Blazing Saddles is a 1974 American satirical Western comedy film directed by Mel Brooks
The film stars Cleavon Little and Gene Wilder. Brooks appears in two supporting roles: Governor William J. Le Petomane, and a Yiddish-speaking Native American chief he also dubs lines for one of Lili Von Shtupp's backing troupe and a cranky moviegoer. The supporting cast includes Slim Pickens, Alex Karras and David Huddleston, as well as Brooks regulars Dom DeLuise, Madeline Kahn and Harvey Korman. Bandleader Count Basie has a cameo as himself, appearing with his orchestra.
On the American frontier of 1874, a new railroad under construction will have to be rerouted through the town of Rock Ridge to avoid quicksand. Realizing this will make Rock Ridge worth millions, territorial attorney general Hedley Lamarr plans to force Rock Ridge's residents out of the town and sends a gang of thugs led by his henchman Taggart to shoot the sheriff and trash the town.
Not wanting to go with Reverend Johnson's suggestion to leave, the other prominent citizens named Johnson lead the other townspeople in demanding that Governor William J. Le Petomane appoint a new sheriff to protect them. Lamarr persuades dim-witted Le Petomane to appoint Bart, a black railroad worker about to be executed for assaulting Taggart. A black sheriff, Lamarr reasons, will offend the townspeople, create chaos and leave Rock Ridge at his mercy.
After an initial hostile reception in which he takes himself hostage to escape, Bart relies on his quick wits and the assistance of Jim, an alcoholic gunslinger known as the Waco Kid, to overcome the townspeople's hostility. Bart subdues Mongo, an immensely strong and dim-witted, yet philosophical henchman sent to kill him, then outwits German seductress-for-hire Lili Von Shtupp at her own game, with Lili falling in love with him.
Upon release, Mongo vaguely informs Bart of Lamarr's connection to the railroad, so Bart and Jim visit the railroad worksite and discover from Bart's best friend Charlie that the railway is planned to go through Rock Ridge. Taggart and his men arrive to kill Bart, but Jim outshoots them and forces their retreat. Furious that his schemes have backfired, Lamarr has Taggart put out an ad for the enlistment of every criminal in the west. Answering the ad are a group of common criminals, motorcycle gangsters, Middle-eastern criminals on dromedaries, Nazi soldiers, and Ku Klux Klansmen.
Spoken languages: English
Subtitles: Danish,Swedish,Norwegian,Finnish
