OVP: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966)

Film: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966)
Stars: Zero Mostel, Phil Silvers, Jack Gilford, Buster Keaton, Michael Crawford
Director: Richard Lester
Oscar History: 1 nomination, 1 win (Best Scoring of Music)
Snap Judgment Ranking: 5/5 stars

There are a few characters so big and bold that even their modest filmography cannot stop them from being an instantly recognizable star.  Zero Mostel is most definitely one of those characters.  Though his temperament off-screen precluded him from getting a large amount of roles (including Fiddler on the Roof, a role Mostel originated on Broadway and a role for which Topol, his on-screen replacement, received an Oscar nomination, something Mostel was never able to achieve), that doesn't mean that he didn't make an indent on the silver screen.  His most famous cinematic role is that of Max Bialystock in The Producers, but his work as Pseudolos runs a close second in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.

The film opens with the musical number "Comedy Tonight," and Mostel is able to introduce all of the principle players.  One of the sad things about the movie is that, since the movie was made in the late 1960's and musicals were starting to go out of vogue, a number of the Broadway numbers, including Mostel's "Free," are not featured in the film.  No matter, though, as we are treated to a madcap ride after the opening number where Mostel's slave is given a chance at freedom if he can unite Michael Crawford (yes, the Phantom of the Opera himself) with a virgin courtesan whom he has fallen in love with.  Hilarity continues to ensue and I couldn't even begin to explain all of the twists and turns of the movie.  Suffice it to say, Stephen Sondheim's brilliant lyrics, though sidetracked, still shine through and you're treated to a host of comic interludes between Mostel, Silvers, and Gilford, all three of whom are in drag at some point during the film if memory serves me right.

The play also has time for some hilarious side-characters, most notably Leon Greene in his screen debut, as a swoon-worthy, but blood-thirsty Roman general who is constantly threatening to burn everyone to the ground. There's also a bit part for Silent Era star Buster Keaton, as a befuddled and nearly blind man searching for his long lost children.  Keaton's talent for physical comedy is on full-display here, and he is not silent, so this is surprisingly the first time I've ever heard his voice, though I've seen many of his movies.  This would be Keaton's last film; he would die months before the film was released theatrically.

The film received one nomination, for Best Scoring of Music (okay, that's not the technical name of the category, but it's essentially the idea and that category changed its name every single year, so we're just going to go with it for continuity's sake).  I haven't seen any of the other films (I've actually barely heard of the other films), but it's hard to believe that anyone will top the fun of this (albeit brief) score.  I actually believe this category is still on the books, and I'm a bit surprised considering the influx of musicals in the last decade (Moulin Rouge, Chicago, Dreamgirls, amongst others), that it hasn't returned.  It allowed for non-original scores to make it into play, and I truly wish the Academy would bring back the category, if only to inspire the studios to bring on more musicals.  If they could make them of the quality of this film, that'd be a reward to us all.

What about you-do you wish we had more musicals each year?  Do you share my fondness of Zero Mostel?  And can you imagine him putting on the dramatics of Fiddler on the Roof, rather than Topol?