OK. I think I told you my tastes in movies covered a very wide range. When you consider that my favorite movies are Italian, like the Bicycle Thief and Divorce Italian Style and La Strada, it's probably hard to see how I could like the movie Ernest Goes to Jail. But I do.
1949 - 2000
Jim Varney. Without him, there would have been no "Ernest Goest To Jail". He is the reason this movie was made and the main reason that it is so funny. His rubber like face contorts into shapes that boggle the mind. The ever present, non changing uniform of jeans, tee shirt, jeans vest and ball cap. The absolute silliness. The moments when he feigns a dignified air and spouts Shakespearean gibberish. His innocence in a world of cynics. He is a a very likeable character.The plot revolves around him in his job as bank janitor which, through a series of events, leads to him ending up in jail but eventually saving the day. Two bumbling security guards at the bank provide additional hilarity. One of the guards named Chuck is played by Gailard Sartain. I looked him up on Wikipedia and it appears that not only is he a talented comedic actor, but a very successful artist. Here's a website showing some of his art - I'm impressed. I love his performance in this movie and I wouldn't be surprised if Kevin James in Mall Cop (see my 1/29/09 movie review) based some of his character on that of Chuck in this movie. Both are big men, both light on their feet and both serious about their jobs to the point of ridiculousness. When Chuck dances to a Latin tango, oblivious to mayhem taking place in the bank, I'm hooked. His sidekick, Bobby, played by Bill Byrges, is the direct opposite of Chuck. Scrawny, false teeth missing, buggy eyed, a character very similar to Barney Fife in the Andy Griffith Show, only he never speaks (I think once in the entire movie). Here are Bobby and Chuck.
Jim Varney made several other Ernest movies and we did not enjoy them as much. This is the best one in our opinion and one that we will continue to watch occasionally just because it's guaranteed to make you laugh. Every few years, when we watch it, we feel a twinge of sadness to know that this talented guy is no longer around.In closing, here's one of the most hilarious scenes in the movie. If you don't laugh, I think you might need to have your funny bone examined.
Rating for "Ernest Goes To Jail:
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