"First Family" is a 1980 comedy about the goings-on within the family occupying the White House and its political trip to an African nation. Despite a top comedy cast and a script by Buck Henry, the film is a completely laughless failure.
In order to obtain a crucial United Nations Vote, President Manfred Link (Bob Newhart) journeys to an African country with his drunken wife Constance (Madeline Kahn), sex-starved daughter Gloria (Gilda Radner), press secretary (Richard Benjamin) and assistant (Fred Willard). After some kind of native ceremony with Gloria, the African president demands a number of white Americans so they can become oppressed minorities in Africa. Link returns to the White House, sequesters himself while writing a major policy speech, delivers the speech, and rides triumphantly through Washington with Gloria and Constance. The cast also includes Harvey Korman as an ambassador and Rip Torn as an army general.
The actors try hard, but the result is a dreadfully dumb comedy with almost no laughs. In particular, Newhart's final speech is terrible, and Newhart's and Korman's attempts to learn the African language fall painfully flat. I didn't laugh once during the whole thing.
The comedy routines were so awkwardly presented and so predictable that I cringed multiple times during the movie, embarrassed for the actors. The final part of the plot deals with gigantic fruits and vegetables, so that should tell you something. If you're an undemanding fan of Newhart, Kahn, or Radner, you may want to watch, but otherwise don't bother. I gave this two stars only for its fine cast. This film is no funnier than a case of gastroenteritis.
In order to obtain a crucial United Nations Vote, President Manfred Link (Bob Newhart) journeys to an African country with his drunken wife Constance (Madeline Kahn), sex-starved daughter Gloria (Gilda Radner), press secretary (Richard Benjamin) and assistant (Fred Willard). After some kind of native ceremony with Gloria, the African president demands a number of white Americans so they can become oppressed minorities in Africa. Link returns to the White House, sequesters himself while writing a major policy speech, delivers the speech, and rides triumphantly through Washington with Gloria and Constance. The cast also includes Harvey Korman as an ambassador and Rip Torn as an army general.
The actors try hard, but the result is a dreadfully dumb comedy with almost no laughs. In particular, Newhart's final speech is terrible, and Newhart's and Korman's attempts to learn the African language fall painfully flat. I didn't laugh once during the whole thing.
The comedy routines were so awkwardly presented and so predictable that I cringed multiple times during the movie, embarrassed for the actors. The final part of the plot deals with gigantic fruits and vegetables, so that should tell you something. If you're an undemanding fan of Newhart, Kahn, or Radner, you may want to watch, but otherwise don't bother. I gave this two stars only for its fine cast. This film is no funnier than a case of gastroenteritis.