A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966): Cast & Plot
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is a 1966 music comedy directed by Richard Lester, starring Zero Mostel as Pseudolus, Michael Hordern and Patricia Jessel. It runs 1 hour 39 minutes.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 39m (99 min)
- Director
- Richard Lester
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- United Artists
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum About?
The premise of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
Something for Everyone! A wily slave must unite a virgin courtesan and his young smitten master to earn his freedom.
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- based on stage musical
- cross dressing
- identity swap
- child kidnapping
- kidnapping
- neo screwball comedy
- italy
- sex comedy
- based on broadway musical
- farce comedy
- actor recreates his stage role
- dice
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- hyena
- side boob
- litter
- roman slave
- slave trade
- sexual attraction
- female bare back
- woman dancing in a bikini
- toga
- seductive dancing
- drummer
- marble bust
- identical twin sisters
- waterskiing
- brother and sister reunited
- roman orgy
- cleavage
- acrobats
- camera shot of a woman's bare feet
- freed slave
- man staring at woman's cleavage
- love triangle
- man disguised as a woman
- close up of a woman's cleavage
- person thought dead is alive
- ring
- close up of eyes
- climbing out a window
- hourglass
- real life sisters playing sisters
- strapless bra
- scantily clad woman
- viaduct
- man collapses in the street
- scroll
- foot washing ceremony
- gender disguise
- eye shadow
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Cast & Characters
Zero Mostel leads the cast as Pseudolus, with Michael Hordern as Senex and Patricia Jessel as Domina. Directed by Richard Lester; 35 actors are credited in all.
-
Director Richard Lester
-
Zero Mostel as Pseudolus -
Michael Hordern as Senex - Patricia Jessel as Domina
- Michael Crawford as Hero
Also Starring in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
· 31 more- Annette Andre Phillia
- Ricardo Palacios Marcus Lycus's Eunuch (uncredited)
- Phil Silvers Marcus Lycus
- Leon Greene Miles Gloriosus
- John Bluthal Roman Chief Guard
- Peter Butterworth Roman Sentry
- Andrew Faulds Roman
- Inga Nielsen Gymnasia
- Jack Gilford Hysterium
- Buster Keaton Erronius
- Jennifer Baker Geminae #1
- Susan Baker Geminae #2
- Joaquín Gómez Aerialist (uncredited)
- Roy Kinnear Gladiator Instructor
- Alfie Bass Gatekeeper
- Jack May Shopkeeper
Show all 35 cast members Show fewer cast members
- Pamela Brown High Priestess
- Jon Pertwee Crassus
- Frank Thornton Slave Driver
- Bill Kerr Gladiator-in-Training
- John Bennett Pseudolus' mark
- Ingrid Pitt Courtesan (uncredited)
- Thurl Ravenscroft
- Ronnie Brody Roman Soldier
- Beatrix Lehmann Domina's Mother
- Helen Funai Tintinabula
- Frank Elliott
- Myrna White Vibrata
- Lucienne Bridou Panacea
- Janet Webb Fertilla
- Joey Hamlin Young boy (uncredited)
More from Richard Lester
More films directed by Richard Lester, best-rated first: Superman II, The Three Musketeers, Robin and Marian and Help!.
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Plot Summary
What happens in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
In ancient Rome during the reign of Emperor Nero, Pseudolus Zero Mostel is the lyingest, cheatingest, sloppiest slave in all of Rome, and his one burning wish is to buy his freedom from his master’s pair of quarrelsome owners, Senex Michael Hordern and Domina Patricia Jessel. When Senex’s naïve son Hero falls for Philia Annette Andre, a young beauty from the house of Marcus Lycus Phil Silvers, Pseudolus sees a chance to turn gratitude into freedom. Philia, destined to become a courtesan, is already spoken for by the formidable Miles Gloriosus Leon Greene, who is marching home from Crete to claim his prize. To secure Philia for Hero, Pseudolus makes a bold deal: help Hero win the girl, and Pseudolus will earn his release.
Full summary
The whole story of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, scene by scene
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Trailers & Videos
5 videos: 2 trailers and 3 clips.
- Trailer Classic Trailer
- Clip Pseudolus's Deal
- Clip Hero Meets Philia
- Clip Where Is My Bride
How Well Do You Know A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
Which actor portrays the scheming slave Pseudolus?
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Also Known As
14 alternative titles, including “Em Roma... era assim” and “Um Escravo das Arábias em Roma”.
- Also known as
-
- Em Roma... era assim
- Um Escravo das Arábias em Roma
- Le Forum en folie
- Golfus de Roma
- Toll Trieben es die alten Römer
- Dolci vizi al foro
- Ez mind megtörtént útban a Fórum felé
- Смешное происшествие по дороге на Форум
- Der skete noget skægt på vejen til Forum
- Algo gracioso sucedió camino del foro
- 春光满古城
- 퍼니 씽 해펀드 온 더 웨이 투 더 포럼
+2 more Show fewer
- Cestou na fórum se stala divná věc
- En kul grej hände på väg till Forum
Seen A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum?
Movies Like A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Roman Scandals, A Funny Girl and Speak Easily.
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum FAQ: Cast & Runtime
Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, each answered in a sentence.
How long is A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum?
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum runs 1 hour 39 minutes (99 minutes).
When was A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum released?
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum was released on October 16, 1966.
Who directed A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum?
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum was directed by Richard Lester.
More films by Richard Lester Who is in the cast of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum?
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum stars Zero Mostel as Pseudolus, Michael Hordern as Senex and Patricia Jessel as Domina, among 35 credited actors.
Does A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum have a post-credit scene?
No. A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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