Double the Lad's Bet For Me, You Toad!

 

In 1982 I somehow stumbled into the Maple Forest Theater and saw "My Favorite Year."

I had no idea that this was even a "thing;" Some friends of mine were going and suggested I tag along.

Maybe because I had zero expectations, I was totally delighted by this movie.

I've watched it multiple times, thanks to having rented (and copied) the video tape.

One time it happened to pop up on cable TV in some sort of syndication package on either channel nine or eleven out of New York City.  So, of course I started watching it.

To my amazement, this version had scenes that weren't in the theatrical cut!

I started taping it once I realized this.  The tape is long gone, but here's what I remember:

1. Benjy Stone follows  K.C. into the elevator in the beginning of the film and imitates a housefly. (There's a brief reference to this later in the movie.)

2. The entire "Boss Hijack" sketch is shown. Cutting this scene was a good call, as it's pretty deadly as a dress rehearsal without an audience.  What they kept served to set up the films climactic ending, though.

3. There was a brief shot of the stolen Central Park Police horse tethered outside the Sherry-Netherland hotel. No big loss.

I recently bought the Warner Archive Blu-Ray of this movie and, while Richard Benjamin's commentary track is great, I was hoping these out-takes would have been included. Sadly, nope.

Benjamin did discuss an alternate ending where Benjy would make an annual pilgrimage to pour Crown Royal on Alan's grave. Another wise excision, as he explained it really brought down the mood after the sugar-rush of Swann's heroics in the final scene.

Here they are on YouTube!