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GET SMART - Discussion and SPOILERS

The "Would you believe..." bit is a classic Get Smart phrase, one of many great homages to the original series.

Including "Missed it by that much."

A very faithful adaption of the series.

(From what I recall, it's been years sense I've seen an episode.)
 
From what I've seen and heard (not having seen the film), it seems like the main "modern" qualities they've given her are hostility and sarcasm, and if those are more modern than nurturing, patience, and understanding, then we're backpedaling.

There's an in-story explanation for this and it makes sense once 99's backstory is revealed. The "real" 99 is still there as we knew her. :)

As far as I can remember 99 in the original series had no backstory at all, aside from a wacky mother who'd drop in from time to time. Then again, what '60s sitcom didn't have a wacky mother who dropped in from time to time?
 
What more can I say? I LOVED the movie.

Carrell makes it work, Hathaway is super competent as the new 99, Alan Arkin kicks butt as the Chief, and Terrance Stamp puts a great signature on his version of Sigfried ('This is KAOS-we don't do "this is fraking bullshit" here.') And the way they used the old car justified it's inclusion in the movie, as well as the shoe phone. I also loved the way that CONTROL was headquartered-below a museum hosting the car, shoe phone, Cone of Silence in an exhibit about CONTROL!!! Seeing Bernie Kopell in a cameo was also a big plus, as well as the naming of the airline that Max and 99 travel on-Yarmy International Airlines (FYI, Donald James Yarmy is the real name of Don Adams.)

To sum it up about this movie, "Hit it by that much!":)
 
Was that Captain Stubey of the Love Boat near the end in the car that stopped for Max? If so was he on the TV series in some capacity?

Captain Merrill Stubing was played by Gavin MacLeod. MacLeod has never appeared in any incarnation of Get Smart. However, his Love Boat co-star Bernie Kopell (who played "Doc" on that show) played Siegfried in the original Get Smart. I suspect that's the person you're thinking of, since Kopell does have a cameo in the film.

(By the way, the actor who played Siegfried's henchman Shtarker in the original show, King Moody, was also the first Ronald McDonald.)


From what I've seen and heard (not having seen the film), it seems like the main "modern" qualities they've given her are hostility and sarcasm, and if those are more modern than nurturing, patience, and understanding, then we're backpedaling.

There's an in-story explanation for this and it makes sense once 99's backstory is revealed. The "real" 99 is still there as we knew her. :)

As far as I can remember 99 in the original series had no backstory at all....

Which was just how it should be. She was a woman of mystery. And the fun part is that Max never wondered about her past, or even her name. He just accepted her as Agent 99. Even after they got married and started a family, she was still 99 to him.
 
From what I've seen and heard (not having seen the film), it seems like the main "modern" qualities they've given her are hostility and sarcasm, and if those are more modern than nurturing, patience, and understanding, then we're backpedaling.

There's an in-story explanation for this and it makes sense once 99's backstory is revealed. The "real" 99 is still there as we knew her. :)

As far as I can remember 99 in the original series had no backstory at all, aside from a wacky mother who'd drop in from time to time. Then again, what '60s sitcom didn't have a wacky mother who dropped in from time to time?
Um, no. In the series, 99 was a rookie agent who eventually married Maxwell Smart and then became pregnant with twins.
 
My Christmas present to myself was the entire series on DVD so I was recently steeped in the show I loved as a kid. I thought the movie was pretty good but I do believe they "missed it by that much". I'm glad it appears to be doing well enough to warrant a sequel because I'm hoping they work a lot more classic "Get Smart" gags in. For instance:

In the original series, there were a few instances of a bit that goes like this-

MAX: OK, you big gorilla, I'm going to let you have it.
Max punches the "Big Gorilla" a few times to no effect.
MAX: (putting his arm around the Big Gorilla in a friendly manner) Listen. I hope I wasn't outta line with that crack about the "big gorilla".
The Big Gorilla throws Max around the room.

There's a rooftop fight in this movie that has the middle part of that gag (Max hitting the guy to no effect) so I was mildly disappointed that it didn't do the set-up and follow-thru.

The scene in the plane's wash room seemed the most "Get Smart"-y to me.

I did love all the homages to the original and think the cast did a great job, with one exception; Terrence Stamp is a great actor but he's not very funny but Ken Davitian as Starker made up for it.
 
Stamp didn't seem to realize he was working in a comedy...even with Borat's producer-dude as his sidekick.

Anyone else see the guy they called "Easter Island Head" and think of Richard "Jaws" Kiel from the '70s? I kinda did. :)
 
Anyone else see the guy they called "Easter Island Head" and think of Richard "Jaws" Kiel from the '70s? I kinda did. :)

That's EXACTLY what I thought when he first appeared on the airplane. :lol:

I had no clue the WWE's Great Khali would be in this movie and was even more shocked when he didn't stink up the joint like he does in pretty much everything he does in the WWE.
 
Anyone else see the guy they called "Easter Island Head" and think of Richard "Jaws" Kiel from the '70s? I kinda did. :)

That's EXACTLY what I thought when he first appeared on the airplane. :lol:

I had no clue the WWE's Great Khali would be in this movie and was even more shocked when he didn't stink up the joint like he does in pretty much everything he does in the WWE.


That guy is enormous. And Smart is right. He DOES look like an Easter Island statue. :lol:
 
Anyone else see the guy they called "Easter Island Head" and think of Richard "Jaws" Kiel from the '70s? I kinda did. :)
Of course. I figured that was intentional since the series itself was created as a spoof to the then successful and newly launched James Bond movies.

As soon as I saw him I thought "Jaws spoof".
I half expected Stamps sidekick to throw a razor laced bowler hat.
 
Nah, 'cause Smart actually throws a PHONE (corded) to no effect at one point.

Oh, seriously, I mean WHO THROWS A PHONE! :lol:

(There's a huge standee at the theater with a phone being thrown from it.) ;)
 
OH! One other big laugh in the theatre was when Max climbs out on the banner behind the airplane that says "SUICIDE HOTLINE: 1-800-O-DONT-DO-IT!" :D
 
OH! One other big laugh in the theatre was when Max climbs out on the banner behind the airplane that says "SUICIDE HOTLINE: 1-800-O-DONT-DO-IT!" :D

Yeah, that got a lot of laughs too.

:lol:

"Did you see anything?"
"A little bit, but I don't think you expected him to lift you that high."

:drool:
 
I saw it over the weekend. It was... fun, I guess. Carell's Max Smart was far too competent, and the little homages in dialogue just didn't really work at all. And did anyone else see the Rock's turnabout coming from his very first scene?

My fiancee, who's never seen the show, loved it though.
 
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