Blazing Saddles | Mel Brooks' Iconic 1974 Comedy Western | Retro Cinema Classics

In this hilarious Mel Brooks spoof of Westerns, crafty railroad worker Bart (Cleavon Little) becomes the first black sheriff of the frontier town of Rock Ridge, which is about to be destroyed to make way for a new railroad. Initially, the townspeople harbor racial biases against their unconventional new leader. However, they warm to Bart and his perpetually drunk gunfighter friend (Gene Wilder) after realizing they are the only defense against a wave of thugs sent to rid the town of its population. This ribald and irreverent classic pokes fun at the Western genre and its tropes, sparing no one and nothing.

The corrupt governor grants a reprieve to an African American convict on the condition that he serve as sheriff of the small Western town, believing the new sheriff will only live long enough to serve the governor and a nefarious railroad baron. While the supporting cast was filled with Hollywood icons like Madeline Kahn and Slim Pickens, there were two notable exceptions - former Detroit Lions tackle Alex Karras as the dimwitted Mongo, and adult magazine model Robyn Hilton as the buxom secretary to the wacky Governor William J. Lepetomane (played by Brooks himself).

Set up to fail

Bart, our heroic protagonist, had endured relentless mistreatment and racial slurs while working on a remote railroad track gang in the West. Fed up, he struck his foreman over the head with a shovel. Bart was then taken to the state capitol to be hanged. However, he found himself unwittingly entangled in a devious scheme hatched by the frontier politician Hedley Lamar.

Lamar, knowing the land around the new railroad was extremely valuable, sought to drive the townspeople of Rock Ridge from their homes. To execute this plan, Lamar convinced the dim-witted Governor William J. Le Petomane to appoint Bart as the West's first black sheriff. Lamar believed that the unsuspecting townspeople would immediately shoot Bart dead on sight, clearing the way for Lamar to claim the lucrative land for himself. Blinded by political ambition, the gullible Le Petomane agreed, hoping the controversial appointment would earn him a presidential nomination.

Bart's arrival in Rock Ridge was anything but warm. The residents were outraged by their new sheriff and, as expected, wanted him dead. However, Bart was able to outwit them by exploiting their prejudices and lack of education, pulling off a clever ruse to secure his position. Though the townspeople no longer sought to kill him, they refused to engage with him. Surprisingly, when the notorious outlaw Mongo came to town, Bart was called upon to drive him out. Bart succeeded in defeating Mongo through a series of clever stunts, as shooting him would only anger him further. After this victory, the people of Rock Ridge were reluctantly open to accepting Bart as their sheriff.

I used to be known as the Waco Kid

The life of a gunslinger in the American West was fraught with danger. If one was skilled with a gun, they often earned a notorious reputation, attracting other ego-driven gunslingers seeking to test their mettle. These confrontations on the dusty streets of frontier towns frequently ended in the death of one participant, making it a high-risk profession where survival was never guaranteed.

Imagine the daily experience of a famed gunslinger like "The Waco Kid." Undoubtedly, such a renowned figure would be constantly harassed by upstart "prairie punks" eager to take down the legend. The incessant challenges to "draw" must have made for an exhausting, high-pressure existence, where one's life could be on the line at any moment. The Wild West was indeed a harsh and unforgiving place for these skilled, yet vulnerable, marksmen.

On an inauspicious day, The Kid heard the all-too-familiar command, "Reach for it, mister." Spinning around with guns drawn, he found himself facing an 8-year-old boy. This was the final straw for the renowned western gunfighter. The Kid threw down his weapons and began to walk away, but the audacious child seized the opportunity and shot The Waco Kid in the tuchus. As the legend goes, The Waco Kid then retreated into a bottle of whiskey, never to be seen again.

The legend, however, didn't tell the whole story, The Waco Kid would eventually find redemption by teaming up with the outcast Sheriff Bart to protect the town of Rock Ridge from the corrupt politician Hedley Lamarr, the sexually preoccupied Governor William J. Lepetomane, and their band of henchmen who schemed to use the "Old Number Six" to take advantage of the town's unsuspecting and generally peaceful residents.

