Comedies are the most difficult to pull off successfully, but Meryl Streep makes them appear effortless. Her funny credits include "Death Becomes Her" and "Lemony Snicket: A Series Of Unfortunate Events". More recently, she stole the show on Oscar night by playing a wonderful skit with Lily Tomlin when presenting Robert Altman with his lifetime achievement award.

Both actresses appeared in Altman's last film "A Prairie Home's Companion", which has yet to be released here after many long months.

This time, Streep has scored again with "The Devil Wears Prada", a scream that will delight audiences. The film allows Streep to unleash yet another dark, overbearing character - she seems to have an unholy knack for these roles. Here she plays Miranda, the fearsome editor of a fictitious fashion magazine called Runway.

Based on the best-selling novel by Lauren Weisberger, Miranda's character was inspired by the author's former boss at Vogue magazine, who the staff called Anna "Nuclear" Wintour.

The translation from book to screen has been successful indeed, thanks to Streep, who said she didn't read the book until the movie was wrapped up.

For Anne Hathaway, who plays Miranda's new assistant, the part is no picnic. She has never heard of Miranda or the magazine, but is hired on the basis that she possesses a functional intellect - something of a rarity in New York's shallow world of women's fashion.

"Prada" offers Hathaway a much-needed chance to redeem herself after crashing disastrously in "Princess Diaries 2", a sequel that bore little resemblance to its enjoyable original.

"Prada's" producers were counting on the "Ugly Duckling" formula, which worked so well for "Princess Diaries" and "Pretty Woman". And their gamble has paid off - Streep and Hathaway make a great pair. "Prada" is recommended viewing, even though the material might be thought of as largely being by women for women.

But the performances and script are so good, that the film should attract male viewers - and not just those who like to wear dresses.

As the trainer who helps Hathaway shape up for high-fashion society, Stanley Tucci - another comedy veteran - is outstanding.

Director David Frankel, best known for "Sex and the City", can be said to have delivered one of the year's best films. "Prada" is better than anything you will catch on television or cable today - which incidentally, has become truly stifling.

Recent re-runs of "8 Mile", for example, were horrendously cut. Not only was the dialogue heavily censored, but many parts of its rap songs were obliterated.

If the music world wants to sue television, they will probably win. Musicians today have misdirected their anger. The enemy is not pirate companies; it is television, which is mutilating their work purely through prudish narrow-mindedness.

By Hanuman