Blazing Saddles (1974)

• Year: 1974
• Released: 07 Feb 1974
• Country: United States
• Adwords: Nominated for 3 Oscars. 3 wins & 5 nominations total
• IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071230/
• Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/Blazing_Saddles
• Metacritics: https://www.metacritic.com/movie/blazing-saddles
• Available in: 720p, 1080p,
• Language: English, Yiddish, German
• MPA Rating: R
• Genre: Comedy, Western
• Runtime: 93 min
• Writer: Mel Brooks, Norman Steinberg, Andrew Bergman
• Director: Mel Brooks
• Cast: Cleavon Little, Gene Wilder, Slim Pickens
• Keywords: parody, gun, spoof, cowboy, western,

	7.7/10
	73/100
	89% – Critics
	91% – Audience

Blazing Saddles Storyline

It’s 1874 in the American frontier of the wild west. Because of geological problems, a railroad under construction needs to be rerouted through the town of Rock Ridge, where general lawlessness prevails, that lawlessness which led to the town sheriff being murdered. Upon learning this information from Taggart – the railroad construction boss and secretly his right hand man – Hedley Lamarr, the state attorney and assistant to hapless Governor William J. Le Petomane, senses an opportunity to make millions by acquiring as much property in Rock Ridge as possible before the news of the railroad gets to residents of the town which would encourage them to stay despite the lawlessness. Hedley’s ultimate plan, which he has to devise upon learning that the residents have decided to stay and which he is able to enact, is to get the Governor to appoint a new sheriff – the town elders having asked him to do so – so offensive to the townsfolk that they will voluntarily leave town without any prompting. Hedley’s choice of that new sheriff is a man named Bart, who was part of the railroad construction gang, and who Hedley was going to hang on Taggart’s initiative solely because of an antagonistic encounter between the two. The reason why Bart would be so offensive to the townsfolk?: he’s black. Unlike most of the white men on the construction crew who are uncouth and backward, Bart is an urbane intellectual. With the help of Jim, one of the town’s drunks whose drinking hides his much different past, Bart is able to win over most of the townsfolk by using his intellect. As such, Hedley, with Taggart by his side, uses one tactic after another either to discredit or kill Bart, who eventually is able to figure out Hedley’s scheme for the town. What eventually happens in the standoff is affected by some twentieth century Hollywood mentality and goings-on.

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Blazing Saddles Movie Reviews

This movie would have been great if Brooks wasn’t 100% in control

Other than THE PRODUCERS (and possibly Young Frankenstein), Mel Brooks’ movies suffer from TOO MUCH Mel! In other words, just because Mel Brooks can be very funny does NOT mean he knows everything about movies nor should he write, direct and act in them (the Jerry Lewis Syndrome). Most of his movies in recent years have amply proved this (Robin Hood Men in Tights as well as Life Stinks come to mind).

I picked Blazing Saddles to review because, in my opinion, it sparked the beginning of the end of his brilliance. The beginning of his unchecked excesses became so apparent here and only got worse in his following efforts. Unlike The Producers (where he is in the movie for a VERY brief instant during the Springtime for Hitler scene), he is on screen through much of the movie and he is about is as subtle as a brick upside the head. Sure, comedy can be this unsubtle, but I feel that the quality of his movies is inversely related to how much time he seen on screen. Take High Anxiety and Life Stinks for example–both feature him as the lead actor and they are terribly unfunny flicks.

So back to Blazing Saddles. The movie has MANY brilliant bits throughout (such as those with Mongo or with the town’s reactions to the new sheriff) but also has such infantile segments as the “eating beans around the campfire” segment as well as Mel’s acting as he plays the Governor. ENOUGH already–get a co-director or a STRONG producer to tell him ENOUGH–STOP!!!! But instead, the movie goes from moderately funny (and very funny in parts) to a horrific mess by the end. Instead of a real ending, it degenerates to a fight scene which spills over into other pictures. Is the ending original? Maybe–but certainly not funny. And from here on, it only gets worse.

So, my recommendation is watch The Producers. It’s a nearly perfect comedy–too bad it was at the beginning of Brooks’ film career.

Not exactly subtle, but a great film regardless

While I slightly prefer The Producers and Young Frankenstein this is still a jewel in the crown when it comes to comedy. It is silly and it is not subtle at all, there are those who will flinch at some of the language used. But it is very funny, and works really well as a spoof. The story is a lot of fun, and there are enough slapstick and jokes to amuse as well as a wonderful script. The production values are very good too, while the acting is spot on. Cleavon Little and Gene Wilder are both great as the smart-as-a-whip railway worker appointed first black sheriff and the drunken gunman who helps him out, while Madeline Kahn(in a Marlene Dietrich send-up), Alex Karras and Harvey Korman are even better. Overall, not subtle but still great. 9/10 Bethany Cox

Even Randolph Scott Must Have Laughed At This One, Not To Mention Hedy Lamarr or Marlene Dietrich

I have a great deal of difficulty in deciding whether Blazing Saddles or The Producers is the funnier of the Mel Brooks comedies. Being a western aficionado I suppose I have to go with this film. I don’t think there was a western cliché Mr. Brooks missed in this one.

From the first scene with that celebrated foof contest going on at the campfire to that last shootout at the premier of Blazing Saddles, you’d better be ready to not stop laughing for one minute. Mel Brooks assembled one of the best casts of comic actors this side of It’s A Mad Mad Mad Mad World and got lifetime performances out of all of them.

I’ve always thought that Mel Brooks for Blazing Saddles borrowed a lot from the surreal quality of the Road pictures and certainly Cleavon Little and Gene Wilder have a Crosby/Hope like camaraderie going.

My favorite though is Harvey Korman as chief villain Hedy, oops I mean Hedley Lamarr. That was the role of a lifetime for him, I think his best moment on screen. Following closely is Madeline Kahn as famous saloon entertainer Lily Von Shtupp. You could tell the Code was a thing of the past when a character could have a name like that.

John Wayne was purportedly shown the script and while he declined to be in it, he did say it was the funniest thing he ever read and he would buy the first ticket.

Now that’s the highest possible endorsement pilgrim.