Essentials: Blazing Saddles

Bad taste? Who says?

Year: 1974 (USA)
Genre: Comedy/Western Comedy
Directed: Mel Brooks
Stars: Cleavon Little, Gene Wilder, Harvey Korman, Madeline Kahn, Slim Pickens, Mel Brooks, Alex Karras
Production: Warner Bros.






My introduction to the wacky world of Mel Brooks came from the admittedly mediocre medieval parody Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993). Its funny for the most part, but those in my generation who are adamant supporters of the merry romp probably haven’t seen it since they were knee high. Today the movie is as aged as a pair of hand-me-down gym socks. Though I suppose for children of the 70’s Up in Smoke (1978) probably existed before there was “bad taste”.



Blazing Saddles (1974) lives beyond the realm of bad taste and mediocrity. While aiming to please a mass audience and appeal to baser senses, Mel Brooks created a timeless classic that is masterful in its execution of politically incorrect irreverence. A western parody of epic proportions. A wondrous side splitting comedy…I may be getting ahead of myself.

For those who are not familiar with Mel Brooks and his perilous mix of high-brow and low-brow comedy, Blazing Saddles concerns the troubles of the western town of Rockridge. The people are being forced out by a politically connected bad guy (Harvey Korman), looking to cash in on the railroad craze. Requesting a new sheriff from the corrupt governor, the townspeople are surprised and angered by the appearance of Bart (Cleavon Little), a black man willing to take the job.

In addition to being famous as the mainstream introduction to the fart joke, Blazing Saddles is also noted or its frank and often hilarious treatment of racism. The N-word is uttered over thirty times over the course of a 90 minute movie, and the attitude towards African-Americans, Chinese-Americans, Native-Americans and the Irish is over-the-top bigotry on the part of the townspeople.

Thankfully we're moved beyond that kind of racism…right?

Cleavon Little plays Bart as a bright, savvy and appealing young man who is constantly at odds with the narrow-minded townsfolk and greedy villains. His only friend is a former gunslinger turned career alcoholic, The Waco Kid (Gene Wilder). Working together they devise several schemes to foil plans for a monopolized take-over of the local economy, all while slowly gaining trust with the people.

The fourth wall is broken several times over the course of the movie, one time near the end has been recorded in the annals of film history as the most outrageous Hollywood spoof of the seventies. It reminds me of an interview with John Cleese of Monty Python fame who divulged that the troupe could never find a good way to end their skits so they just smash-cut to the next scene. Mel Brooks obviously didn’t want to end his movie in a cliché way so he ended it with a similar tact only with much more mayhem.

The Pythons know a thing or two about breaking the 4th wall

As I have grown to love and appreciate westerns I have grown to appreciate Blazing Saddles more and more. There are subtle references to Shane (1953), The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948), Stagecoach (1939) and of course Destry Rides Again (1939) all of which are syncopated and propped up against references to Count Basie and Cole Porter. John Wayne was even approached to play a small role in the film but he refused saying it was too vulgar; he then told Brooks “...but I’ll be the first to see it.”

Those of the younger fold were probably introduced to Mel Brooks through Dracula: Dead and Loving It (1995); that’s if they have been introduced to his genius at all. I try not to be a golden age thinker but I can’t help but feel sad for those likely to miss out. From The Producers (1967) to Broadway‘s The Producers, Mel Brooks is no doubt one of the funniest, most original writers, directors and performers to ever exist. If you have not been introduced to his works check them out before its too late.

Final Grade: A