Here are two of my favorite Mr. Bean clips. One takes place in a library, and the other in a school exam. I think the reason they work so well is because of the situation. Both the library and the exam are places where quiet is expected, so Mr. Bean’s physical style seems natural. The silence is normal and allows the audience to focus on the visuals and not be distracted by other sounds. Places that have quiet imposed by rule have a certain tension, a certain formality. Odd behavior is funnier when in happening in formal situations. That’s why the Marx Brothers were usually juxtaposed with high society.
HA! @rowanatkinson just followed me on twitter!