The Frontier Ballad of the Goddess of Desire

"Here I stand, the goddess of desire
Set men on fire
I have this power
Morning, noon, and night, it's dwink and dancing
Some quick womancing
And then a shower.
Stage door Johnnies constantly suwwound me
They always hound me, with one wequest
Who can satisfy their lustful habits?
I'm not a wabbit.
I need some we...
...est

I've been with thousands of men
again and again
they promise the moon
they're always coming and going and going and coming... and always too soon.

Right, girls?"

That's an excerpt from the popular 1870s song "I'm Tired" was performed by one of the era's most renowned entertainers, Lili Von Schtupp.

Lili Von Schtupp was one of the most captivating saloon singers of the Wild West. With her sultry voice and bewitching charm, she had the power to seduce even the most powerful men. Hired by the corrupt politician Hedley Lamar to seduce and crush the spirit of Sheriff Bart of Rock Ridge, Lili instead found herself falling deeply in love. Rather than betraying Bart, she used her influence to help drive the outlaws out of town, demonstrating a tenacity and loyalty that defied expectations. Though Lili and Bart never married, their enduring love and mutual respect left an indelible mark on the frontier.
 

A pawn in the game of life

Being the enforcer is a thankless job. You work tirelessly behind the scenes, ensuring everything runs smoothly, but your efforts often go unrecognized. The occasional pat on the back or occasional cigar from the boss provides little solace when the townspeople recoil at your mere presence, regarding you as some monstrous villain.

So What if you punched out a horse.

Yet beneath your imposing exterior lies a man of honor who takes simple pleasures in life, just like them. When an adversary like Sheriff Bart outmaneuvers you through clever ruses, you can't help but feel a sense of kinship and respect. That experience opens your eyes - you've been a pawn all along, but now it's time to forge new alliances and fight for a cause you truly believe in, protecting the innocent.

Authentic Frontier Gibberish

This world needs courageous individuals willing to boldly proclaim the unvarnished truth, no matter how unpopular. For when a crisis looms, many may be tempted to remain silent or retreat, but true leaders must stand firm and voice the facts plainly. One such figure is Gabby Johnson, who, when his town faced peril and even the pastor prepared to flee, stood resolute and spoke his mind without hesitation.

The passion behind the message is what truly matters, even if the words themselves are not easily understood.

Here it is translated, "I wash born here, an I wash raished here, and dad gum it, I am gonna die here, an no sidewindin' bushwackin', hornswagglin' cracker croaker is gonna rouin me bishen cutter."

Olsen Johnson grasped the meaning behind old Gabby's incoherent mumblings stating, "Now who can argue with that? I think we're all indebted to Gabby Johnson for clearly stating what needed to be said. I'm particularly glad that these lovely children were here today to hear that speech. Not only was it authentic frontier gibberish, it expressed a courage little seen in this day and age."

Speak your mind openly, even if others struggle to understand your message.

Being a frontier governor comes with a large set of executive privileges

When one climbs the ladder to power and prominence, certain privileges often come with a lofty title. Consider a hardworking secretary, for example. You need someone by your side who understands your needs and is there to take dictation out on the parapet at a moment's notice. Miss Stein, the assistant to the sexually voracious prairie governor William J. Le Petomane, is just such a woman. Though seemingly innocent and ambitious, she is always ready to attend to the governor's affairs (of state), though her position may seem innocuous, she is a capable woman.

Good always triumphs over evil, especially when the villains aren't very bright

The moral of many a western tale is that good will always triumph over evil and injustice. This was the case in the story of Bart, the west's first sheriff of color, and his steady, sober companion Jim. Through the combined efforts of the often misguided townspeople of Rock Ridge, they defeated the corrupt governor and his henchmen.

The townspeople executed a clever ruse, erecting an exact duplicate of the town overnight. When the foolish raiders mistook it for the real town, they fell victim to the former Waco Kid's pinpoint dynamite detonation from a nearby mountain. Disoriented, the bad guys were then set upon by hordes of townspeople descending from the hills, sending them running.

Satisfied with the outcome, Bart and Jim mounted their trusty steeds and rode off into the sunset, cementing their story in the annals of western lore.