Silent Movie
Seen it?1976 | 87 min | Comedy
Saturday SpecialWhy it’s a Saturday Special
It earned strong reviews (79% on Rotten Tomatoes) and it made about 8 times its budget. A strong pick for the weekend.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for anyone who wants a laugh. If you loved It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Provocative satire that goes after everyone.
- The pace
- Breezy, at 1 hr 27 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated PG: slapstick violence. Worth a look first if you have very young kids.
- It's in another language, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
- Made in 1976: an older pace and style.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
Aspiring filmmakers Mel Funn, Marty Eggs and Dom Bell go to a financially troubled studio with an idea for a silent movie. In an effort to make the movie more marketable, they attempt to recruit a number of big name stars to appear, while the studio's creditors attempt to thwart them.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
79% on Rotten Tomatoes, 75 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
6.5 out of 10
- AwardsSolid
Nominated for 4 Golden Globes and 1 WGA Award.
- Box office & staying powerStrong
$36 million worldwide on a $4 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactSolid
About 86K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Mel Brooks
- Mel BrooksMel Funn
- Marty FeldmanMarty Eggs
- Dom DeLuiseDom Bell
- Sid CaesarStudio Chief
- Harold GouldEngulf
- Ron CareyDevour
- Bernadette PetersVilma Kaplan
- Carol ArthurPregnant Lady
- Liam DunnNewsvendor
- Fritz FeldMaitre d'