THREE AMIGOS
US, 1986, 104 minutes, Colour.
Steve Martin, Chevy Chase, Martin Short.
Directed by John Landis.
Three Amigos is an amusing spoof of westerns and the silent movies and their stars. It was co-written by star Steve Martin and musical composer Randy Newman (responsible for the enjoyably spoof songs throughout the movie). It is a star vehicle for Chevy Chase, Martin and Martin Short. They each bring their own particular zany style to the comedy. Joe Mantgena is the Hollywood producer. The film takes its cue from the stars of the western, singing stars like Gene Autry and the contrast between their screen image and the reality. The three amigos are particularly inept - but, of course, a situation makes demands on them and they become their better selves. The situation is reminiscent of that in the Seven Samurai (and the Magnificent Seven) and films like The Wild Bunch. The film is directed by John Landis, a veteran of many amusing spoofs ranging from An American Werewolf in London to Trading Places, Spies Like Us and Coming to America.
9. Entertaining American style comedy? The stars and their style?
10. Hollywood in the early days of the movies, the Mexican locations? The artificial sounds stages for a beautiful, artificial west?
11. The spoof of silent stars and their styles, dialogue, stunts? The romantic songs, spoofing the trivial?
12. The silent stars, their style, stilted acting, cliche dialogue? The tribute to the silent movies? The effect on audiences - the Mexicans, the German pilot and his practising to shoot like Ned?
13. Hollywood, the movies, arguments about money, producers and their staff, tough, the sacking? The telegram - the decision to go to Mexico, to perform, the town, the hotel and drinking the tequila, singing the buttercup song? the needs of the villagers and their misunderstanding? The echoes of the Magnificent Seven?
14. The German pilot, German contact with Mexican bandits at the time, the shoot-out in the hotel? The reaction of the Mexicans - macho, slinging off, shot? The response to the three Amigos - and joining in the buttercup song? The Germans arriving and more shooting?
7. The villain and his henchman, tough, the attack on the village, the confrontation with the amigos and their routine, real blood, their weeping and leaving, the villain spurning them? The villagers shutting their door? The decision to take a stand and be heroic? caught, Ned, falling on the table? The pilot and the shootout? The escape - the plane? Going back to the village, sewing the costumes, everybody dressed as the three amigos - and with the chief making his joke of shooting Dusty in the foot at the end?
15. Dusty and Chevy Chases' deadpan ignorant style? Lucky as the leader? Ned as ingenuous? The planning how to use their money - the children's foundation etc.? But giving the money back according to the script at the end? the different comic styles, comedy, singing?
16. The Mexicans, Carmen as the heroine, the young boy, the people in the village? The bandit, his rhetoric, meanings of words like plethora, his birthday? The macho men in the bar?
17. The picture of Hollywood, the producers and their ignorance, domination?
18. The Germans, the Germanic pilot, his henchman, the hunt?
19. Visual jokes, verbal, slapstick and deadpan?
