TeenzTen
An action-packed slog
Teddie Blake
The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.
Zandra
The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.
Walter Sloane
Mostly, the movie is committed to the value of a good time.
makers6947-465-331326
The theme song begins: "Evil Roy Slade makes fun of old people..." This movie has no weaknesses. Astin's facial expressions alone could carry it. The jokes never let up. I suspect the weighting factor on this movie is an ignorance on the part of the weigher of the broad, campy comedies of that era. It is either that, or the weigher is totally bereft of a sense of humor. I suggest the weigher watch and attempt to understand "The Great Race", "Murder By Death", "The Cheap Detective" (interestingly all three of these contain Peter Falk), "The Villain", "Casino Royale", and "What's New Pussycat" (These last two have Peter Sellers.). "Get Smart" and "Batman" are television examples. "Evil Roy Slade" gives several actors opportunities to deliver beautifully written lines, which they do with great style. I searched for years and finally got a DVD of it (I don't remember where.). John Astin is a genius.
docnakona@aol.com
Cult Classic 1970s movie. Decent production values and amazing comedic writing, it is hard to believe that it was made for TV and not an original cinema release. Great writing and John Astin (Mr. Addams in the Addams family TV show and Sean Astin's adopted father) was simultaneously hilarious and sublime. Parallel to Steve Martin's "The Jerk", the Evil Roy character was abandoned at birth and had to make his own way in the world. Evil Roy grew up tough and the "meanest villain in the West" but softens when he meets a schoolmarm. The late (and crazy) Dick Shawn was brilliant as Marshall Bing Bell ("Someone's at the door"). Although this movie probably hasn't aged well in the You Tube generation, it remains one of my favorite comedies... and more importantly to me ... it was my Dad's favorite comedy of all time.
bkoganbing
Before there was Blazing Saddles, Garry Marshall took the same satirical pen to the old west and the old western that Mel Brooks did and manage to fashion Evil Roy Slade. With John Astin in the title role, the film is about an outlaw who no matter how hard he tries just can't seem to change his lawbreaking ways. Even with the incentive of schoolmarm Pamela Austin and a marriage promise, Astin is unredeemable.This film seems like a mini reunion of It's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World with key roles in the comedy going to Edie Adams, Milton Berle, Mickey Rooney, and Dick Shawn. Rooney has some good scenes as the railroad tycoon who Astin keeps robbing, especially with Henry Gibson playing Rooney's not too bright son. Very similar to how Mel Brooks cast himself as the governor in Blazing Saddles.Shawn also in the end may prove to be the last singing cowboy ever to grace the big screen. Check in his scene how one of those early RCA phonographs is playing a modern LP of Shawn warbling some cowboy ditties. Shawn is the retired marshal who Rooney lures out of retirement to get Astin. Very good work by him as well. Sad to say that Evil Roy Slade was put into the shade somewhat by the better known and bigger budgeted Blazing Saddles. Still this is a very funny film with a lot of talented people at their best.
Martin McGlone
This is one of my all time favourite comedy movies. There are so many gags and one liners. One of the funniest; Evil Roy is firing his gun through an open window from inside a house during a shootout. Realising that the window is in fact open, he reaches up, pulls the sash shut, smashes the glass with his pistol and carries on shooting; thus maintaining his "evilness". The casting is perfect and the whole project gels together to make a memorable film. John Astin is hilarious as Evil Roy. Not only does he deliver his lines perfectly his pantomime and facial expressions are fantastic. I imagine that this movie is very well known in the US. Not too many people in the UK have heard of it. I'd be very interested to know if this is the case.
