When I saw 'Evil Roy Slade' on daytime television sometime in the '80's, I assumed it was intended to cash-in on the success of Mel Brooks' 'Blazing Saddles' ( 1974 ). The made-for-television comedy Western features a few of Brooks' supporting players, as well as employing a similar mad-cap sense of humour.
John Astin ( 'Gomez' from 'The Addams Family' ) plays the titular character, an outlaw whom no-one has ever loved, a man with a fondness for wearing black and robbing banks and trains, usually those belonging to millionaire 'Nelson Stool' ( Mickey Rooney ), known in some quarters as 'Stubby Index Finger' on account of his...stubby index finger ( cowboys even sing songs about it ). Whilst robbing a bank, Slade meets and falls for ( and who wouldn't? ) the lovely schoolteacher 'Betsy Potter' ( Pamela Austen ). She wants him to go straight, and he is so smitten with her he agrees. But to do this he needs £50,000. As he does not have it ( his gang blew all their ill-gotten gains on bullets and spilt whisky ), he decides to steal it. Tired of forever being robbed by Slade, Stool brings out of retirement the legendary Marshal Bing Bell ( Dick Shawn )...
Like I said, I thought this was a 'Blazing Saddles' knock-off until I saw it was made in 1972 - two years before Brooks' picture broke new ground ( and wind ) in comedy. It was written by Jerry Belson and Garry Marshall, the team behind the hit series 'The Odd Couple' ( Marshall later directed 'Pretty Woman' starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere ). Though as you would expect it is nowhere near as vulgar as Brooks' film, it occasionally manages to get a bit near the knuckle, such as Slade forcing a crippled man to dance by shooting at his legs, a blacksmith turning out to be a black man named Smith, and Dom DeLuise's outrageously gay psychiatrist. The director, Jerry Paris, later made several entries in the 'Police Academy' franchise.
Though Rooney gets top billing, its Astin's film and he's great, though basically 'Gomez' in a stetson. Milton Berle is also good as Betsy's well-meaning uncle, who gets Slade a job in a shoe shop. When shoes won't fit the feet of one customer, Slade whacks them with a stick so as to make them swell up. The worst part for Slade about going straight is having to make do without his guns. As soon as he takes them off, he finds he cannot walk! But the film really hits its comic stride with the arrival of 'Marshal Bing Bell', hilariously played by the late Dick Shawn. The character is a parody of 'singing cowboys' such as Roy Rogers. The sight of him galloping across the prairie in a Liberace-styled white suit covered in sequins and singing a flat song on a guitar is hysterical.
Funniest moment - Slade gatecrashes Betsy's wedding, only to find he has been lured into a trap. Everyone present - including the caterers - have brought along guns. The only one without is the organist!
Things To Look Out For - a small appearance by Penny Marshall as a bank teller. She later became famous through playing 'Laverne' in the hit sitcom 'Laverne & Shirley'.
John Astin ( 'Gomez' from 'The Addams Family' ) plays the titular character, an outlaw whom no-one has ever loved, a man with a fondness for wearing black and robbing banks and trains, usually those belonging to millionaire 'Nelson Stool' ( Mickey Rooney ), known in some quarters as 'Stubby Index Finger' on account of his...stubby index finger ( cowboys even sing songs about it ). Whilst robbing a bank, Slade meets and falls for ( and who wouldn't? ) the lovely schoolteacher 'Betsy Potter' ( Pamela Austen ). She wants him to go straight, and he is so smitten with her he agrees. But to do this he needs £50,000. As he does not have it ( his gang blew all their ill-gotten gains on bullets and spilt whisky ), he decides to steal it. Tired of forever being robbed by Slade, Stool brings out of retirement the legendary Marshal Bing Bell ( Dick Shawn )...
Like I said, I thought this was a 'Blazing Saddles' knock-off until I saw it was made in 1972 - two years before Brooks' picture broke new ground ( and wind ) in comedy. It was written by Jerry Belson and Garry Marshall, the team behind the hit series 'The Odd Couple' ( Marshall later directed 'Pretty Woman' starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere ). Though as you would expect it is nowhere near as vulgar as Brooks' film, it occasionally manages to get a bit near the knuckle, such as Slade forcing a crippled man to dance by shooting at his legs, a blacksmith turning out to be a black man named Smith, and Dom DeLuise's outrageously gay psychiatrist. The director, Jerry Paris, later made several entries in the 'Police Academy' franchise.
Though Rooney gets top billing, its Astin's film and he's great, though basically 'Gomez' in a stetson. Milton Berle is also good as Betsy's well-meaning uncle, who gets Slade a job in a shoe shop. When shoes won't fit the feet of one customer, Slade whacks them with a stick so as to make them swell up. The worst part for Slade about going straight is having to make do without his guns. As soon as he takes them off, he finds he cannot walk! But the film really hits its comic stride with the arrival of 'Marshal Bing Bell', hilariously played by the late Dick Shawn. The character is a parody of 'singing cowboys' such as Roy Rogers. The sight of him galloping across the prairie in a Liberace-styled white suit covered in sequins and singing a flat song on a guitar is hysterical.
Funniest moment - Slade gatecrashes Betsy's wedding, only to find he has been lured into a trap. Everyone present - including the caterers - have brought along guns. The only one without is the organist!
Things To Look Out For - a small appearance by Penny Marshall as a bank teller. She later became famous through playing 'Laverne' in the hit sitcom 'Laverne & Shirley'.