United States

The King of Comedy brings together what must be one of the most significant screen partnerships of all time, director Martin Scorcese and Robert De Niro, the demon duo already responsible for Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, and Raging Bull, and comedy veteran Jerry Lewis. The plot is as unique as it is thrilling. Rupert Pupkin (De Niro) is an aspiring comic and obsessive fan of TV comedian Jerry Langford (Lewis). Fired with the ambition to score a spot on Jerry's show, Rupert insinuates himself into his hero's limo as another fan, Marsha, is being extricated from the back seat. Langford is as charming as he is dismissive. And when it finally dawns upon the ingenuous Rupert that being nice is not enough, he conspires with Marsha in a sensationally irresponsible scheme to beat defeat.