This is a very funny Mel Brooks film, a parody of westerns that was also a biting satire of racism. The plot involves a newly appointed Black sheriff to a small town, who is immediately met with prejudice. Since it is by Brooks, it of course has anachronisms and silliness running all through it.
There are so many clips that could be shown but here are just three that stand out in my mind.
I enjoyed seeing some of the the actors and the people behind the scenes of the film reminisce about it.
I had always thought Gov. Le Petomane’s name was a reference to “ptomaine” food poisoning. But it’s actually an homage to a French entertainer whose stage name was “Le Pétomane,” (fart maniac). Just read the Wiki article. I can’t do it justice. 😀
I may be missing something, but I always have thought the ending particularly stupid. Couldn’t they think of something to wrap it up in context?
I watched this recently with my kids (15 and 17) and told them the bare minimum about it, jus that it was cowboy satire. They had two reactions: 1) boredom (bah, the state of attention spans these days) and 2) absolute eye-bugging horror every time That Slur was used. They couldn’t believe what they were hearing, even in the context of the movie.
For me it was Cleavon Little that made the film. He just shone, a 10/10 performance in yet another silly Mel Brooks movie. Gene Wilder was a decent counterpart but I don’t think the movie would have been nearly as good if self-effacing Richard Pryor had taken the lead. Without Little I can’t see myself remembering it as such a classic.
Anyone else think that Gene Wilder is channelling his inner Peter Sellers in the interview (last) video? Like a real life Chauncey Gardiner!
badland @#3,
The actor Burton Gilliam said that he had real trouble using that word in the film and Cleavon Little had to reassure him that it was ok , that it was just a word in a script.
@file thirteen:
Agreed. Cleavon Little could pull off a quiet ‘who, me?’ smug better than Pryor could. Pryor could pull of a panicking everyman really well (see his version of Brewster’s Millions) but walking that tightrope of innocent cleverness was something I think he’d have had problems not overdoing. Pryor was many things, but a controlled quiet was not often one of them.
@jenorafeuer #6:
Little’s performance had so much to it. Often he looked like he was the puppet master running the show, and enjoying it too! A healthy dose of “better than you” smugness together with just a touch of steely-eyed contempt. Perfect. No offense to Pryor.