Start The Revolution Without Me

Starring:Gene Wilder, Donald Sutherland, Hugh Griffith, Jack MacGowran, Billie Whitelaw, Victor Spinetti, Ewa Aulin, Helen Fraser, Rosalind Knight, Harry Fowler, Murray Melvin, Ken Parry, Maxwell Shaw, Jacques Maury, Graham Stark, Barry Lowe, George A. Cooper (II), Michael Rothwell, Denise Coffey, Orson Welles
Director: Bud Yorkin
Studio: Warner Home Video
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

Gene Wilder and Donald Sutherland play two sets of identical twins who are mismatched at birth shortly before the French Revolution. One pair is reared as royalty; the other is raised as the children of peasants. The plot in this film by Bud Yorkin is a wonderful mishmash of Dumas, Victor Hugo, and Molière, with the peasant brothers joining the revolutionaries while their bizarrely foppish siblings eat cake and ignore the events around them. Wilder and Sutherland are joined by a who's who of British comedy stars, including Billie Whitelaw, Hugh Griffith, and Victor Spinetti (and a cameo by Orson Welles)--yet this film flopped upon release, only to become a cult item among college students of the period. --Marshall Fine

Description

Gene Wilder and Donald Sutherland star as two sets of twins mixed up at birth -- one raised as an aristocrat, and the other as a peasant. They meet 30 years later on the eve of the French Revolution, where their mistaken identities create mass confusion.

Customer Reviews:

Wanted More.......2007-03-21

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.

Wonderful.......2007-01-16

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.

Bombs away.......2006-08-21

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.

Ignore the nay Sayers, this movie is genius comedy.......2005-10-11

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.

Smart ,Biting Satire.......2005-09-17

Being a fan of Gene Wilder I've loved this movie since I had first seen it over 15 years ago,and was glad to see it released on Dvd.The oomedy is very dry with a little slapstick and some sexual inuendo thrown in,all in good fun. highly recommend !!

Dr. Yesterday's Old Time News - French Dressing (1688) / Start The Revolution Without Me (1776)

Average customer rating:

Dr. Yesterday's Old Time News - French Dressing (1688) / Start The Revolution Without Me (1776)

ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
Product Features:

* FRENCH DRESSING (1688)
* START THE REVOLUTION WITHOUT ME (1776)

ASIN: B000MYKJCS

Product Description

Mix a contemporary and comical news team (Dr. Yesterday, played by Hamilton Camp, and Miss Information, played by Edie Adams) plus an incredible time machine. Then blend original music and magical moments in history, and here you have Dr. Yesterday's Old Time News. *** Watch George Washington cross the Delaware. See Lady Godiva takes her famous ride. Then stand beside America's founding fathers declare Independence and much more. Learning history has never been more fun.

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