The Night They Raided Minsky's

Director: William Friedkin

Cast: Jason Robards, Britt Ekland, Norman Wisdom, Bert Lahr

Genre: Comedy 1968

Running time: 99 mins. 

Rating:★★★

Rachel (Brit Ekland), a beautiful young Amish woman who leaves her Pennsylvania home and comes to New York City in hopes of becoming a dancer and ends up doing something quite different: inventing the striptease! Raymond Paine (Jason Robards), the somewhat sleazy star of Minsky's burlesque show, who takes an interest in Rachel's many charms. But his admiration is challenged by Chick Williams (Norman Wisdom), Raymond's comedy partner for the past ten years. And when Rachel's dress is torn accidentally, she plays it up and finds herself the object of even more affection- from the very appreciative audience! The leader of an anti-vice group has everyone arrested, but not before Rachel becomes the toast of the town.

Burlesque, where one can come view society being made fun of and girls are a bit vulgar. Now, where does that leave a pious, shy, and naive Amish young woman like Rachel (Brit Ekland)? Especially, when she has runaway from home and her father is looking for her. Well, what starts out as a clever ploy to fool the newspapers and police becomes a battle of morals and the most glorious sensuous striptease!

This film is definitely an example of the kind of comedy made in the late sixties, but is far from being timeless. There's a predictability in its comedic realness. Two guys falling for the same girl, who holds tight to her beliefs and is more aware of the things that are strange to her than the men's affection. She is also naively unaware of the role she is playing in the overall scheme until discovers a new (sometimes dangerous) confidence in herself. The original 1968, The Producers, with a slightly similar theme, is timeless (probably, as in definitely, due to it being a Mel Brooks' film - enough said)! The film does have one of the most beloved character actor, Denholm Elliott (Trading Places, A Room With A View, Raider's of the Lost Arc), so that works to its favor. It also a demonstrates the era from which burlesque was born with vaudeville qualities plus sex that conflicted with Puritan ethics impressively. The clips of actual daily city life, burlesque, and forties flapper music, to give the film a more "historically" real base, can be a little overdone.