One of the funniest things I have ever seen in my 50+ years. Burt Reynolds, an actor I have never had much use for as stiff and pretentious, was, I must admit, absolutely hilarious mimicking Marlon Brando and sending up Method Acting, continually asking, "What is my character's tertiary motivation?" Eminent British actor John Williams as Shakespeare was brilliant throughout. Doro Merande was sweetly moving as the baseball-obsessed ditzy book store owner where Moomer finds his book on the dark arts/conjuring. Star Jack Weston as Brooklynish protagonist/antihero Julius Moomer was also funny but quite grounded and serious in his relentless self-promotion, which could have given J. Pierrepont Finch (of "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying") a run for his money. Marge Redmond (Weston's real life wife at the time) plays a beleaguered secretary who is none too fond of Moomer. (Eventually, that would prove true in real life as well as Weston and Redmond eventually divorced.)
