Danger, intrigue, romance… and a touch of kinkiness!

Richard Thorndyke (Mel Brooks), a famous psychiatrist, is appointed new head of a California sanitarium, but he discovers plenty of secrets there. The director spoofs another genre, this time Hitchcock thrillers. He has assembled a terrific cast, with himself as the doc who becomes a murder suspect, Harvey Korman as the sadomasochistic colleague and Cloris Leachman as the forbidding Nurse Diesel. Mr. Brooks has fun with key ingredients in Hitch’s classics; the story is amusing but nothing special. What makes this film a cut above Silent Movie (1976) is the actors and a number of playful, imaginative details that create the right, sinister atmosphere.

The YouTube clip shows the werewolf scene.

1977-U.S. 95 min. Color. Produced and directed by Mel Brooks. Screenplay: Mel Brooks, Ron Clark, Rudy DeLuca, Barry Levinson. Cast: Mel Brooks (Richard H. Thorndyke), Madeline Kahn (Victoria Brisbane), Cloris Leachman (Charlotte Diesel), Harvey Korman, Dick Van Patten, Ron Carey.

Trivia: Mr. Levinson appears as the harried bellman. Gene Wilder was allegedly considered for the part of Thorndyke.

Quote: “How did you, ummmm… get my room number? I am not going to listen to any more of this, I mean, I’ve had just about enough! What are you wearing? Jeans? You’re wearing jeans? I bet they’re tight.” (Ms. Kahn taking an indecent phone call)

Published 2006-01-22 14:28