Comedy Movies/mel brooks

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Expert: - 8/7/2002


Question
I am taking part in a local quiz and one question is "Who played Ophelia opposite Mel Brooks in the film Hamlet" , can you please help?
Ivan

Answer
Ivan, I'm confused.  Mel Brooks never played in a film version of "Hamlet," at least not under that name.  The only time he was in the role of Hamlet was in the film "To Be or Not To Be," a remake of an earlier film from the 1940s.  In this film, Brooks plays a bad Polish actor (named Bronski) during WWII, right at the time of Hitler's invasion of Poland.  One of the roles of Bronski was Hamlet.

Anne Bancroft (his real-life wife) played his wife in the film.  Mrs. Bronski also acted in their Polish drama troupe.  However, I'm not sure that she played the part of Ophelia, since she was back in her dressing room being wooed by a young Air Force officer when Bronksi was on-stage as Hamlet doing the "to be or not to be" speech.  I haven't seen this film in a long time, so I can't be sure of the response (Ophelia may have been played by another member of the troupe--the credits listing from Internet Movie Data Base doesn't indicate).

Sorry I can't be more definitive.   It has been a long time since I've seen this film.  I suggest viewing the video prior to making your response.  

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Barbara L. Baker

Expertise

I am a professor of communication at a midwest university, who has expertise on subjects related to film. I can answer general questions on U.S. film comedy (especially satires of the 1960s and 1970s) and comic theory. I also could answer questions related to specific comic genres, such as comedian comedies, screwball comedies, "stupid" comedies, and so forth. The more specific you can make your question, the better (e.g. main plot details, main characters, possible character names, possible actors, how you viewed the show, etc.). I also need to have a release date (or range of dates, or at least the year you viewed the film). Please do not just provide a set of links to someplace else (e.g. imdb discussion threads). I am less able to answer questions about comedies from other countries, made-for-TV movies, and recent comic films and actors (although I would do my best to find out). I cannot answer questions about specific TV shows or series, "Our Gang" episodes, anime/magna or about film collectables. I generally cannot provide movie recommendations, since what I find funny others may not. Nor will I answer obvious homework (although I will point you to resources to help answer the question, if asked). I also can't help you find movie stars, or where to buy movie memorabilia, or tell you how to break into the business.

Experience

Course work in comedy films along with teaching about comedy films for several years; I've also conducted research into comedy films.

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Ph.D. in Communication, emphasis in film and rhetoric

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A dissertation award from a national organization plus various paper awards

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My students

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