A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Richard Lester

Writers:

Melvin Frank (screenplay) &
Michael Pertwee (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

16 October 1966 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical

Tagline:

Something for Everyone!

Plot:

A wily slave must unite a virgin courtesan and his young smitten master to earn his freedom.

Plot Keywords:

Virgin | Freedom | Implied Nudity | Mute | Historical

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Zero Mostel	...	Pseudolus
Phil Silvers	...	Marcus Lycus
Buster Keaton	...	Erronius
Michael Crawford	...	Hero
Jack Gilford	...	Hysterium
Annette Andre	...	Philia
Michael Hordern	...	Senex
Leon Greene	...	Captain Miles Gloriosus
Roy Kinnear	...	Gladiator Instructor
Alfie Bass	...	Gatekeeper
John Bluthal	...	Roman Chief Guard
Pamela Brown	...	High Priestess
Patricia Jessel	...	Domina
Beatrix Lehmann	...	Domina's Mother
Frank Thornton	...	Roman Sentry

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Finland:S | Sweden:11 | USA:Approved | Singapore:PG | UK:PG (video rating) | UK:A (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Madrid, Spain

Company:

United Artists

Trivia:

First film of Leon Greene.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Pseudolus water skis during the final chase, we can tell its a thinner stunt double because his clothes (which fit Zero so well), are loose. He has too much hair, as well.

Quotes:

Miles Gloriosus: Now, back to Rome for a quick wedding - and some slow executions!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Muppet Show: (#1.3)" (1976)

Soundtrack:

COMEDY TONIGHT

Sometimes funny but way too frentic

Slapstick farce based on a Broadway comedy/musical about some crazy complications when a slave (Zero Mostel) tries to win his freedom in ancient Rome.

The script is OK with some funny lines and sight gags, the girls are all very beautiful (and horribly objectified--but this was done in the 1960s) and the comedians (Mostel, Phil Silvers, Jack Guilford, Buster Keaton) are at their peak...but I didn't really enjoy this.

For one thing it's WAY too fast and frentic with director Lester spinning the camera all over the place. In most of his movies this technique works...it doesn't here. You have some very telented comedians here...they don't need camera tricks to get the joke across. Often the camera cuts away to something else in the middle of a joke...it gets very annoying and is enough to make you reach for the Dramamine. It got on my nerves a lot...more than once I wished I could reach out and force the cameraman to stay still. Also this movie relies way too much on slapstick--there's a closing chase sequence that goes on forever and has TONS of it.

Still, I'm giving it a 7 just for the cast alone (what a pleasure it is to see Keaton not doing a beach party movie and Silvers is hysterical) and some very funny parts. Also the opening song and the "maid" song are real treats. So, it's worth catching on a slow night.