Start the Revolution Without Me

1970
PG
1h 30m

IMDb RATING

6.4/10

3.3K

YOUR RATING

Donald Sutherland and Gene Wilder in Start the Revolution Without Me (1970)

Play trailer3:06

1 Video

21 Photos

Parody Satire Comedy History

Two mismatched sets of identical twins, one aristocrat, one peasant, mistakenly exchange identities on the eve of the French Revolution.Two mismatched sets of identical twins, one aristocrat, one peasant, mistakenly exchange identities on the eve of the French Revolution.Two mismatched sets of identical twins, one aristocrat, one peasant, mistakenly exchange identities on the eve of the French Revolution.

Director
- Bud Yorkin
Writers
- Fred Freeman
- Lawrence J. Cohen
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.4/10

3.3K

YOUR RATING

Director
- Bud Yorkin
Writers
- Fred Freeman
- Lawrence J. Cohen
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 1 nomination

Trivia
Gene Wilder already was adept with a sword from his days on his college fencing team.

Goofs
Twentieth century buses visible on a bridge in background of swordfight.

Quotes
Duke d'Escargot: What brings you to Paris?
Claude: Oh, you might say a little business...
Charles: ...and a little pleasure.
Duke d'Escargot: Which do you prefer? Business, or pleasure?
Charles: Well that depends on what you regard as business.
Claude: And, what you may regard as pleasure!
Duke d'Escargot: In Paris we say, business is pleasure.
Charles: And to us, pleasure is our business.
Duke d'Escargot: Then your business should be a pleasure, making my pleasure a business.
Claude: Unless, some mistake business for pleasure. While others know no business but pleasure.
Duke d'Escargot: In that case sir I will show you my business.
Claude: My pleasure.

Connections
Edited into The New Erotic Adventures of Casanova (1977)

User reviews72

Review

Featured review

slapstick with a hefty dose of farce.

This film takes slapstick and douses it with farce at absurd proportions. It delivers laugh after laugh with no thought as to its higher purpose. Its Brechtian nature turns the fourth wall into a comedian's stage and pokes fun not only of the story, but of the conventions used to tell it. Fabulous performances by Gene Wilder and Donald Sutherland are even more exciting when we think of the nuances they bring to each of their characters. Hugh Griffith turns in a charming performance as a King who is nothing more than a chicken with a crown.

This is a must see for anyone excited by classic slapstick-style comedy.