Watch Blazing Saddles

Blazing Saddles is a 1974 western comedy directed by Mel Brooks and starring Cleavon Little, Gene Wilder, and Slim Pickens. The film is set in the late 19th century and follows Bart, a black railroad worker who becomes the first black sheriff of Rock Ridge, a small Western town. Bart encounters racism and bigotry from the town's residents, including the corrupt and racist Taggart (played by Slim Pickens) and his gang. Alongside the help of a drunken gunslinger named Jim (played by Gene Wilder), Bart attempts to save the town from Taggart and his cronies.

The film is known for its irreverent humor, lampooning various Western tropes and stereotypes. It mocks everything from the archetype of the heroic cowboy to the prevalence of casual racism in Western films. The humor is often quite biting, and the film has been criticized for its use of racial slurs, but it is still considered a classic of the genre.

One of the most iconic scenes in the film is when a group of cowboys sit around a campfire eating beans and farting, with the sounds becoming increasingly loud and ridiculous. The scene is a perfect example of the film's brand of humor: crude, but undeniably funny. Other memorable moments include a scene in which Bart stages a fake hanging to scare off Taggart's gang, and a musical number where Bart and Jim perform a song-and-dance routine.

The film was a commercial success, earning over $119 million at the box office and becoming the third-highest-grossing film of 1974. However, it was not without controversy. The film's frequent use of racist language – albeit in a satirical context – has been a point of contention for many critics. Nevertheless, Blazing Saddles remains a cult classic and is widely regarded as one of the funniest and most influential comedies of all time.

In conclusion, Blazing Saddles is an unapologetically profane and politically incorrect comedy that skewers the Western genre with gleeful abandon. It is not for the faint of heart – or the easily offended – but those who can appreciate its irreverent humor will find themselves laughing out loud from start to finish. Whether you're a fan of Westerns or just enjoy a good laugh, Blazing Saddles is a film that's not to be missed.

Blazing Saddles is a 1974 western with a runtime of 1 hour and 33 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.7 and a MetaScore of 73.