The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is a world of sass, comedy, and a vibrant leading lady. Amazon’s Orignal hit series, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is a whimsical show that has won the hearts of fans with its quick humor and suburb cast, created by the wonderful Amy Sherman-Palladino.
The writer and producer is a master at creating strong lovable characters with a quick wit and an even quicker speech pattern, and she doesn’t disappoint with The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. For those who loved this Amazon Original and are fans of witty leading ladies, great comedic timing, colorful sets, and costumes that stand out, these upcoming 10 great movies should fit the bill.
Late Night (2019)
Fans of Mrs. Masiel would enjoy the similarities between Late Night and the show. They both follow women who are trying to prove themselves in a line of work ruled by men, with the leading ladies of the film also seeking to show the world just how funny women can be.
While Late Night takes place in modern times, Mindy Kaling and Emma Thompson’s characters still have to struggle to take their place as the world hasn’t changed quite enough between the ’60s and now.
Down With Love (2003)
This romcom set in the 1960s features sets and costumes that would fit right in with Midge’s world and wardrobe. Renée Zellweger plays a bright-eyed advice columnist who falls for sly debonair type, Ewen McGregor.
Midge would love Barbara’s call for women to claim their independence and replace men with chocolate. Down With Love is a feel-good rom-com that pays homage to the 1960s romance films of Doris Day and Rock Hudson.
The Thrill Of It All (1963)
Speaking of Doris Day, fans of Midge’s spirit and success as a stand-up comedian would love watching Doris rise to fame as a soup spokesperson in The Thrill of It All.
Just like in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, the main character must balance her home life and career all while dealing with a husband who is jealous of her success.
Change in the Air (2018)
Fans of Rachel Brosnahan will love her as the sweet Wren, who like her character Midge, has left quite an impression on the lives around her with her unique perspective and keen intuition.
Midge changes the lives of her manager, Susie (Alex Borstein), and her parents even as she opens her mind to the world of underground comedy. In Change is in the Air, Brosnahan helps open the mind of the citizens of the small-town she moves into.
The Main Event (1979)
No this isn’t the new Netflix original about wrestling, as this 1979 movie is about boxing. In this comedy, Barbara Streisand plays Hillary Kramer, a down on her luck former business owner who sees an opportunity when she meets a boxer known as Eddie “Kid Natural” Scanlon (Ryan O’Neal).
What ensues is a hilarious series of events that ends up with Barbara Streisand acting as Eddie’s manager as he boxes his way to victory, in what could only be described as what would happen if Rocky were a rom-com. The relationship between the two has the same dynamic and comedic pace that Midge and Susie have on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, while Midge has more than a few similarities with Streisand herself.
Punchline (1988)
The plot of this 1980s film starring Tom Hanks and Sally Field seems like it must have inspired the show at least a little bit. In Punchline, Lilah, a frumpy housewife, decides she wants to go into the world of stand-up comedy and meets Tom Hanks’ Steven, who likes performing as well but feels pressured to go into medicine by his dad.
Replace medicine with a dressmaking business and move it from the ’80s to the ’60s and the end result would be The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Tom Hanks shines in this role, really getting into the part. In fact, according to Vanity Fair, he even performed stand-up at comedy clubs in New York to prepare for the role. It’s one of many things Hanks has done to enhance his career.
This Is My Life (1992)
This cute family movie is about a single mother of two who, after inheriting a good amount of money, decides it’s finally time to pursue her dream of becoming a comedian.
Along with her two daughters, Dottie heads to New York and soon finds success in the night club circuit just like Midge in Mrs. Masiel. Also like Midge, Dottie has to learn how to juggle her career and her family, often getting it wrong.
Obvious Child (2014)
Obvious Child is a profound movie about a stand-up comedian who ironically gets pregnant after a one night stand. The SNL alumni Jenny Slate portrays Donna and she plays her perfectly, portraying the comedian with grace and great comedic timing.
Fans of Midge’s tenacity and tendency to be a trailblazer will appreciate the way Obvious Child handles sensitive topics and spins the narrative on the usual romantic comedy. Both comedians would find something to respect in each other.
Annie Hall (1977)
Fans of Midge’s Jewish family and the sense of humor they bring will be sure to enjoy the king of Jewish comedies, Woody Allen. If fans of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel had to pick just one of Allen’s movies to start with, it should be Annie Hall.
It is considered to be Allen’s best film by many and his character, Alvy, would relate to Midge as they both must come to terms with their marriage ending due to the other party cheating. Midge deals with this problem by ranting about it to a group of strangers in a bar in a hilarious enough fashion that it leads to a career. In Annie Hall, Alvy receives weird looks not fame, as he imagines having conversations with strangers on the street about love and why his marriage fell apart.
Funny Girl (1968)
Rachel Brosnahan would surely be honored to have two Barbara Streisand movies on this list inspired by her great turn as Midge Maisel. Midge has a lot in common with both the actress and the roles she plays. Funny Girl is labeled as a biographical musical comedy-drama (it’s loosely based on real-life comedian Fanny Brice) and follows Fanny as she gives up her career on the vaudeville stage for the married life. However, she returns to it when her husband is imprisoned for his involvement in a bonds scam.
In the end Fanny, like Midge, leaves her husband and puts her career first. The sequel, Funny Lady, finds Brice successful on Broadway and with a new beau, someone also in the show business, much like Midge and Lenny, if the two ever get together. Fans of Midge’s impeccable style would also be sure to love Fanny’s wardrobe.
