History of the World, Part I (1981)
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A sprawling anthology comedy parodies various historical eras and film genres, from the Stone Age to the French Revolution.
The story
History of the World, Part I is an anthology comedy that parodies the epic film genre and period costume dramas. The narrative is divided into four main segments set in distinct historical periods: the Stone Age, the Roman Empire, the Spanish Inquisition, and the French Revolution. Between these segments, the film includes various skits, such as the giving of the Ten Commandments and the Last Supper. Narrated by Orson Welles, the film features a large ensemble cast and explores different historical milestones through a lens of farce and comedy.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
The film is a parody of the epic film genre, featuring four main segments. In the Stone Age, cavemen experience the invention of fire, art, and marriage. During the Old Testament, Moses receives the Law from God but accidentally breaks one of the stone tablets. In the Roman Empire, a stand-up philosopher named Comicus travels with his agent and a friend, eventually performing for Emperor Nero and escaping a gladiatorial fight. The segment then transitions to a scene of the Last Supper. The Spanish Inquisition segment is a musical parody featuring Torquemada. Finally, during the French Revolution, a king is replaced by a look-alike named Jacques. After a series of mishaps involving a woman seeking to free her father, the characters eventually escape in a cart pulled by a horse named Miracle, ending with a mock teaser for a sequel.
- First release year
- 1981
- Runtime (minutes)
- 92
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Mel Brooks
- Writers
- Mel Brooks · writer
- Cast and characters
- Mel Brooks · Moses, Comicus, Torquemada, Jacques and King Louis XVI; Dom DeLuise · Emperor Nero; Madeline Kahn · Empress Nympho; Harvey Korman · Count de Monet; Cloris Leachman · Madame Defarge; Ron Carey · Swiftus; Gregory Hines · Josephus; Pamela Stephenson · Mademoiselle Rimbaud; Shecky Greene · Marcus Vindictus; Sid Caesar · Chief Caveman; Mary-Margaret Humes · Miriam; Orson Welles · Narrator
- Genres
- comedy; parody; musical
- Themes
- History; Satire
- Tone and mood
- Farce; Humorous
- Setting
- Various historical periods including the Stone Age, the Roman Empire, the Spanish Inquisition, and the French Revolution.
- Premise and plot tags
- Anthology; Period Piece; Satire
- Source material / true-story basis
- The History of the World by Sir Walter Raleigh
- Content notes
- Language; Violence; Drug use
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews, with critics praising Mel Brooks' comedic timing and the humor of the skits while criticizing the lack of narrative cohesion and the inclusion of mean-spirited or crude jokes.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 62% · scale: percentage · review count: 37; Metacritic · score: 47 · scale: 100 · review count: 9
- Production trivia
- The title is a play on a book by Sir Walter Raleigh.; A scene involving the Three Mile Island accident was removed from the final cut.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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