Silent Movie

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Silent Movie

PG,

1976,

1h 26m,

Comedy

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Watchlist

80%

30 Reviews

Tomatometer

72%

10,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

80%

Tomatometer

30 Reviews

72%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

In this dialogue-free slapstick comedy, film director Mel Funn (Mel Brooks) travels to the ailing Big Picture Studios to pitch his comeback film: the first feature-length silent movie in many years. Desperate for a hit, the studio chief (Sid Caesar) gives Funn and his cronies, Eggs (Marty Feldman) and Bell (Dom DeLuise), the go-ahead — but only if they can get big celebrities to act in it. Excited, Funn begins an adventure across the country in his effort to secure superstars for his film.

Critics Consensus

Stylistically audacious and infectiously nostalgic for the dawn of cinema, Silent Movie is another comedic triumph for Mel Brooks... now shush.

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

Oct 23, 2004

4/4

Brooks has taken a considerably stylistic risk and pulled it off triumphantly.

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Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

Aug 28, 2026

3/5

…this is a mostly harmless and generally enjoyable comedy, and one that’s a pleasure to spot the various gags in. Brooks is a comic’s comic, and Silent Movie allows him plenty of scope to do his thing, quietly but effectively. …

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Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

Jul 20, 2024

3/10

It all goes on for too long – never losing steam because it struggled to gain it in the first place.

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Steve Warren

The Barb (Atlanta)

May 9, 2023

Silent Movie proves that Hollywood can still make a picture that's funny from start to finish. Nuff said.

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David Dugas

United Press International

Aug 3, 2022

A marvelously silly, good-natured comedy.

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Chase Burns

The Stranger (Seattle, WA)

Feb 1, 2022

The real gag is the slew of Hollywood actors who get recruited to star in this thing as themselves...

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Harry S

Jan 1, 2019

One of Brooks' most underrated movies, as there are some truly inspired gags (the carousel scene in particular is wonderfully outrageous) and the meta commentary is still relevant.

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George W

Jun 4, 2017

I had never actually seen 'Silent Movie' till now and for being filmed in 1976 many of the gags still hold up. I remember a few years ago purposely avoiding this movie because I knew it was literally a silent movie and did not want to see it for that reason. Now trying to expand my film knowledge, I can say I was dumb at the time a silent movie about making a silent movie is actually quite brilliant. With Brooks, Felfmand and DeLuise as the main characters they are on the A game each playing a piece of a wonderful puzzle and connecting with many great cameos from stars like Burt Reynolds and Bernadette Peters. This is also one of my favorite Sid Caesar performances that I have seen. Five minutes in I was already laughing at the slapstick gags very reminiscent of the actual old silent movies and stars of that time period. With only one word of dialogue, the lack of actual spoken word allows this movie to hold up over time because the gag setups are simple yet effective and not grounded by the use of technology or pop culture allowing them to still be funny on their own physical setups.

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Kylo G

Mar 5, 2017

Don't let the "silent" part put you off, this is one of Mel Brooks' best and funniest movies!

Theodore G

Sep 25, 2016

A sorely underappreciated film from Mel Brooks. Silent Movie's gimmick (filmed entirely without dialogue, save for one word) can potentially wear on viewers' nerves. Thankfully, its saved due to its total madcap style and over the top physical gags done to perfection by its talented cast. If you're looking for a different sort of comedy from Mel Brooks, then you should definitely check this one out. And even if you don't like it, the short running time will keep it from feeling too long.

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Mel Brooks

Director

Mel Brooks

Mel Funn

Marty Feldman

Marty Eggs

Dom DeLuise

Dom Bell

Bernadette Peters

Vilma Kaplan

Sid Caesar

Studio Chief

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Synopsis

In this dialogue-free slapstick comedy, film director Mel Funn (Mel Brooks) travels to the ailing Big Picture Studios to pitch his comeback film: the first feature-length silent movie in many years. Desperate for a hit, the studio chief (Sid Caesar) gives Funn and his cronies, Eggs (Marty Feldman) and Bell (Dom DeLuise), the go-ahead — but only if they can get big celebrities to act in it. Excited, Funn begins an adventure across the country in his effort to secure superstars for his film.

Director: Mel Brooks
Producer: Michael Hertzberg
Screenwriter: Ron Clark, Mel Brooks, Ron Clark, Rudy De Luca, Barry Levinson
Distributor: Key Video, 20th Century Fox
Production Co: Crossbow Productions
Rating: PG
Genre: Comedy
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 16, 1976, Wide
Release Date (DVD): Apr 4, 2006
Runtime: 1h 26m
Sound Mix: Stereo

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