Amazon.com: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum: Zero Mostel, Phil Silvers, Buster Keaton, Michael Crawford: Amazon Instant Video

Product Details

Synopsis: Zero Mostel repeats his stage role as Pseudolus, the cunning Roman slave who'll do anything to win his freedom. The plot hinges on three Roman houses next door to each another. One is the home of Pseudolus' masters: the philandering Senex (Michael Hordern), his domineering wife Domina (Patricia Jessel), and their handsome but empty-headed son Hero (Michael Crawford). The second house is a brothel belonging to unctuous procurer Lycus (Phil Silvers). The third house has long been empty, in that its owner, the senile Erronious (Buster Keaton), has gone on a long journey to find his children, who were kidnapped in infancy by pirates. This all-star cast scam their way through this boisterous romp amidst gorgeous girls, mistaken identities, stunning surprises, cunning disguises and great Sondheim songs.

Starring: Zero Mostel, Phil Silvers

Supporting actors: Buster Keaton, Michael Crawford, Jack Gilford, Annette Andre

Directed by: Richard Lester

Genre: Comedy, Musical

Runtime: 1 hour 38 minutes

Studio: MGM

ASIN: B001BKHU5G (Rental) and B001BKG6F6 (Purchase)

Rights & Requirements

Rental rights: 24 hour viewing period Details

Purchase rights: Stream instantly and download to 2 locations. Details

Compatible with: Mac and Windows PC online viewing, compatible instant streaming devices, TiVo DVRs. System requirements

Format: Amazon Instant Video (streaming online video and digital download)

Also available on DVD

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to... DVD ~ Zero Mostel

4.2 out of 5 stars (102) $65.99

Theatrical Release Information

Production Company: United Artists, Melvin Frank Production
Filming Locations: Madrid, Spain | Samuel Bronston Studios, Madrid, Spain

Video Format Details

Online Viewing	PC Download	TiVo box	Portable device
View instantly from any PC or Mac with a broadband connection	Ready to watch in about 40 minutes*	Ready to watch in about 45 minutes*	Ready to transfer in about 45 minutes*

* Your download times may vary--estimates shown are for a typical DSL connection (1.5 Mbits/sec). Rental videos cannot be transferred to a portable device.

Customer Reviews

102 Reviews

5 star:		(59)
4 star:		(24)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(6)

Average Customer Review

4.2 out of 5 stars (102 customer reviews)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Even Better Than I Remembered It To Be, April 8, 2003

By

suetonius "seutonius" (Phoenix) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (DVD)

Great fun musical comedy loosely based on T. Maccius Plautus' 2nd century B.C. comedy "Miles Gloriosus" ("Braggart Warrior").
The widescreen format lets you see pratfalls and edge-of-scene antics that are missing in the pan and scan version. Zero Mostel was a comic genius; it's a pity that he didn't leave us more movies to enjoy. Michael Hordern is superb as Senex, as are Jack Gilford and Phil Silvers as Hysterium and Lycus. When I was a child I didn't enjoy the musical numbers, I remember fast- forwarding through to get back to the comedy. I now appreciate the songs as well; they are genuinely funny and full of double-entendres that you have to hear repeatedly to fully enjoy. The entire movie, despite its classical setting, has a swinging-sixties feel that you'll have to watch a Rat Pack film to match. You almost expect Frank Sinatra to walk into a scene, singing a song in between drags on his cigarette.

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24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent DVD - Hilarious Movie, August 16, 2004

By

NCMovie Fan - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (DVD)

Not having seen the play, I am able to enjoy the film without comparison to other formats. It is hilarious, frantic and a perfect example of Richard Lester's early work.

The DVD transfer is crisp and colorful with very clear audio - way better than the version shown on TCM. Artifacting is barely existent. The transfer is anamorphic widescreen though the description provided by Amazon does not note this.

For a good, though bawdy, burlesque played broadly and strictly for laughs, you can't go wrong.

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17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Something appealing,something appalling!!, January 6, 2003

By

ellafan (MI) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (DVD)

If you cherish the memories of Zero,Phil,Jack,and Buster...you must get this very funny and very well-presented DVD.It's a great mixture of slapstick;burlesque;hamming it up for the camera;and silliness that makes you long for the days when these wonderful ,almost obscenely talented, and always hilarious men were making movies.It's a delight.Hopefully,if this is your first exposure to the likes of these fellas,you will be compelled to investigate more of their screen work.One of my friends who watched the movie with me when I received it commented that "they surely had a ball making this movie,didn't they?" That's what you'll have when you watch it! I really miss these guys.If you don't laugh out loud as Zero plays the "soothsayer," check your pulse!!

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