Silent Movie

A 20th Century Fox film starring Mel Brooks, Marty Feldman, Dom DeLuise, and Sid Caesar

Some people will say anything for a laugh. In his latest film, Silent Movie, Mel Brooks prefers to say nothing. Drawing on the style of the Golden Years of Slapstick, Brooks delivers a humorous return to the time of Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton: a time when the comic's funny business relied almost strictly on his actions.

Brooks, like the character he portrays in Silent Movie, is a daring man with a bold idea. He creates a silent film with performers from two extremes, superstars and crazies, and sets out to save the ailing Big Pictures company from conglomerate death at the hands of the giant corporation, Engulf & Devour.

The superstars include brief appearances by Burt Reynolds, Anne Bancroft, James Caan and [Liza] Minnelli. They are simply icing on the cake, while the real honors belong to the crazies: Marty "Eggs" Feldman, Dom "Bell" DeLuise, the excellent Sid Caesar, and, of course, Brooks. These nuts create a marvelous spectacle of dingbat humor, shooting from one sight gag to the next like the three goofiest maniacs in the western world.

The plot is sparse: can a silent movie, loaded with top stars, save a failing studio (headed by Sid Caesar) from impending doom? Can a semi-alcoholic director ("Mel Funn") survive his battles with love, the bottle, and the bad guys, and still come out on top of the film industry?

But who can be upset about the story when hit by a barrage of hilarious scenes? Brooks, Feldman and DeLuise make an incomparable trio; each complements the other rather than trying to steal the scenes for personal glory. They're not quite a modern Three Stooges, because they are close friends who would help each other out through all the bad times.

In other words, there is plenty of heart beneath the zany covering.

Bernadette Peters delivers a fine performance as the sexy nightclub dancer who falls for the hero, proving once again that a silly hoofer can have a heart too.

Silent Movie moves rapidly, dazzling the audience like a first-rate magician: guess what Mel has up his sleeve next? Brooks has packed the film with surprises, twisting and turning from one laugh to the next.

The only big problem with the film is the ending. Brooks has you moving at full speed, then crashes you into a wall. There are no yield signs and no yellow light to warn about the finish. All of a sudden the ride is over and you leave the theatre like a bunch of kids who want the roller coaster to go around one more time.

But Brooks is probably right in not spoiling his audience, He wants us to come back tor more and he certainly won't be disappointed.

What's next, Mel? How about a black & white film shot underwater in 3-D?

—Bob Waller