Twelve Chairs (1970)

"...contains [Brooks'] unmistakable flavor of humor...  At-A-Glance Film Reviews

Editor's Note A stylish, frantic fable and one of director Mel Brooks's earliest films, THE TWELVE CHAIRS is a madcap mystery set in revolutionary Russia. An aging ex-nobleman of the czarist regime, Count I.M. Vorobyaninov (Ron Moody), has finally adjusted to life under the commissars in Russia. But when both he and the local priest, Father Fyodor (Dom DeLuise), find out that a fortune in the count's family jewels is hidden in a chair's upholstery--the chair being one of a set of 12--they each separately return to Moscow to find the hidden fortune. Along the way, the count enlists the aid of a thief (Frank Langella) in the hilarious treasure hunt. Closer in style to THE PRODUCERS than many of Brooks' other spoofs, THE TWELVE CHAIRS is an overlooked comedy gem. DeLuise gives an uproarious performance in which he employs slapstick and physical humor liberally. There is a human side to this film, too, just as there was with Zero Mostel's character, Max Bialystock, in THE PRODUCERS, in the form of Moody's Vorobyaninov. Based on a Russian novel, THE TWELVE CHAIRS marries neurotic humor and cultural dilemmas in the same vein as|classic Woody Allen films in later years.

	Andreas Voutsinas
	Dom DeLuise
	Frank Langella
	Ron Moody
	Alan Heim - Editor
	Djordje Nikolic - Cinematographer
	John Morris - Original Music By
	Mel Brooks - Director
	Mel Brooks, et. al. - Screenplay
	Michael Hertzberg - Producer
	"Mel Brooks, et. al." - Screenplay

A once-wealthy man discovers that his late mother-in-law stashed all her family jewels inside one of the 12 chairs from her dining room set. Resentful of having to work as a clerk after being impoverished by the Russian Revolution, Vorobyaninov sets out to reclaim his family fortune and his social standing. Unfortunately, he's not the only one on the lookout for the precious gems: Both the priest who hears the mother-in-law's confession and an opportunistic adventurer want their share of the booty. What follows is a hilarious search for the dining room set, which has been sold piecemeal and scattered all over the country. Reel.com 8 of 10
"Compared to Brooks' usually broad comic swipes, The Twelve Chairs is decidedly low-key, though Brooksian flourishes abound from the film's theme song, ""Hope for the Best (Expect the Worst),"" to sight gags at the expense of Soviet bureaucracy (Bender's visit to a national furniture registry yields ""Bureau of Bureaus and Dressers"" and ""Bureau of Furniture Not Listed in Other Bureaus"" among its departments) to pixillated, slapstick chases. The humor is milder, though, and less frantic than much of Brooks' work." - Pam Grady

Qwipster's Movie Reviews 7 of 10
"The Twelve Chairs is primarily recommended for fans of Mel Brooks, and for insatiably curious movie-watchers looking for hidden gems they may have overlooked. Although I can't quite give it a personal recommendation, the performances are enough to keep most of the film afloat, and and far as Mel Brooks films go, it's probably the most palatable to watch with the whole family. Over the years, Brooks has shown that he's not exactly the master of subtle comedy, but the attempt is interesting to see. I suspect that after his experience making this one, he too realized that bawdy, broad farce was the way for him to go in the future." - Vince Leo