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A few significant things happened on April 26, 2009:: bcms.org | Iowa Medical Society - Blog - Making things happen - 06/05/08 iowamedical.org | Funny things : Disease Proof diseaseproof.com |
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is a 1966 musical comedy film, based on the stage musical. Inspired by the farces of the ancient Roman playwright Plautus (251-183 B.C.) – specifically Pseudolus, Miles Gloriosus and Mostellaria – it tells the bawdy story of a slave named Pseudolus and his attempts to win his freedom by helping his young master woo the girl next door. The film was directed by Richard Lester, with Zero Mostel and Jack Gilford re-creating their stage roles. It also features Buster Keaton in his last motion picture role, Phil Silvers, and Lester favorites Michael Crawford, Michael Hordern and Roy Kinnear. The musical was adapted for the screen by Melvin Frank and Michael Pertwee from the stage musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart. They rearranged the plot and cut most of the songs. The movie was not well-received when first released, although it did turn a profit, and the creators of the musical have frequently expressed their dissatisfaction with it.
[edit] PlotThis film takes place in the city of Rome sometime during the reign of Emperor Nero. Pseudolus (Zero Mostel) is "the lyingest, cheatingest, sloppiest slave in all of Rome", whose only wish is to buy his freedom from his master's parents, the henpecked Senex (Michael Hordern) and his dominating wife Domina (Patricia Jessel). When he finds out that his master, Senex's handsome but dim son Hero (Michael Crawford), has fallen in love with Philia (Annette Andre), a beautiful virgin courtesan from the house of procurer (i.e. brothel owner) Marcus Lycus (Phil Silvers) next door, Pseudolus makes a deal: he will get the girl for Hero in return for his freedom. Unfortunately, the virgin has been sold to the great Roman soldier, Captain Miles Gloriosus (Leon Greene), who even now is on his way from conquering Crete to claim her as his bride. Pseudolus blackmails his overseer, Hysterium (Jack Gilford) into masquerading as the corpse of Philia to fool the captain, but things go wrong at every turn. In the end, the boy gets the girl; Senex's next-door neighbor Erronius (Buster Keaton) finds that Phillia and Miles Gloriosus are in fact his long-lost children; and Pseudolus gets his freedom, a beautiful concubine to be his wife, and a dowry of 10,000 minae, compliments of Marcus Lycus. [edit] Cast
[edit] Songs
Sondheim's music was adapted for the film version of Forum by Ken Thorne, who previously worked with The Beatles on Help! (1965).[3][4] Thorne won the only award that Forum received, a 1967 Academy Award for "Best Music, Scoring of Music, Adaptation or Treatment".[5] [edit] ProductionZero Mostel starred on Broadway as Pseudolus[6], and Richard Lester was his choice to direct the film version. Other directors who were considered included Charlie Chaplin, Orson Welles and Mike Nichols.[3] It was filmed at Samuel Bronston Studios in Madrid, Spain, and on location around that city,[7] on an estimated budget of $2 million. Filming took place from September to November of 1965.[8] Jack Gilford was also re-creating his stage role, as "Hysterium",[6], and there are other connections to the Broadway production. Tony Walton, who designed the production, including the costumes, was also the designer of the Broadway show.[6] [9] George Martin, who with Ethel Martin is credited with the choreography of the film,[10] was the assistant to choreographer Jack Cole on Broadway.[11] (Jerome Robbins also did some uncredited work on the stage show as well.)[6]
[edit] AwardsMusic director Ken Thorne received an Academy Award for "Oscar Best Music, Scoring of Music, Adaptation or Treatment" in 1967. In addition, the film was nominated that year for a Golden Globe as "Best Motion Picture - Musical/Comedy".[5] [edit] Notes
[edit] External links
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