Today’s quick review: A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum. Pseudolus (Zero Mostel), a lying Roman slave, seeks to buy his freedom. When his master (Michael Hordern) and mistress (Patricia Jessel) leave for the day, leaving their favored slave Hysterium (Jack Gilford) in charge, he finally gets his chance. Their clueless son Hero (Michael Crawford) is hopelessly in love with Philia (Annette Andre), a courtesan owned by Marcus Lycus (Phil Silvers), the slave trader next door. Pseudolus promises to get Hero his sweetheart in exchange for Pseudolus’s freedom. But the slave’s lies get him into trouble when a Roman captain named Miles Gloriosus (Leon Greene) comes to claim Philia. Now Pseudolus must foil Hysterium, Licus, and Gloriosus to get Hero the girl, earn his freedom, and esape with his neck.
A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum is a musical comedy set in ancient Rome. It features an elaborate plot of mistaken identity, conflicting interests, and deceit that parodies love, licentiousness, and ancient Roman life. Pseudolus, Hero, and Hysterium quickly find themselves tangled in a web of lies as Pseudolus schemes to get Philia away from Lycus. The situation is thrown further into disarray by a series of mistakes, coincidences, and hare-brained schemes whose results are pure comedy.
A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum also carries a bite. An upbeat tone conceals the hard and often brutal nature of Roman life, while the cast is as flawed as can be while remaining sympathetic. Every character is either deceitful, vain, lusty, greedy, domineering, or hopelessly naive. The peril that falls upon them is part justice for their actions, part cruel twist of fate. But in true comedic fashion, levity and good fortune quickly banish such concerns, at least until the next catastrophe strikes. The result is a musical comedy in the classic mold, a complicated romp where base characters find salvation through cunning and luck.
Watch A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum if you are fond of musicals or the kinds of elaborate comedy that ensue when half a dozen characters are up to no good. The film delivers energetic characters, snappy dialogue, charming music, and plenty of subtle gags for scholars of ancient Rome. Though tame by modern standards, A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum can be raunchy in places, so use your best discretion. Those who aren’t keen on musicals or complex plots should avoid the movie. But for an evening of merriment, give A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum a try.
7.0 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it an 8.0 for good music, a comically intricate plot, and great gags.