Comic genius Jonathan Winters plays himself in this frequently hilarious mock documentary centering around his second career, as an artist who paints satirical paintings that look like a cross between the Spanish surrealist Joan Miro and Native-American works.
The thin fictional conceit here is that the film’s director, Jim Pasternak (who appears on screen far too often), helps the iconic comedian achieve his longtime dream of a show at the Museum of Modern Art. But Jonathan loses his sense of humor, and with it the ability to paint three new canvases required for the show, after his favorite painting is stolen from a gallery in Los Angeles.
Fortunately, Winters’ legendary inventiveness as a comedian has not diminished with the years. He was pushing 80 when “Certifiably Jonathan” was shot a few years ago, and his timing is just as sharp as in TV appearances from the 1950s.