Comedy generates an immediate, undeniable audience response. If audiences are smiling and laughing, then there’s a good chance you made an effective funny movie. Thousands of comedy movies fall under the “effective funny movie” umbrella, of course, but what about the movies that exist beyond that, in another sphere? What about films that are both hilarious and emotional, hilarious and innovative, and profound in a way that keeps us thinking about them years and even decades later?
We’re here to talk about those movies, but first, there are a few caveats: First, for the purposes of brevity and sanity, we’re talking about English-language comedy movies only this time around. Two, nothing ages faster than comedy, so some films aren’t here by virtue of viewing them through a 2024 lens. And three, comedy is extremely subjective, so if your favorite didn’t make the list… hey, at least it still makes you laugh. With that in mind, here are 30 of the greatest comedies ever made, from the silent era right up through today.
1. Ghostbusters (1984)
Like Monty Python and the Holy Grail before it, Ghostbusters is a strong contender for the Most Quotable Movie ever made, packed with one-liners and strange non-sequiturs that still have us saying things like “That’s a big Twinkie” and “Dogs and cats living together: Mass hysteria!” every day. It’s been famously called a film about “nothing” because of the perceived way in which its characters don’t really grow or change, and it’s also been called a mockery of the perils of government regulation. However you perceive it, the fact that we’re still talking about the meaning behind a movie in which guys in jumpsuits shoot sci-fi guns at a giant marshmallow monster is proof of its greatness. Ghostbusters is so unforgettably funny that we can’t stop looking for the layers in it.
2. The Jerk (1979)
Some roles are timeless things you can imagine a number of actors playing and nailing. Others are so specific, so informed by a particular comedic sensibility, that they can only come through one performer. No one but Steve Martin could have made Navin Johnson the character he is. No one but Steve Martin could have made an extended sequence of violence as funny by simply yelling “He hates these cans!” And, of course, no one but comedy legend Carl Reiner could have turned Martin’s adorably hilarious and oblivious performance into the comic heartwarmer that The Jerk is.
3. It Happened One Night (1934)
You can go as big as you want with your comedy movie, but sometimes the best formula for timeless joy is simply getting two very talented people, putting them together for 90 minutes, and letting them work their magic. That’s what Frank Capra did with It Happened One Night, and the chemistry between Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert as two mismatched people on an unlikely adventure retains its timeless power even today. The movie is most famous for the moment when Colbert shows her ankles to get a ride, of course, but the dialogue is still packed with wit and even some occasional wisdom. Plus, few actors could play drunk as funny as Gable did, according to Mental Floss.
4. Clueless (1995)
Nothing ages faster than comedy, and Clueless is, like Wayne’s World before it, one of those films that feels very rooted to its particular time and place in a way that might cost it as it ages. Yet somehow, also like Wayne’s World, there’s a magic to Amy Heckerling’s modern reimagining of Emma that keeps it fresh 25 years later. Yes, some of the jokes and linguistic quirks are dated, but there’s a genuine emotional arc that persists throughout the film. And it’s played with such charm and style that even new viewers can find something special in it. This is not just a film that ’90s kids remember fondly. It’s a film that can keep finding new fans for years to come.
5. Young Frankenstein (1974)
You might notice that only one filmmaker, the great Mel Brooks, is given two films as a director on this list, and there’s one simple reason for that: In 1974, Brooks had arguably the greatest year any comedy filmmaker has ever had. Blazing Saddles came out in February and became an instant classic, and then in December, Brooks released another all-time great laugh fest: The Universal Monsters send-up Young Frankenstein. Featuring Gene Wilder in full mad scientist mode, Madeline Kahn stealing every scene she’s in, Marty Feldman delivering some of the best one-liners ever put to film, and so much more, Young Frankenstein is a brilliant, timeless film that showcases Brooks’s skill as a visual artist almost as much as his skill as a humorist.
