Line #17 Film/StartTheRevolutionWithoutMe


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8	''Start the Revolution Without Me'' is a 1970 historical comedy film, spoofing both the [[UsefulNotes/TheFrenchRevolution French Revolution]] and the novella [[Creator/AlexandreDumas The Corsican Brothers]]. It stars Creator/GeneWilder and Creator/DonaldSutherland as two sets of twins (one set aristocratic, the other peasantry) who are switched at birth after the delivery doctor confuses the two sets; he mixes the pairs so that each couple gets at least one of their own babies. Years later, on the eve of the French Revolution, hilarity ensues as each pair plays a role in the upcoming events.
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10	Creator/OrsonWelles introduces and narrates the film, which was produced and directed by Bud Yorkin just before he and executive producer Creator/NormanLear created TV's ''Series/AllInTheFamily''.
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12	!!This film provides examples of the following tropes:
13	%% * AffectionateParody: [[Creator/AlexandreDumas The Corsican Brothers]].
14	* AgentPeacock: Pierre. He may be a dandy, but he is a physically deadly one.
15	* ArtisticLicenseHistory: The film is somewhat of a parody of various historical fiction works about the French Revolution, and is not particularly concerned with the historical accuracy of events. The costuming, props, locations, and sets are, however, surprisingly historically accurate.
16	* BreakingTheFourthWall: [[spoiler:Hilariously done in the ending, when certain characters from the story show up to kill narrator Creator/OrsonWelles. They then kill each other.]]
17	* ButtMonkey: The King. Louis is made a complete fool throughout the film, starting with the first scene he is in, when Lt. Sorel promises to take the letter to the de Sisi brothers, but immediately hands it over to d'Escargot and Marie Antoinette.
18	* CampGay: Pierre. When Philippe starts commenting on everything he'll own in France (once he is made King), Pierre counter-comments with all of the "softer and lighter" versions of everything Philippe describes.
19	-->'''Philippe:''' '''''ONE DAY, I SHALL BE KING!'''''\
20	'''Pierre:''' And I shall be '''''Queen'''''!
21	* ClothingDamage: Christina keeps tearing at Mimi's clothes trying to find the birthmark to prove they're sisters, eventually leaving her [[NakedPeopleAreFunny completely nude]].
22	* DistractedByTheSexy: At the end of the film, Christina and Mimi unintentionally lead away a large contingent of soldiers from the battle after all of Mimi's clothes have been ripped off by an over-zealous Christina.
23	* EverybodyDiesEnding: Literally, only one character [[spoiler: The Man in the Iron Mask]] is alive at the end of the movie (everyone else has been [[spoiler: murdered]] or is dead through the passage of time).
24	* FanDisservice: Charlie runs around bare-ass naked after jumping out of the bath tub.
25	* HairTriggerTemper: Philippe. When Helene mentions Pierre getting "excited", Philippe completely flies off the handle, grabbing his wife by the collar and screaming at her at the top of his lungs.
26	* HypocriticalHumor: The lead monk orders his men to assassinate the di Sisi brothers ''quickly and quietly''. But they immediately withdraw handguns and begin blasting away at what they think are the di Sisis sleeping in bed, screaming and shouting the whole time.
27	* IdenticalStranger: The two pairs of mismatched twins, played by Creator/GeneWilder and Creator/DonaldSutherland, perfectly resemble each other.
28	* IllTakeTwoBeersToo: When d'Escargot visits the de Sisis and lays out his plan for them to betray the King:
29	-->'''Philippe:''' And what is the reward for this treachery?\
30	'''Escargot:''' Half of France.\
31	'''Philippe:''' Hmm. (''{{beat}}'') And for my brother?
32	* ItsACostumePartyISwear: Marie Antoinette humiliates King Louis by having him don a chicken costume for a palace ball.
33	--> '''Louis:''' You told me it was a ''costume ball''!\
34	'''Marie:''' I changed my mind.
