Silent Movie (1976) on Netflix
Mel Funn, a down-on-his-luck director, wants to shoot a silent movie, the first in forty years. With Marty Eggs and Dom Bell, he chases stars to save a studio from a takeover.
- Netflix3.3/5
- IMDb6.7/1019,886 votes
- Rotten Tomatoes79%
Trailer
Plot summary
Mel Funn, a once-great Hollywood director recovering from a drinking problem, brings an idea to the chief of a struggling studio: the first silent feature in forty years. The chief turns him down until Funn promises to fill it with the industry's biggest stars, which would keep the New York conglomerate Engulf & Devour from taking the studio over. With his sidekicks Marty Eggs and Dom Bell, Funn sets out to recruit them, surprising one star in his shower, another on location and a mime who takes a phone call. Engulf and Devour want the project stopped, and the search runs through misadventures of its own, including a vending machine that fires cans and a look-alike dog taken for a guide dog.
Cast
Did you know?!Facts and trivia about Silent Movie (1976)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- The film was the first notable acting role for Mel Brooks, who had previously been limited to offscreen voiceovers and short cameos.
- The only spoken word in this silent comedy comes from a mime: Funn telephones Marcel Marceau, who answers in French with a resounding "Non!" Bell asks, "What did he say?" and Funn replies, "I don't know. I don't understand French!"
- The villainous conglomerate Engulf & Devour is a parody of the real-life conglomerate Gulf and Western Industries, which had acquired Paramount Pictures.
