A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (VHS, 1998)

I had seen this when it was at movie theatres, new. The ensemble of actors work together as well as any ensemble of actors have EVER worked together in a Movie. It is a wonderful screwball comedy. Zero Mostel is/was a genius. But the music was and IS splendid. But most of all is the way the irritatingly engaging Psuedolous (played by Mostel) tries so hard to win his freedom to buy the slave woman from the "Isle of Silent Women". She, whoever she is, is one of the most gorgeous women ever to be on the screen and, somehow, WITH UTTERING A SYLLABLE THE WHOLE MOVIE!! she makes it clear that she would like, very much, to be with Pseudolous as he is the only character who can communicate with her!!!. She is stunningly beautiful and as graceful as a ballet dancer. Also engaging is a performance by Phil Silvers that is just side-splitting. The character of the Roman General who is so magnificent, that he says in song that his OWN magnificence is almost more than he can bear.... And he does it so incredibly deadpan. Buster Keaton proves that he can still get the job done, in a rather poignant role. And the real surprise to find Michael Crawford, of Phantom of the Opera fame (subsequently, of course.... quite SUBSEQUENTLY) shows that he was/is an actor before he was a singer (The voice is unmistakable!!) . The scene in which the slave girl [with whom Hero (Crawford) is totally infatuated (as only 18-year-old boys can be..)] sings this neat little song and thereby becomes the basis for blonde jokes for all eternity, is total farce and played totally straight. AND, of no small consideration, without insulting your intelligence, at the end of the movie, all the right people wind up with all of the right people. DO NOT see this movie if you meet any of the following conditions: you've just had abdominal surgery (internal/external or both); (2) you can't stand happy endings (you prefer Wagnerian opera, for instance...). If you do, in case #2 you'll be disappointed. In case one you will tear out any stitches you have in your side or abdomen because the laughter is absolutely side-splitting. No ONE, absolutely NO ONE could do Zero Mostel like Zero Mostel. William H. Macy could give it a shot, but it would fall short; no one else should even try.

The frenetic pace of "Forum" will either force you to turn it off, or surrender and let the laughs begin! I strongly recomend the latter. While the comic value of the script and the pacing are uneven, giving in to the abundant moments of side-splitting hysteria make the viewing experience most worthwhile. I find myself wishing I were Zero Mostel, so that I could enjoy the pure exhileration of playing such a wildly funny and absurd part.