Classic Friday : A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum (1966) 8/10

Starring : Zero Mostel, Phil Silvers, Michael Crawford
Director : Richard Lester
Running Time : 94 mins

Pseudolus (Mostel) has only one wish in life – to buy his freedom and no longer be a slave. When his young master, Hero (Crawford) falls in love with a virgin from the House Of Lycus, Pseudolus sees his opportunity to interfere and gain his freedom by making a deal with the naïve youth.

This movie, based on the hit Broadway musical, is a classic that no-one should miss. One of only a few films to feature Zero Mostel (who, strangely enough, was laso in The Producers), this movie seems to have been imitated a number of times, most noteably with Up Pompeii and, to a lesser degree, Monty Pyhton’s Life Of Brian. And, like the Producers, I suspect it won’t be long before there’s a remake in the offing!

You’ll like this if you liked : Carry On Cleo