Night at the Museum is a hilarious family film starring Ben Stiller as a museum security guard who works in a museum where the displays animate on a night time, and so the job of being a security guard is more dangerous than one would think. One of the characters to come to life is one Theodore J. Roosevelt, or Teddy, as he comes to be known.
Williams’ character is introduced as a friendly and charismatic guy, who’s got his priorities as he soon abandons Larry for ‘The Hunt.’ In a ridiculous scene of museum exhibits wandering around in the background, remains professional as he ignores them and delivers his lines in a deadly serious tone. He refuses to answer a great deal of questions from poor Larry, who’s in over his head, as he thinks everyone should be self-reliant. Later, as he says to Larry, ‘I’m made of wax, Larry. What are you made of?’ right before he turns back to wax for the day, everything about Williams’ facial expression from his eyes, to his mouth and his awesome moustache shows how much it hurts him to not be real.
Though best known for his comedic roles, Williams’ also had a talent that span across the genres. He could switch from comedy, to drama, to horror within seconds. How highly appropriate for us to have a well known and highly loved figure portray such an important historical figure. Thanks to this franchise, there will always be at least one wax figure of Williams out there for him to be remembered by.
Look out for Williams’ reprising his role in the third instalment of Night of the Museum, coming December 2014!