6. Shaun of the Dead (2004)
Shaun of the Dead is the first in a trilogy of films from director Edgar Wright about men who refuse to evolve as life passes them by. In the case of Shaun (Simon Pegg), that means missing the beginning of the zombie apocalypse right up until it creeps into his back garden. Shaun of the Dead is a relentlessly funny movie, as full of big set piece gags as it is memorable one-liners like “You’ve got red on you.” But the film’s staying power is thanks to its clear understanding of a central metaphor: You can be a shambling, undead drone, or you can pick up a cricket bat and take what you want.
7. The Apartment (1960)
Billy Wilder made a lot of great comedies, and the American Film Institute went so far as to declare one of them, Some Like It Hot, to be the greatest American comedy film ever made. Though that film remains a comedy masterpiece, The Apartment does something it can’t. Through a more subdued tone, beautiful performances, and an overwhelmingly big heart, Wilder’s film about two lonely people finding their way to each other through twisted circumstances exudes a sense of warmth and honesty that persists six decades later, while also delivering the laughs.
8. Lost in America (1985)
Albert Brooks’s comedies are very specific, very hyper-focused films that say a lot about the time in which they were made while also remaining almost paradoxically timeless. They’re all great, but Lost In America stands above the rest as perhaps Brooks’s greatest statement on the kind of comedy he’s most interested in. The story of a couple who set out to find themselves and only find that they’re not really interested in growth, it’s the kind of comedy that won’t leave your brain for weeks after you’ve seen it. And though it was aimed at Reagan’s America when it was made, it still has a point to make about the capitalist traps set for us even now.
9. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
You know a movie is good when the opening credits alone are making you laugh with jokes about moose bites. It wasn’t necessarily a guarantee that the absurdist humor of Monty Python would translate from big-screen to small, but with Monty Python and the Holy Grail, the legendary comedy troupe proved that they could arguably make their brand of comedy work even better with a longer story in which to plan numerous running gags, side quests, and wacky characters. Plus, nearly 50 years after its release, Holy Grail remains one of the most quotable movies of all time.
10. Duck Soup (1933)
The Marx Brothers weren’t just a collective powerhouse. When they were at their best, they were four powerhouses operating independently of each other, and when joined together by the end of a film they were an unstoppable comedic force. Duck Soup is one among several Marx Brothers classics, but it stands out as the best of the bunch because it’s perhaps the purest example of both their separate greatness and their unified talent. And of course, it’s a film that makes plenty of room for the legendary honorary Marx, the great Margaret Dumont.
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11. Tootsie (1982)
So many things about Tootsie could have gone so wrong. The film could have been wildly tonally mismatched, too subtle, not subtle enough, or just plain offensive in its pursuit of a funny story about an egotistical actor literally and metaphorically getting in touch with his feminine side. In director Sydney Pollack’s hands, though, the film becomes one of the all-time great American comedies, managing to poke fun at everything from oblivious sexism and gender roles to the strange egos of actors and writers. Dustin Hoffman remains terrific in the lead role, but the real scene-stealer is Charles Durning as a man in love with a woman he doesn’t actually know very well.
12. Blazing Saddles (1974)
Whenever Blazing Saddles comes up in conversation, someone always manages to remark that “you could never make that movie today,” and that observation remains an extreme oversimplification of Mel Brooks’s achievement with his classic Western satire. Yes, the jokes are dirty, transgressive, and in some cases haven’t aged well, but “you couldn’t make it today” ignores the larger point: You don’t need to make it today. Blazing Saddles is still as blisteringly funny and relevant as it was when it was released, and that go-for-broke ending remains one of the gutsiest comedy moves of all time.
