History of the World: Part I

"Ten million years in the making. The truth, the whole truth, and everything, but the truth!"

1981 1h 32m EN

👍

6.7

SOLID

★6.7TMDB · 958

Comedy

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

An uproarious version of history that proves nothing is sacred – not even the Roman Empire, the French Revolution and the Spanish Inquisition.

“Ten million years in the making. The truth, the whole truth, and everything, but the truth!”

WhatsApp X Facebook Telegram

Where to watch · US

Amazon VideoRent

Apple TV StoreRent

Google Play MoviesRent

YouTubeRent

Fandango At HomeRent

Spectrum On DemandRent

Fandango At HomeBuy

Cast

Mel Brooks
Moses / Comicus / Torquemada / Jacques / King Louis XVI
Dom DeLuise
Emperor Nero
Madeline Kahn
Empress Nympho
Harvey Korman
Count de Monet
Cloris Leachman
Madame Defarge
Ron Carey
Swiftus
Gregory Hines
Josephus
Pamela Stephenson
Mademoiselle Rimbaud

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Mel Brooks
Writers: Mel Brooks
Languages: French, Latin, English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Made its money back 3.2× over at the box office.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

45 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 3 languages: French, Latin, English.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

CAST

Did you know

243+ people credited in cast and crew — a small city's worth of labour.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Mel Brooks, shot by Woody Omens. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by John Morris. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor John C. Howard shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Mel Brooks and Dom DeLuise and Madeline Kahn carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Mel Brooks directs. Woody Omens behind the camera. John Morris scores. John C. Howard cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Made its budget back several times over at the box office. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in French, Latin, English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Made its money back 3.2× over at the box office.
245 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
3Dialogue crosses 3 languages: French, Latin, English.
4243+ people credited in cast and crew — a small city's worth of labour.
5Directed by Mel Brooks, shot by Woody Omens. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by John Morris. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor John C. Howard shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Mel Brooks and Dom DeLuise and Madeline Kahn carry the top of the cast.
9Marketing tagline: "Ten million years in the making. The truth, the whole truth, and everything, but the truth!".
10IMDB entry: tt0082517 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
11Classified under 18 themes, including "moses", "roman empire", "inquisition", "french revolution".