The Worlds Greatest Lover

Plot

In the silent film era, Rainbow Studios executives figure they are losing revenue to a rival studio because they don't have Rudolph Valentino. Led by studio head Adolph Zitz, they decide to hold a contest for the World's Greatest Lover in order to find a star to combat Valentino's popularity.

Rudy Hickman is a neurotic baker from Milwaukee, but aspires to become a Hollywood star. His entry into the contest tests his marriage, and his neuroses manifest in his screen test, where he nearly kills his fellow actress. Surprisingly, this behavior scores favorably with Zitz and the studio executives reviewing his performance. Now calling himself "Rudy Valentine," he gets a slot in the final phase of the contest, just after finding his wife Annie has left him.

Cast

Reception

Critics, who compared it to Wilder's earlier works with Mel Brooks, were left largely unimpressed by the film, feeling it was not as balanced as previous works, and felt more excessive. It currently has a 22% "Rotten" rating on the criticism aggregation site, Rotten Tomatoes, as well as a 5.7 on the Internet Movie Database.

Despite the negative reception, the film was a commercial success. Produced on a budget of $4.8 million, the film grossed $21 million at the box office, earning $9.9 million US theatrical rentals. It was the 25th highest grossing film of 1977.