Alicia
I love this movie so much
Lightdeossk
Captivating movie !
BoardChiri
Bad Acting and worse Bad Screenplay
lludwig-33628
Wow... worst movie I have seen in years. Forced, corny, an obvious attempt to create something akin to Monty Python and it just fell flat as day old beer. Both Sutherland and Wilder have done so much better work, but this was a bomb! It really does resemble something that would have come out of a high school drama class if they had access to the camera sets and costumes. Bad, just really... bad.
mmallon4
To my surprise Start the Revolution Without Me begins with none other than Orson Welles introducing the film as well as narrating it; this along with the stylistic opening credits featuring footage of John Barrymore in Don Juan I know I had to be in for a treat. Start the Revolution Without Me is largely unheard of but surely paved the way for other large scale historical comedies of the 70's and 80's from the likes of Monty Python and Mel Brooks; a type of film comedy which is long extinct. The recurring repetition of the date "1789" in the narration has vibes of Monty Python while the film's ending reminds me of that from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Likewise the film is probably the closest thing to a spoof of costume dramas; think the costume drama getting the Mel Brooks treatment. The film includes references to works of fiction including A Tale of Two Cities, The Corsican Brothers and The Man in the Iron Mask (portrayed here as a bumbling fool). With the film's historical references, King Louis XVI is a slow witted cuckold and Marie Antoinette is portrayed as a nymphomaniac.The production spared no expense getting the shoot in actual historical locations in France. You would think they would only allow such locations for more dignified films, not a slapstick comedy. The film itself is as lavish as any big budget costume drama but not in tone of course. Costume pictures are always a genre I've struggled with, dare I say I find them dull with characters I can't identify with or care about; you know, rich people problems. Thus there's a sense of satisfaction seeing the genre turned into a slapstick farce. Not only do you get an impressive display of madcap physical comedy, but you even get some swashbuckling action with Gene Wilder getting the opportunity to display his abilities as a swordsman.Gene Wilder and Donald Sutherland play two sets of identical twins who are accidentally switched at birth resulting in an aristocrat with a false brother who was supposed to be born into life as a peasant and vice versa. I get the impression Sutherland plays the twins intended to be aristocrats as they seem more comfortable and in tune with the lifestyle than the two twins played by Wilder. Mistaken identity humour is often looked down upon but it makes laugh whenever it is done well. Start the Revolution Without is inspired zaniness if I've ever seen it.
Scott LeBrun
"Start the Revolution Without Me" is an engaging, silly historical spoof done in the best tradition of the genre. Well worth a viewing for those who enjoy the work done by Mel Brooks and the Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker team, it stars Gene Wilder and Donald Sutherland in what is a classic comedy plot. Two sets of identical twins, one pair born to a nobleman, the other born to a commoner, are mismatched. Many years later (in 1789, as if we could possibly forget the year), the two pairs switch places as the French Revolution is about to take place.Directed with a light touch by Bud Yorkin, and wittily written by Fred Freeman & Lawrence J. Cohen, this comedy wasn't always terribly funny for this viewer, but it *was* quite likable, and had some inspired moments. Certainly Wilder and Sutherland are great fun together; the latter unfortunately doesn't get that many opportunities to do comedy. Obviously a lot of care (and money) went into the costumes, production design, and location work, so the movie has just the right look. It gets off to a solid start as Orson Welles, playing himself, educates us on this little slice of history that has often been overlooked. This is paced quite well and has good energy.Wilder is once again brilliant at doing that kind of comic freaking-out that he perfected over the years. He and Sutherland receive very strong support from a supporting cast including Hugh Griffith as the doddering King Louis XVI, Jack MacGowran as resistance leader Jacques, Billie Whitelaw as a slutty, conniving Marie Antoinette, Victor Spinetti as the dastardly Duke d'Escargot, and lovely young lasses Ewa Aulin and Helen Fraser as Christina and Mimi, respectively.The ending is unfortunately a little abrupt, but it does work in some amusing last second twists.Seven out of 10.
Fhearghuis
"All the Castles...all the chapels, All the Rocks, the stones, the trees, the flowers, the mud, the dirt.... And I SHALL BE QUEEN"This movie is hilarious....I saw it on TV a LOOONG time ago, and then I saw it on DVD and bought it, now my sisters and I can't get enough of it....it's classic...."three feet of Persian rug..." haha...."later that night, 1789"....this movie made "pleasure their business" and it's a pleasure watching it.....Whatever...and we can't stop quoting this movie...."I thought it was a costume ball"It's a great movie....some people don't know what funny is when it hits them in the face...