13. Airplane! (1980)
Airplane! isn’t the first film to play the “pick a genre and just do a straight-ahead spoof” card successfully, but it remains the standard against which all other films that apply its brand of rapid-fire, throw-spaghetti-at-the-wall humor are measured—and with good reason. There’s a timeless purity to the zaniness of it, the sense that anything can and might as well happen for the sake of a joke. Even if the jokes that are dated to the time, like Barbara Billingsly offering to “speak jive,” don’t quite work for everyone anymore, the sheer density of jokes makes Airplane! a gem that’s still worth diving into.
14. Caddyshack (1980)
There are some comedies that can remain funny on the strength of a script and one or two strong performances. Then there are comedies that thrive because every single member of the cast is in on the same bizarre joke and having the time of their lives. Caddyshack is the latter, as Rodney Dangerfield, Ted Knight, Chevy Chase, and the brilliant Bill Murray all lock in to the same wavelength and play the weirdest summer at a country club ever committed to film with one laugh after another. Throw in a script from the great Harold Ramis and you’ve got a timeless winner.
15. Groundhog Day (1993)
Sometimes comedy achieves timelessness by blending its laugh-out-loud nature with something bigger, richer, and more profound than just a series of gags. Groundhog Day is that kind of comedy, telling the story of a weatherman trapped in the same day over and over in a way that’s both deeply funny and deeply poignant. Bill Murray gives one of his best performances in the film, bringing Phil Connors to life in a way that never ceases to amaze, while Harold Ramis, in the first of two films he directed to make this list, does a masterful job of balancing the humor with the heart.
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16. The Big Lebowski (1998)
The Coen brothers are the kinds of filmmakers who can take their particular brand of humor and apply it to almost anything to craft something special, whether it’s a musical biopic, a film noir, or a period piece. With The Big Lebowski, they took their humor and applied it to the seemingly simple story of a slacker trying to get his rug back, but then added layer after layer of weirdness, confusion, and irreverence on top of that simple framework to create something that continues to entrance audiences. It’s funny, it’s bizarre, and it’s utterly unique.
17. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)
John Hughes is one of the definitive chroniclers of the teen experience in American cinema, but he only made a couple of straight-up comedies. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off remains one of his most enduring films because, like Groundhog Day, it manages to balance its humor with a deeper, more profound message about life and our perception of it. Matthew Broderick gives one of his best performances as the titular character, a high schooler who decides to take a day off and live it up with his friends in Chicago. It’s funny, it’s touching, and it has a heart that continues to resonate.
18. His Girl Friday (1940)
There are few comedy pairings in the history of cinema as enduring as Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell in His Girl Friday, a film that remains one of the best examples of the screwball comedy genre, according to the Guardian. The film follows a newspaper editor (Grant) who tries to win back his ex-wife (Russell) by getting her to work on one last big story with him, and it’s packed with rapid-fire dialogue, brilliant comic timing, and a sense of energy that makes it feel fresh even today. Grant and Russell are a perfect match, and their chemistry is a big part of why the film remains a classic.
19. When Harry Met Sally… (1989)
Romantic comedies are often dismissed as lightweight fare, but When Harry Met Sally… is a film that transcends its genre to become a timeless exploration of love, friendship, and the passage of time. Directed by Rob Reiner and written by Nora Ephron, the film stars Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan as two friends who navigate the complexities of their relationship over the course of several years. It’s funny, it’s touching, and it has a depth that continues to resonate with audiences. Plus, the iconic “I’ll have what she’s having” scene is one of the most memorable moments in film history.
20. The Princess Bride (1987)
The Princess Bride is a film that defies easy categorization, blending elements of fantasy, adventure, romance, and comedy into a unique and timeless experience. Directed by Rob Reiner and based on the novel by William Goldman, the film follows the adventures of a young woman named Buttercup (Robin Wright) and her true love, Westley (Cary Elwes), as they navigate a world of giants, pirates, and evil princes. The film is packed with memorable characters, quotable lines, and a sense of whimsy that makes it a beloved classic.
