Warren, in particular, shines as a bag lady prone to manic episodes. But Brooks has a captivating presence on camera, and the supporting actors ( Lesley Ann Warren and Theodore Wilson as fellow derelicts) turn in great work. Sometimes the film commits too hard, with the death of one character being treated too depressingly for a movie with the silly kind of gags it has. Instead of a laugh-a-minute romp, this modern treatment of How the Other Half Lives tells of a rich executive (Brooks) floundering on the streets to win a bet, and the results are more morality tale than comedy. Also a rarity in that it was a critical and commercial failure, grossing just $4 million on a $13 million budget. And luckily, there's nothing as bad as that fabled production of Springtime for Hitler from The Producers.Ī rare non-parody for the comedy auteur. Let's examine and rank, from worst to best, the filmography of one of the most prolific American comic directors and writers of the 20th century. And it's that anarchic spirit that make his filmography so eminently watchable. If there's a common trait to any of the man's films, it's his pure commitment to the laugh Brooks will tear down the fabric of the worlds his films occupy for a single chuckle. Content to make fun of anything and everything, Brooks' films run the gamut of witty, irreverent and vulgar. That's especially true for the one-of-a-kind writer, producer, director, actor and EGOT recipient Mel Brooks, whose brand of broad slapstick mines the depth of human despair and manages to find the comedy inherent in bleakness. Comedy is when you fall into an open sewer and die" might be one of the best ethos for a comedian, game to do anything for a laugh.
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