“Mongo only pawn in game of life.” —Mongo
Today’s quick review: Blazing Saddles. Bart (Cleavon Little), a clever railroad worker, is appointed sheriff of the town of Rock Ridge as part of a scheme by Hedley Lamarr (Harvey Korman). The country’s first black sheriff, Bart is expected to flop, throwing the town into chaos and paving the way for the railroad to be run through Rock Ridge at minimal cost. But Bart has other plans, and with the help of Jim (Gene Wilder), a retired gunslinger, he sets out to win the respect of the townsfolk and bring order to Rock Ridge.
Blazing Saddles is a Western comedy by Mel Brooks. Featuring a talented cast, a continuous stream of humor, and a pleasant story, Blazing Saddles is one of Mel Brooks’ better films. Cleavon Little and Gene Wilder are a great comedic duo, with Cleavon Little as the crafty, easygoing Bart and Gene Wilder as his newfound friend. The two characters are immensely likable and give the movie a solid core to build off of.
The supporting cast provides a comical backdrop for the adventures of Bart and Jim. Harvey Korman serves as the story’s main antagonist, Hedley Lamarr, a corrupt and pathetic local bigwig. Slim Pickens plays Taggart, the overseer of the construction of the railroad and Hedley’s bungling right-hand man. Mel Brooks himself makes several appearances, first as the region’s carefree governor and later as a German-spouting Indian chief.
The humor in Blazing Saddles is, naturally, its main appeal. Not every joke is a side-splitter, but the quality is consistently high, the jokes are plentiful, and most viewers will have a few hearty laughs along the way. Mel Brooks’ sense of humor pervades the movie, from the film’s jabs at the Western genre to Bart’s outrageous ploys. Blazing Saddles grounds its silly comedy with a personable lead duo and a fairly coherent plot, ensuring that the film’s humor does not hurt its enjoyability as a story.
Watch Blazing Saddles if you are looking for a light comedy that spoofs the Western genre. Blazing Saddles balances silly humor with just enough of a story to make the film feel coherent. Skip it if you are looking for a subtler comedy or you dislike Mel Brooks’ sense of humor.
7.8 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.5 for satisfying comedy, two strong leads, and a pleasant plot.