this film be set in the early day of television when all show be film live before an audience . young script writer benjy stone be ask to look after fade and alchoholic and swashbuckling film star allan swann who be appear on the comedy show that benjy writes for . mark linn baker do a good job a benjy but this film belong solely to peter o toole who play the alcoholic allan swann perfectly . this may well be because the role mirror his own life in so many way . this have to be the funny film i have see in age . scene where allan steal someone girlfriend in a restaurant and where he swing from a balcony on a fire hose and the final chaotic scene on stage involve gangster and musketeer have me roll around in stitch . this film have tender moment too . allan swann wait in his car to see his daughter who he hadn not see in year be one of the many move scene in this film . this film combine laughter with moment of contemplation perfectly and deserve positive .