Hero Funny Thong on Way to Forum
Gilford, Keaton and Mostel
"Something familiar." The 1963 Tony award winning play, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum was brought to the big screen by Richard Lester in 1966. The Hard Days Night director made all the right decisions in this adaptation. He kept Zero Mostel in the lead. He only used some of the songs. My personal favorite is that he filmed it all on location.
Mostel plays Pseudolus, a house hold slave in ancient Rome who dreams of his freedom. He is owned by a hen pecked man and his domineering wife. They have a son, Hero, who becomes the key to Pseudolus getting his freedom.
"Something peculiar." Hero is in love with a virgin courtesan, Philia, who lives next door. She is owned by Marcus Lycus, who sells women. If Pseudolus can buy her for him, Hero will set him free. The only problem is that she is already promised to a Captain Miles Gloriosus, who will be collecting her soon with his detachment of soldiers.
The bulk of the movie is Pseudolus running around town trying everything he can to get this deal to go through. It involves him lying to absolutely everyone. His lies eventually come back to haunt him with great comic frivolity.
"Something thats bawdy." Today the sexual references are a bit quaint, but the reaction to sex, by the characters are still hilarious. An early scene has Pseudolus and Hero browsing the house of Lycus looking for Philia. After each courtesan is introduced, Hero and Pseudolus get more and more hot and bothered. One courtesan, Gymnasia, gets the greatest reaction from them both. Crawford's best moment is when he tells Pseudolus that she is not the one he is looking for.
To distract Hero's father, who thinks he is going to have sex with Philia they make him first take a long bath. Then their is the over weight breeder slave in heat. Of course Gloriosus shows up and demands they, "Arrange food, drink, entertainment, and a sit-down orgy for fourteen." Although he is the heavy, Gloriosus is quite funny in his reaction to those around him
"A tragedy tonight." The movie eventually leads to a chariot race in the country side. Lester was a fan of silent film slap stick and their influence is obvious during the chase scenes. No doubt he was thrilled to have Buster Keaton play a small, but key role. He plays Hero's other daffy neighbor, who has been looking for his kids for years. Sadly this was Keaton's last film. He was suffering from cancer during the shoot and died before the film was released.
"Liars and clowns." I am likewise a Keaton fan, but he is in very little of the film. Mostel is the great comic here and he milks this role for all it is worth. His interactions with the rest of the cast are the films brightest moments. Gilford, as the effeminate house servant, and Silvers playing his patented greedy persona are likewise hilarious.
Anytime someone decides to turn a Broadway show into a movie, they need to look to this film. The play no doubt took place in the three houses. Lester takes you into the streets of Rome and an arena, where Gladiators are practicing. A play does what it can with the limitations of the stage. A movie has very little boundaries, and Lester takes full advantage of that. If the play is a musical, remember to ditch the ones that slow down the plot and keep the good ones, like the obnoxiously catchy theme for A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. "Something for everyone, a comedy tonight."
Source: http://www.threemoviebuffs.com/review/funny-thing-happened-on-the-way-to-the-forum.html
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