35	* LargeHam: Almost everyone, but especially Philippe. Nearly any time he's required to shows even a hint of intense emotion, Gene Wilder proceeds to go from calm to '''''absolutely lose-his-fucking-shit insane''''' in under 5 seconds, and stays that way until the end of the scene. But, of course, it ''is'' Gene Wilder. What else did you expect?
36	* LemonyNarrator: The narrator not only comments on the scenes, but on characters and history, offering up his own opinions regarding motives, personalities, and plots.
37	--> '''Narrator:''' King Louis, whose tinkering with time pieces did not tell him that his ''own'' time was running out. Queen Marie, who tinkered with everything ''but'' time pieces - she didn't '''care''' what time it was. But the Duke '''d'Escargot''' knew what time it was - '''''his''''' tinkering was ''well-timed''.
38	** When scenes switch, he reads the extremely bold context titles, and continuously reminds the audience that it's the year...'''''1789'''', without regard to the time, day of the week, date, or how many weeks have passed.
39	---> '''Narrator:''' Later, that night...(music swells and stops) '''''1789'''''.
40	* LovableCoward: Both Charles and Claude, who quickly (and smartly) when their rebel group violently suicide-raids a convoy the King's [[spoiler: pillow makers]]. The rebels somehow lose [[RedShirts 10 of their own men]] in the attack.
41	* MsFanservice: Christina's naked body is seen in silhuette [[RuleOfSexy beneath her silk nightgown]], and Mimi ends up completely naked near the end of the film.
42	* MummiesAtTheDinnerTable: Philippe's stuffed falcon, which he carries everywhere and shows more affection than his wife. Pointing out that it's dead is his foremost BerserkButton.
43	* NoEnding: As the each set of the mismatched twins (in modern business suits and sunglasses) attempts to narrate the finish, they're killed in succession by each other. Eventually, the Man in the Iron Mask shows up and shoots the last of the mismatched leads. He runs off, screaming that he's free of the French aristocracy, and the credits role, leaving the actual story unfinished.
44	* ReallyGetsAround: Marie Antoinette. She has daliances with d'Escargot, Sorel, Philippe, Claude, and just about everyone not named Louis.
45	* RousingSpeech: Subverted. When Mimi agrees to stay quiet as she's arrested (as to not have her farm burned down), she builds her initially quiet verbal resistance, into a patriotic speech about countrymen and revolution. This ends in her repeatedly shouting '''''"For Fraaance! For Fraaance!"''''', but the Captain of the Guard will have none of this:
46	--> '''Captain of the Guard:''' (''to Mimi'') '''You''' said you'd go '''''quietly'''''. (''to his men'') Burn down the farm.
47	* SeparatedAtBirth: Echoing ''The Corsican Brothers'', the two pairs of twins (one aristocracy and one peasantry), are mixed up, with each family getting one baby from each pair.
48	* ShoutOut: When Pierre is interrogated by the director of the insane asylum, he is asked who he and his brother (Philippe) are. He naturally answers, ''The Corsican Brothers'', as the di Sisis are (somewhat) brothers ''from'' the island of Corsica. ''The Corsican Brothers'' is also the name of the "mismatched twins" novella by Creator/AlexandreDumas, which partially inspired this film.
49	* StrippingSnag: Mimi's dress gets ripped off by Christina, leaving her running away from the battle completely naked.
50	* SwappedRoles: The plans of the Coupe and di Sisi twins cause them to switch places in each other's plans, creating complete havoc on both sides of the revolution.
51	* SwitchedAtBirth: One of the babies that grew up into Gene Wilder was switched with one of the babies that grew up into Donald Sutherland.
52	* TrapDoor: The doctor at the mental hospital has one in his office, which he uses with devestating effect on the di Sisi brothers, after Philippe goes off the emotional deep end. They boys end up navingating the underground prison system beneath Paris.
53	* TwinSwitch: See SeparatedAtBirth
54	* UpperClassTwit: King Louis. He thinks he's the intelligent one in the convoluted plan, but is the most clueless, bungling person in the film. During the royal ball, he loses his temper and accidentally gives away the plot to [[spoiler: kill the villain, d'Escargot]].

Context Film / StartTheRevolutionWithoutMe