The Absent-Minded Waiter 1977

6.475 / 10   20 vote(s)
NR
Comedy

Bernie Cates requests the services of the most absent-minded waiter he's ever seen, who pours water before setting the glasses, endlessly repeats questions, brings wrong orders, and ruins everything- but the bill.

Release Date 1977-07-13
Runtime 7m
Director Carl Gottlieb
Producer William E. McEuen
Writer Steve Martin

A couple arrive at a fine dining establishment and specifically ask for the table serviced by "Steven" (Steve Martin). This man can barely hold his pencil up the right way and the ensuing service is shambolic at best. Not unreasonably, she (Teri Garr) isn't very impressed with her husband (Buck Henry) for suggesting this place but he's clearly got a plan - and it could be the gift that keeps on giving. We had a slew of compendium sketch shows in the UK in the 1970s and this would have fitted easily within one of them, only not at what seemed quite a long seven minutes. It's just too ridiculous on just about every level, and isn't really very funny either. Not really for me, sorry.

CinemaSerf