My Favorite Year - 1982 - 7/10

Wonderful homage to early TV, and harking back to the Golden Era of Hollywood.
1950’s, television is live, and the popular variety show has a swashbuckling actor from the ’30’s.
Alan Swann (cough Errol Flynn cough) who has problems with alcohol and ladies.
Newly hired gag writer Benjy (ahem, Mel Brooks) is tasked with keeping the guest safe and sober.
It is all the young man can do to simply keep up.
O’Toole is outstanding, embracing Flynn’s self-destructive tendencies, as well as his grace and charm.
Wonderful, big hearted comedy, packed with jokes for tourists, and in-jokes for buffs.
When this screened, oldsters still remembered both Sid Caesar and Flynn in their prime.