A town—where everyone seems to be named Johnson—stands in the way of the railroad. In order to grab their land, robber baron Hedley Lamarr sends his henchmen to make life in the town unbearable. After the sheriff is killed, the town demands a new sheriff from the Governor, so Hedley convinces him to send the town the first black sheriff in the west.
Directed by Mel Brooks
governor
saloon
gun
parody
marching band
breaking the fourth wall
spoof
racism
railroad
interrupted hanging
cowboy
western town
western spoof
ceremony
frontier town
saloon girl
coot
self-referential
anarchic comedy
anachronistic
farting
Rank
#25 in 1974·#2185 overall
Trailer
IMDB
N/A
Letterboxd
3.8 / 5
Where to Watch
Cast
Cleavon Little
Bart
Gene Wilder
Jim
Slim Pickens
Taggart
Harvey Korman
Hedley Lamarr
Madeline Kahn
Lili Von Shtupp
Mel Brooks
Governor William J. Le Petomane / Indian Chief
Burton Gilliam
Lyle
Alex Karras
Mongo
David Huddleston
Olson Johnson
Liam Dunn
Rev. Johnson
John Hillerman
Howard Johnson
George Furth
Van Johnson
Crew
Mel Brooks
Director
Andrew Bergman
Screenplay
Mel Brooks
Screenplay
Norman Steinberg
Screenplay
Richard Pryor
Screenplay
John Morris
Original Music Composer
Joseph F. Biroc
Director of Photography
Alan Fama
Makeup Artist
Andrew Bergman
Story
Mel Brooks
Songs
Mel Brooks
Lyricist
John Morris
Songs
Popular Reviews
962 reviews
Jack
6.0★ · 03/24/26
Simply can’t help but enjoy the 4th wall break inception, but I really thought I’d have grown to appreciate this more, but it’s still disappointingly mid.
Simply can’t help but enjoy the 4th wall break inception, but I really thought I’d have grown to appreciate this more, but it’s still disappointingly mid.
1
brunettegsundae
8.0★ · 02/26/26
*–Thank you, Hedy, thank you
–It's not Hedy, it's Hedley. Hedley Lamarr
–What the hell are you worried about? This is 1874. You'll be able to sue her*
I live for the moment they get out of the movie and start going to other places. It’s so unexpected and so funny Some people like this movie for the wrong reasons. I like it because Mel Brooks is clever enough to make jokes about prejudiced people, and of course they’re the ones who won’t get it
*–Thank you, Hedy, thank you
–It's not Hedy, it's Hedley. Hedley Lamarr
–What the hell are you worried about? This is 1874. You'll be able to sue her*
I live for the moment they get out of the movie and start going to other places. It’s so unexpected and so funny Some people like this movie for the wrong reasons. I like it because Mel Brooks is clever enough to make jokes about prejudiced people, and of course they’re the ones who won’t get it
1
Sonia M
10.0★ · 04/25/26
Insane year for Mel Brooks.
Insane year for Mel Brooks.
Sam
9.0★ · 04/24/26
Wow I can’t believe I waited this long in my life to see this
Cult classic, can’t get enough Mel Brooks in my life
Wow I can’t believe I waited this long in my life to see this
Cult classic, can’t get enough Mel Brooks in my life
Henry Pransky
10.0★ · 04/17/26
Mel Brooks Heiling Hitler with a big dumb grin on his face
Mel Brooks Heiling Hitler with a big dumb grin on his face
