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Blazing Saddles
Mel Brooks
(1974)
88min
15 Certificate
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Review
Our Score
by
John Ferguson
This all-singing, all-belching western spoof remains one of Mel Brooks's finest creations. Cleavon Little stars as the smart-as-a-whip railway worker who is appointed the first black sheriff to a hellraising western town; Gene Wilder plays the Waco Kid, the drunken gunman who helps him out. The two stars are great together, but there are even better performances from Madeline Kahn as Lili Von Shtupp (sending up Marlene Dietrich in an Oscar-nominated performance), Alex Karras as dumb strongman Mongo and the crazed Harvey Korman as slimy villain Hedley (not Hedy!) Lamarr. Brooks also turns up as the easily swayed Governor Lepetomane. There's not a lot of subtlety here, but loads of slapstick and more jokes about bodily functions than you'll find in the average Farrelly brothers movie. Mongo say enjoy.
Summary
A crooked railway tycoon whose men are terrorising a frontier town arranges for a black sheriff to be appointed, hoping the racist residents will reject him. The lawman proves more cunning than expected, and with the help of a drunken gunslinger, runs rings around the businessman. Mel Brooks' Western spoof, in which he co-stars alongside Cleavon Little, Gene Wilder and Madeline Kahn.
Cast & Crew
Bart
Cleavon Little
Jim, the Waco Kid
Gene Wilder
Taggart
Slim Pickens
Hedley Lamarr
Harvey Korman
Lili Von Shtupp
Madeline Kahn
Governor Le Petomane / Indian chief
Mel Brooks
Olson Johnson
David Huddleston
Rev Johnson
Liam Dunn
Mongo
Alex Karras
Howard Johnson
John Hillerman
Van Johnson
George Furth
Gabby Johnson
Claude E Starrett Jr
Buddy Bizarre
Dom DeLuise
Dr Sam Johnson
Richard Collier
Count Basie
Count Basie
Lyle
Burton Gilliam
Miss Stein
Robyn Hilton
Director
Mel Brooks
see more
Other Information
Language:
English
Colour
Theatrical distributor:
Columbia-Warner Dists
Guidance:
Contains some violence, swearing and drug abuse.
Available on:
video, DVD and Blu-ray
Comedy
Drama
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