The Absent-Minded Waiter (1977)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

Carl Gottlieb

Writer:

Steve Martin (writer)

Genre:

Comedy | Short

Plot:

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. |

Plot Keywords:

Absent Minded | Waiter | Restaurant | Independent Film

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Steve Martin	...	Steven
Buck Henry	...	Bernie Cates
Teri Garr	...	Susan Cates
Ivor Barry	...	Carl
Naomi Stevens	...	Naomi
Dan Barrows	...	Cook #3
Peter Elbling	...	Cook #1
Kurt Taylor	...	Cook #2

Runtime:

7 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:Unrated

Quotes:

Steven, The Waiter: All right, here's your drink order. One-two-three-four-five-six martinis, and your lard omelet.

Movie Connections:

Edited into Steve Martin Live (1986) (V)

Very humorous early short that showcases Martin's talents

This was previewed for audiences on PBS' recent Mark Twain award to Steve Martin. (Which was a very entertaining presentation in itself.) It stars Martin (he also wrote the script) as a forgetful waiter serving Bernie (Buck Henry) and his wife/girlfriend. Steven the Waiter can't remember anything and continually asks the same questions - "Would you like anything to drink?" "Anything to drink?" "Anything to drink?" Then he brings six martinis and a lard omelet - which they didn't even order to begin with.

He brings out the desserts before the main courses, and so on and so forth.

This was presented at the awards show as the Oscar winner of 1977 for Best Short Feature. I'm not sure if it's Oscar-worthy but Martin IS very funny in it and his physical and intellectual humor is already beginning to take form in film at an early age. His stand-up shows were already hilarious and this was just another transition for him to the big screen.

If you're a fan of Martin, I highly recommend this. Also worth noting is that it was directed by Carl Gottlieb, who had a role in the movie "JAWS" and - if I'm not mistaken - helped write various forms of the screenplay.