cross between borscht-belt humor and a parody of movie Westerns.  

 

Greatly overshadowed by the earlier films of its co-stars (Ford in Star Wars and Wilder in Blazing Saddles), many people do not seem to even know about this gem. Wilder can play straight drama when called upon, and Ford reveals himself as a far more gifted comedic actor than most realize. You would not think at first glance that the two would work so well together, but put both of them on camera, and you get this kind-hearted, whimsical and often hilarious movie. 

 

This movie is so entertaining, perhaps even locals can forgive them for calling the city "Frisco."

Posted on Apr. 14, 2023 by Steven Dunlap