Start The Revolution Without Me (1970)

Arrived quickly and in good condition

The video arrived quickly and in good condition. It's a bit dated but very enjoyable. December 18, 2007

Wanted More

After reading the mostly glowing reviews, I was a little let down by the movie. Maybe I need to watch it a time or two more. Wilder is hysterical as always. He is a master of comedy. The film is filled with dry humor and outright slapstick. A little sexual innuendo thrown in rounds it out. I didn't find the movie fantastic from beginning to end, though I did find many fun parts. I will give it another watch and edit my review accordingly. March 21, 2007

Wonderful

This movie is wonderful and has been a family favorite for years. I was so happy to find it here because we had watched our tape so much it broke. January 16, 2007

Bombs away

This is one for the golden turkey book. It bombed with critics when it first appeared because it is NOT funny. Each scene is simply embarrassing. If college kids treat it reverently these days, my guess is that they're smoking the same stuff as the cast of this film must have been enjoying. And I purchased this because of the viewers' comments! This bears no resemblance to the later films of Gene Wilder (except the dreadful Silver Streak). It's also a waste of Donald Sutherland. And to think that Norman Lear lent his name to something this awful. August 20, 2006

Ignore the nay Sayers, this movie is genius comedy

I first remember seeing this film at age 6. I remember it because not fully understanding history, I thought this was a film about the American Revolution and the climax featured American patriots sacking a palace of George III.

I'm surprised there are so many negative reviews of film here on Amazon. The only people I've ever met whom even remember this film remember it because it's one of their favorites.

The plot: Two sets of twin brothers are switched at birth just before the French Revolution. One set is raised in the opulence of the aristocracy while the other set are raised as peasants.

1789, the rich brothers are sent to infiltrate Louis XIV palace and take part in an overly elaborate coup. The poor set are reluctant members of the French revolutionaries. After a mix up, the peasants become guests is Louis XIV's palace where they are not only out of place at balls and dinners, but fighting for their lives to survive this overly elaborate coup. In the climax the brothers flee with their girlfriends as the uprising peasants storm the palace in a battle royal.

Why this works:

High production quality: Photography, costume design, set direction, and editing are usually pushed aside in most comedies since the focus is on the actors and the jokes they tell. `Start the Revolution Without Me' is brilliantly shot on location to a production degree that dwarfs most recent 18th century films and take full advantage of it's beautiful setting.

Orson Wells' narration: I'd never have guessed that Orson Wells could be so funny. And in fact he isn't. He narrates throughout as if `Start the Revolution Without Me' were a serious historical piece. This is what's so funny. EVERY scene is introduced with the phrase "1789" the way only Wells can. After 10 times this really starts to get funny.

Corsican brothers ham it up: Gene Wilder and Donald Sutherland really go over board playing the overly evil and psychotic Corsican twins. Wilder carries his hawk Thor with him at all times. When anyone brings up the fact that Thor is dead Wilder flies into violent fits. They consider themselves invincible gods.

Ridiculously elaborate coup plot: Most of the character interaction revolves around a plot for the Corsican brothers to assassinate Louis XIV. However all the characters keep switching sides so much it becomes ludicrous. At a costume ball so many secrete notes are passed that the dance floor overflows with them. The coup is headed by a villain "Escargot" who like Orson Wells takes this absurd plot very seriously.

Peasant brothers are the only sane people: The peasant brothers also played brilliantly by Wilder and Sutherland act like we would if we lived in `Start the Revolution Without Me'. They observe that the inmates are running the asylum and its best to escape this entire ordeal post hast.

In conclusion, `Start the Revolution Without Me' is film making at its best. An adventure farce with plenty of good humor and truly genius story telling.

The critics here on Amazon are being way to harsh, saying that it does not compare to Alexander Dumas or other great literary works. This is a kin to saying that `The Naked Gun' was not as good of a portrayal of terrorism as James Bond. They are to wayyyy different things.

October 10, 2005

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