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IMDbPro

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum

  • 1966
  • Approved
  • 1h 39m
IMDb RATING
6.8/10
9.6K
YOUR RATING
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966)
Trailer for A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum
Play trailer1:18
1 Video
73 Photos
ComedyMusical

A wily Roman slave schemes to earn his freedom by romantically uniting his master with a courtesan. But matters get complicated and he ends up dragging in his neighbors around him, leading t... Read allA wily Roman slave schemes to earn his freedom by romantically uniting his master with a courtesan. But matters get complicated and he ends up dragging in his neighbors around him, leading to chaos.A wily Roman slave schemes to earn his freedom by romantically uniting his master with a courtesan. But matters get complicated and he ends up dragging in his neighbors around him, leading to chaos.

  • Director
    • Richard Lester
  • Writers
    • Melvin Frank
    • Michael Pertwee
    • Burt Shevelove
  • Stars
    • Zero Mostel
    • Phil Silvers
    • Buster Keaton
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    6.8/10
    9.6K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Richard Lester
    • Writers
      • Melvin Frank
      • Michael Pertwee
      • Burt Shevelove
    • Stars
      • Zero Mostel
      • Phil Silvers
      • Buster Keaton
    • 96User reviews
    • 35Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 Oscar
      • 1 win & 1 nomination total

    Videos1

    A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
    Trailer 1:18
    Watch A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum

    Photos73

    Jack Gilford, Michael Hordern, Zero Mostel, and Phil Silvers in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966)
    Jack Gilford and Zero Mostel in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966)
    Jack Gilford and Zero Mostel in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966)
    A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966)
    Peter Butterworth in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966)
    Myrna White in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966)
    Zero Mostel and Myrna White in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966)
    Zero Mostel and Myrna White in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966)
    Lucienne Bridou in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966)
    Zero Mostel in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966)
    Zero Mostel, Inga Neilsen, and Phil Silvers in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966)
    Jennifer Baker, Susan Baker, Lucienne Bridou, Michael Crawford, Helen Funai, and Myrna White in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Zero Mostel
    Zero Mostel
    • Pseudolus
    Phil Silvers
    Phil Silvers
    • Marcus Lycus
    Buster Keaton
    Buster Keaton
    • Erronius
    Michael Crawford
    Michael Crawford
    • Hero
    Jack Gilford
    Jack Gilford
    • Hysterium
    Annette Andre
    Annette Andre
    • Philia
    Michael Hordern
    Michael Hordern
    • Senex
    Leon Greene
    Leon Greene
    • Captain Miles Gloriosus
    Roy Kinnear
    Roy Kinnear
    • Gladiator Instructor
    Alfie Bass
    Alfie Bass
    • Gatekeeper
    John Bluthal
    John Bluthal
    • Roman Chief Guard
    Pamela Brown
    Pamela Brown
    • High Priestess
    Patricia Jessel
    Patricia Jessel
    • Domina
    Beatrix Lehmann
    Beatrix Lehmann
    • Domina's Mother
    Frank Thornton
    Frank Thornton
    • Roman Sentry
    Peter Butterworth
    Peter Butterworth
    • Roman Sentry
    John Bennett
    John Bennett
    Andrew Faulds
    Andrew Faulds
    • Director
      • Richard Lester
    • Writers
      • Melvin Frank
      • Michael Pertwee
      • Burt Shevelove
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      While Buster Keaton often used a stunt double due to his illness, he improvised running into a tree branch and falling backwards onto the ground, much to the horror of director Richard Lester and crew.
    • Goofs
      Lycus disguised himself as a woman in a yellow gown, but the gown changes to white during the chase scene and remains white for the remainder of the film.
    • Quotes

      Miles Gloriosus: Arrange food, drink, entertainment, and a sit-down orgy for fourteen.

    • Crazy credits
      One fresco in the closing titles depicts a Roman orgy, but one character raises the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) seal in protest. The MPAA was in charge of deciding whether the content of a feature was too obscene.
    • Connections
      Featured in Hollywood: The Gift of Laughter (1982)
    • Soundtracks
      Comedy Tonight
      Written by Stephen Sondheim

      Performed by Zero Mostel and ensemble

    User reviews96

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    7/10
    The Good and the Bad
    I saw this film when I was a young girl (seven or so) and I adored it. When I was about fourteen, I finally got to see the stage production. When I saw the film again, I realized there were some bad choices made. I think the film has many excellent points and some bad points:

    Good:

    -For starters, you couldn't have asked for a better cast. I don't just mean Zero Mostel and Jack Gilford (though both are incredible) but casting Buster Keaton was inspired.

    -Very accurate portrayal of ancient Rome (up to a point, of course). The only reason I bring it up is because when I took Latin in high school, we studied ancient Rome and I like the research that went into that for the film.

    -The chase scene at the end. That's what I remember laughing at the most as a child.

    Bad:

    -Cutting so many songs, specifically "Free" and Hysterium's number (I must say, Jack Gilford was highly underused in this film).

    -The direction of most remaining musical numbers and some scenes.

    -Changing the character of Dominia. I don't mind it too much (she does get some good lines in there) but I liked having another strong female character aside from Philia.

    Now I have nothing against Richard Lester. In fact, I enjoyed his work in A Hard Day's Night and Help! and I think when it comes to those types of films, he does well. I'm just not completely sure if he was right for this film. He treated the songs like music videos, kind of forgetting that in this case, the songs are being used to tell a story, not just for entertainment. We recently watched parts of the film in my Musical Theater History class, and that was one of the point brought up. He tended toward the fast pace/quick edit direction, which I think worked for "Comedy Tonight", but not much else (especially not "Everybody Ought to Have a Maid"). While I disliked some of his direction on "Lovely", I did like that he repeated (more or less) the same direction in the reprise of the song.

    I will say, though, when he's good in the film, he's really good. I can't deny there are parts in the film that are incredibly funny, most notably the chariot chase. I am a bit torn about the film. In the long run, I will probably always love the film and watch it when I get the chance, despite its shortcomings. Still, I wouldn't mind a remake of it. And I think we can safely say this isn't the worst film version of a Sondheim show (A Little Night Music anyone?).
    helpful•30
    7
    • BroadwayBookworm
    • Apr 15, 2006

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 16, 1966 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United States
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Toll trieben es die alten Römer
    • Filming locations
      • Samuel Bronston Studios, Madrid, Spain(as Bronston Studios, Madrid)
    • Production company
      • Melvin Frank Production
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    • Budget
      • $2,000,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 39 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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