Start the Revolution without Me Movie Review
What a difference nearly 30 years makes. When 1970's Start the Revolution Without Me was reviewed by Clive Hirschhorn in The Warner Bros. Story, he dismissed it as “a disappointing farce which squandered the talents of its two leading players.” Hmmph…. Well, it made me laugh hysterically in 1970 and it makes me laugh in 1999. My wise, witty, and wonderful friends Clinton and Raymond treasure the memories of the year they first saw this movie, which may explain why I became such kindred spirits with them when we met in the 1990s. “Revolution” must be one of those 10-letter words in movie marquees (like the seven-letter word “M-cb-th” spoken aloud in the theatre) that ensures bad luck at the boxoffice. Rent it, anyway. You won't be sorry. Presumably inspired by Alexandre Dumas’ The Corsican Brothers, Donald Sutherland and Gene Wilder play Philippe and Pierre, two snobby members of the nobility as well as Claude and Charles, two grubby members of the French revolution. Orson Welles’ booming voice accompanies the written clarification that it is 1789 and STILL 1789 every time there's a scene change. It's fated that the two sets of twins will meet and that when they do, a mess will ensue. Hugh Griffith is a gentle cuckold as King Louis; wearing the wrong outfit to a ball, he explains to all and sundry, “I thought it was a costume party!” Billie Whitelaw is the voluptuous Queen Marie, who invites her lovers to share her bed, even when Louis is occupying it. Victor Spinetti is the scheming Duke d'Esgargot and Helen (Repulsion) Fraser is Claude's girlfriend, who's convinced that the ethereal Princess Christina (Ewa Candy Aulin) is her sister. Jack MacGowran is Jacques the revolutionary, Murray Melvin is a blind man who really IS a blind man, Wilder pulls out all the stops as the twins who can't control their ambitions or their tempers (“I SHALL BE KING!”), and Sutherland tries a fey approach with his characters (“AND I SHALL BE QUEEN!”). The 91 minutes go by very fast and there's even a Dadaesque denouement to add to the fun. A guaranteed side splitter. Produced by Norman Lear.
1970 (PG) 91m/C GB Gene Wilder, Donald Sutherland, Orson Welles, Hugh Griffith, Jack MacGowran, Billie Whitelaw, Victor Spinetti, Ewa Aulin, Denise Coffey, Helen Fraser, Murray Melvin; D: Bud Yorkin; W: Lawrence J. Cohen, Fred Freeman; C: Jean Tournier; M: JohnAddison. VHS