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21. Some Like It Hot (1959)
Billy Wilder’s Some Like It Hot is a film that continues to be hailed as one of the greatest comedies of all time, and for good reason. The film stars Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon as two musicians who disguise themselves as women to escape from the mob, and it features a brilliant performance by Marilyn Monroe as the object of their affections. The film is packed with witty dialogue, hilarious situations, and a sense of fun that makes it a timeless classic. Plus, the film’s final line, “Nobody’s perfect,” remains one of the most famous in cinema history.
22. Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy is a film that takes the absurdity of its premise and runs with it, creating a comedy that’s both hilarious and endlessly quotable. Directed by Adam McKay and starring Will Ferrell as the titular character, the film follows the misadventures of a 1970s news team as they navigate the changing landscape of broadcast journalism. The film is packed with memorable characters, ridiculous situations, and a sense of fun that makes it a modern classic.
23. Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)
John Hughes’s Planes, Trains and Automobiles is a film that balances its humor with a deep sense of empathy and humanity, creating a comedy that’s both funny and touching. The film stars Steve Martin and John Candy as two mismatched travelers who are forced to navigate the chaos of holiday travel together, and their chemistry is a big part of why the film works so well. The film is packed with hilarious situations, memorable lines, and a heart that continues to resonate with audiences.
24. Bridesmaids (2011)
Bridesmaids is a film that redefined the modern comedy landscape, proving that female-led comedies could be just as funny and successful as their male counterparts. Directed by Paul Feig and written by Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo, the film follows the misadventures of a woman named Annie (Wiig) as she navigates the chaos of her best friend’s wedding. The film is packed with memorable characters, hilarious situations, and a sense of fun that makes it a modern classic.
25. The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel is a film that combines Anderson’s signature style with a sense of whimsy and humor that makes it one of his most beloved works. The film follows the adventures of a hotel concierge (Ralph Fiennes) and his protégé (Tony Revolori) as they navigate a world of intrigue, theft, and murder. The film is packed with memorable characters, stunning visuals, and a sense of fun that makes it a modern classic.
26. This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
This Is Spinal Tap is a film that takes the mockumentary format and uses it to create a comedy that’s both hilarious and insightful. Directed by Rob Reiner and starring Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer as the members of a fictional rock band, the film follows the band’s misadventures as they navigate the ups and downs of the music industry. The film is packed with memorable characters, hilarious situations, and a sense of fun that makes it a timeless classic.
27. The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005)
The 40-Year-Old Virgin is a film that combines raunchy humor with a deep sense of empathy and humanity, creating a comedy that’s both funny and touching. Directed by Judd Apatow and starring Steve Carell as the titular character, the film follows the misadventures of a man who’s never had sex as he navigates the complexities of dating and relationships. The film is packed with hilarious situations, memorable lines, and a heart that continues to resonate with audiences.
28. Office Space (1999)
Office Space is a film that takes the absurdity of the modern workplace and uses it to create a comedy that’s both hilarious and insightful. Directed by Mike Judge and starring Ron Livingston as a disillusioned office worker, the film follows the misadventures of a group of employees as they navigate the chaos of their everyday lives. The film is packed with memorable characters, hilarious situations, and a sense of fun that makes it a modern classic.
29. Superbad (2007)
Superbad is a film that captures the essence of teenage life with a sense of humor and authenticity that makes it a modern classic. Directed by Greg Mottola and written by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, the film stars Jonah Hill and Michael Cera as two high schoolers who set out to have the best night of their lives before they graduate. The film is packed with hilarious situations, memorable lines, and a sense of fun that makes it a timeless comedy.
30. Tropic Thunder (2008)
Tropic Thunder is a film that takes the absurdity of Hollywood and uses it to create a comedy that’s both hilarious and insightful. Directed by Ben Stiller and starring Stiller, Robert Downey Jr., and Jack Black, the film follows a group of actors who find themselves in a real-life war zone while filming a war movie. The film is packed with memorable characters, hilarious situations.
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