Mel Brooks directs Ron Moody, Frank Langella and Dom DeLuise in this period farce where a hiding aristocrat’s inheritance is hidden in one of twelve dining chairs that are being shipped around Soviet Russia.

Essentially The Good, The Bad And The Ugly in post revolutionary USSR. Only with slapstick instead of six shooters. The location shoot is handsome but only the all to brief appearance of Mel himself really has any hilarity to it. Not a patch on his best spoofs but at least it has a plot, rounded characters and a satirical strictness. The Twelve Chairs actually is a passable matinee filler. Surprised it still isn’t in the telly broadcast rotation. Coasts on charm and potential after a strong set up.

6

Perfect Double Bill: The Producers (1969)