Quackser Fortune Has a Cousin in the Bronx
Dir: Waris Hussein
1970
*****
Gene Wilder has been in so many brilliant and celebrated films, I suppose it's no surprise that one of his smaller films could be overlooked. Made between The Producers and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (but just after Start the Revolution Without Me), Quackser Fortune Has a Cousin in the Bronx was a small production with very limited release in the USA and only 4 other countries (Hungary, Ireland, Denmark & Sweden), all released a good few years later, 2 years later in Ireland even though it was the country the film was made and is set in. It's actually a bit of a crime, as Gene Wilder is on top form, giving one of his best performances, balancing drama and comedy sublimely, as he often does. His Irish accent is pretty convincing too. The story is lovely, funny and romantic with an earthly realism to it and possibly one of the best endings to a film ever. The character of Quackser (called Quackser because he made Duck noises as a child) is brilliantly written but it's obvious that it is Wilder who really brings him to life. The script is beautifully written but it's those little silent moments that really speak volumes and are most effective. The stunning Margot Kidder is perfect in her supporting role as Quacker's object of affection and the chemistry between the both of them is wonderful. The directing style is very much of the time, an era of film that I think is very special. Quackser Fortune is a forgotten gem, criminally overlooked and very much worth seeking out.