Silent Movie (1976)

Director:

Mel Brooks

Writers:

Mel Brooks (screenplay) &
Ron Clark (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

16 June 1976 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

A film director and his strange friends struggle to produce the first major silent feature film in forty years.

Plot Keywords:

Breaking Character | Self Referential | New York City | Actor Playing Himself | Chase

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Golden Globes. Another 1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Mel Brooks	...	Mel Funn
Marty Feldman	...	Marty Eggs
Dom DeLuise	...	Dom Bell
Sid Caesar	...	Studio Chief
Harold Gould	...	Engulf
Ron Carey	...	Devour
Bernadette Peters	...	Vilma Kaplan
Carol Arthur	...	Pregnant Lady
Liam Dunn	...	Newsvendor
Fritz Feld	...	Maitre d'
Chuck McCann	...	Studio Gate Guard
Valerie Curtin	...	Intensive Care Nurse
Yvonne Wilder	...	Studio Chief's Secretary
Harry Ritz	...	Man in Tailor Shop
Charlie Callas	...	Blindman
Henny Youngman	...	Fly-in-Soup Man
Arnold Soboloff	...	Acupuncture Man
Patrick Campbell	...	Motel Bellhop
Eddie Ryder	...	British Officer
Al Hopson	...	Executive
Rudy De Luca	...	Executive (as Rudy DeLuca)
Barry Levinson	...	Executive
Howard Hesseman	...	Executive
Lee Delano	...	Executive
Jack Riley	...	Executive
Inga Neilsen	...	Beautiful Blonde #1
Erica Hagen	...	Beautiful Blonde #2
Robert Lussier	...	Projectionist
Burt Reynolds	...	Himself
James Caan	...	Himself
Liza Minnelli	...	Herself
Anne Bancroft	...	Herself
Marcel Marceau	...	Himself
Paul Newman	...	Himself
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Sivi Aberg	...	Beautiful Blonde #3 (uncredited)
Brian Clark	...	Young Man in Nightclub (uncredited)
Dody Goodman	...	Tourist Woman #1 (uncredited)
Phil Leeds	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Candice Rialson	...	(uncredited)
Ray Stewart	...	Movie House Manager (uncredited)
Jerry Trent	...	Dancer (uncredited)

Directed by
Mel Brooks

Writing credits
Mel Brooks		(screenplay) &
Ron Clark		(screenplay) &
Rudy De Luca		(screenplay) (as Rudy DeLuca) &
Barry Levinson		(screenplay)
Ron Clark		(story)

Produced by
Michael Hertzberg	....	producer

Original Music by
John Morris

Cinematography by
Paul Lohmann		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Stanford C. Allen
John C. Howard

Casting by
Mary Goldberg

Production Design by
Albert Brenner		(as Al Brenner)

Set Decoration by
Rick Simpson

Costume Design by
Patricia Norris

Makeup Department
Mary Keats	....	hair stylist
Charles H. Schram	....	makeup man (as Charles Schram)
William Tuttle	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Frank Baur	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Max Kleven	....	second unit director
Edward Teets	....	assistant director (as Ed Teets)
Richard A. Wells	....	second assistant director (as Richard Wells)

Art Department
Stephen Myles Berger	....	assistant art director (as Steve Berger)
Richard Evans	....	assistant property master
Tom Fairbanks	....	property master (as Tommi Fairbanks)
Hendrik Wynands	....	construction coordinator (as Hank Wynands)

Sound Department
Don Hall	....	sound editor
Don MacDougall	....	sound re-recording mixer
Richard Portman	....	sound re-recording mixer

Special Effects by
Ira Anderson Jr.	....	special effects
Gary L. King	....	special effects crew (uncredited)
Gary L. King	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Stunts
Max Kleven	....	stunt coordinator
Roydon Clark	....	stunts (uncredited)
Paula Dell	....	stunts (uncredited)
James M. Halty	....	stunts (uncredited)
Orwin C. Harvey	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bob Herron	....	stunts (uncredited)
Larry Holt	....	stunts (uncredited)
Harvey Parry	....	stunts (uncredited)
Greg Walker	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dick Warlock	....	utility stunts (uncredited)
Jesse Wayne	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Edmond L. Koons	....	camera operator (as Ed Koons)
J. Michael Marlett	....	gaffer (as Michael Marlett)
Tom Prophet Jr.	....	key grip

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jay Caplan	....	wardrobe: men
Wally Harton	....	wardrobe: men
Nancy Martinelli	....	wardrobe: ladies

Editorial Department
David Blangsted	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Billy Byers	....	orchestrator (as Bill Byers)
Kevin F. Cleary	....	music recordist (as Kevin Cleary)
John Morris	....	orchestrator
Lionel Newman	....	conductor
Jack Lesberg	....	musician: bass (uncredited)

Transportation Department
William Hogue	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Ron Clark	....	production consultant
Anthony Goldschmidt	....	title designer: Pacific Title
Robert Iscove	....	choreographer (as Rob Iscove)
Ray Quiroz	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• Crossbow Productions

Distributors

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (1976) (USA) (theatrical)
• Key Video (video)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (19??) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Pacific Title  titles

Also Known As:

Runtime:

87 min

Country:

USA

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Finland:S | Iceland:L | Norway:7 | UK:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:6 | Singapore:PG | Finland:K-3 (cinema release) (1976) | Portugal:M/6 | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Netherlands:AL | Canada:G (video rating) | Sweden:Btl | Brazil:Livre | Australia:PG | Argentina:Atp

Filming Locations:

Stage 15, 20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Crossbow Productions

Trivia:

The first of Mel Brooks's films in which he plays the lead role.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When Mel's car is lowered when the pregnant lady steps off, a small set of wheels can be seen below the car. These small wheels raise and low the front wheels of the car.

Quotes:

Mel Funn:[seen as an insert title] Mr. Marceau, how would you like to appear in the first silent movie made in nearly fifty years?
Marcel Marceau:[in French, the only spoken line in the film] Non!
Dom Bell:[seen as an insert title after Mel hangs up the phone] What did he say?
Mel Funn:[seen as an insert title] I don't know. I don't speak French!

Movie Connections:

Featured in 100 Years of Comedy (1997) (V)

Soundtrack:

Let's Face the Music and Dance

A departure from the usual Brooks' fare

When I think of Mel Brooks, I think raunchy. Who wouldn't, with scenes like the "Virgin Alarm" in "Spaceballs" and the chastity belt theme in "Men in Tights?" But this film is a nice departure from the usual Brooks fare. For one thing, it's a satire. While the three producers look for famous stars to be in their silent movie, they're simultaneously acting with the stars in a silent movie. Clever, eh?

Since the only line of dialogue in the movie is "Non!" by Marcel Marceau, cuss words were thankfully left out. It added some character to the movie, which played up the visual gags. My favorite part was the scene where the three producers walk briskly down the hall, hop, then walk briskly again. Shades of "The Wizard of Oz!" A nice little film.