Honestly, it’s kinda wild that we’re still talking about a movie from 1981 like it’s a modern release. But that’s the magic of Mel Brooks. When you sit down to watch History of the World Part 1, you aren’t just watching a sketch comedy film; you’re witnessing a specific era of "anything goes" filmmaking that basically doesn't exist anymore. Brooks was coming off a massive hot streak with Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein, and he decided to tackle, well, everything. The entire human experience. From the dawn of man to a literal "Jews in Space" teaser that took decades to actually manifest as a sequel.
It’s messy. It’s loud. It’s frequently offensive by today’s standards. Yet, it remains a foundational text for anyone who loves satire.
The Chaos of the Five Segments
The movie doesn’t try to be a linear documentary. Obviously. It’s broken into distinct chunks: The Stone Age, The Old Testament, The Roman Empire, The Spanish Inquisition, and The French Revolution.
The Stone Age bit is mostly physical comedy. You’ve got Sid Caesar—a legend Mel worked for back in the Your Show of Shows days—and it’s a lot of grunting and slapstick. It’s probably the weakest part if you’re looking for high-brow wit, but it sets the stage for the absurdity to come. Then comes the Moses bit. Mel Brooks as Moses coming down from Mount Sinai with three tablets—fifteen commandments—only to drop one, smashing it into bits, and instantly pivoting to "The Ten Commandments!" It’s a five-second joke that defines his entire comedic philosophy: the "low-brow" gag meeting a "high-brow" historical or religious context.
The Roman Empire segment is where the movie really finds its legs. Gregory Hines makes his film debut here. That’s a real fact people forget. He was a late replacement for Richard Pryor, who had to drop out after his tragic freebasing accident. You can almost feel the Pryor-esque energy in the "Preacher" role, but Hines brings this incredible, smooth tap-dancing charm that makes the segment feel unique.
👉 See also: I Told You Long Ago on the Road: The Unstoppable Cultural Legacy of STAY
Why the Spanish Inquisition Musical Works (And Why It Shouldn't)
If you ask anyone about History of the World Part 1, they mention the Spanish Inquisition. It’s a full-blown Busby Berkeley-style musical number about torture.
It shouldn't work. It’s dark. It’s about one of the most horrific periods of religious persecution in human history. But Brooks, being a Jewish creator who lived through WWII, has always used humor as a weapon against oppressors. He did it with Hitler in The Producers, and he did it with Torquemada here. By turning the Inquisition into a synchronized swimming routine with nuns and monks, he robs the historical terror of its power.
The production value on this specific scene was actually higher than almost anything else in the film. They used the massive stages at Shepperton Studios. The costumes were elaborate. The song is catchy. It’s the ultimate "guilty laugh."
The French Revolution and the "King"
The movie ends with the French Revolution, featuring Mel as King Louis XVI. This is where we get the famous line, "It's good to be the king." He’s a lecherous, uncaring jerk, and yet Brooks makes him weirdly likable.
The contrast between the filth of the peasants and the garish, over-the-top gold of the palace is classic Brooks satire. He isn't interested in the nuances of Robespierre or the Reign of Terror. He wants to show a king using a skeet-shooting range where the targets are peasants. It’s crude. It’s effective.
What People Get Wrong About the "Part 1" Title
For forty years, fans asked when Part 2 was coming.
The truth? There was never supposed to be a Part 2. The title was a joke on Sir Walter Raleigh’s The History of the World, Volume 1, which he wrote while imprisoned in the Tower of London. Raleigh only ever finished the first volume because, well, he was executed. Brooks thought it would be hilarious to imply a grander scale that he had no intention of fulfilling.
Of course, the 2023 Hulu series History of the World, Part II finally broke that streak, but for the longest time, the "Part 1" was just a meta-gag about the hubris of trying to chronicle all of history in 90 minutes.
The Expert Take: Why It Still Ranks
From a film history perspective, this movie represents the end of the "Big Sketch Movie" era. In the 70s and early 80s, movies like The Kentucky Fried Movie or Monty Python’s Meaning of Life were huge. Today, this format has mostly migrated to streaming series or TikTok compilations.
🔗 Read more: Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel Jeanette Explained: Why Everyone Still Loves This Relatable Klutz
Critics at the time were actually kinda mean to it. Roger Ebert only gave it two stars. He thought it was "too much of a jumble." But Ebert, for all his genius, sometimes missed the point of "the jumble." The point is the relentless pace. If a joke about a eunuch doesn't land, don't worry—there’s a chariot race coming in sixty seconds.
Real World Impact and Legacy
- Breakout Talent: It launched Gregory Hines into the mainstream.
- Cultural Shorthand: Phrases like "Don't be saucy with me, Bernice" or "The Inquisition, let's begin" are still quoted by people who weren't even born in 1981.
- The Brooks Style: It solidified the "breaking the fourth wall" technique that Deadpool and other modern comedies rely on so heavily today.
Practical Ways to Revisit the Film
If you're going to watch History of the World Part 1 today, don't look at it as a cohesive narrative. Look at it as a variety show.
- Watch for the cameos: John Hurt is Jesus. Bea Arthur is a dole office clerk. It’s a "who’s who" of 80s character actors.
- Contextualize the humor: Understand that Brooks is punching up. He’s mocking emperors, kings, and inquisitors.
- Compare it to the sequel: If you’ve seen the new Hulu series, going back to the original shows you just how much the "vibe" of comedy has shifted from physical slapstick to more dialogue-heavy irony.
The movie isn't perfect. Some of the pacing in the middle drags, especially during the Roman "Comicus" sequences. But the peaks—the Inquisition, the Last Supper, the French Revolution—are some of the highest points in comedic cinema history. It’s a testament to the idea that you can find something funny in even the darkest corners of our past.
✨ Don't miss: Who Voiced Master Oogway: What Most People Get Wrong
Next Steps for the History Buff or Comedy Fan
To truly appreciate the film's place in history, your next move should be watching the 2012 documentary Make’ em Laugh: The Funny Business of America. It features extensive interviews with Mel Brooks where he explains his philosophy on using comedy to dismantle historical trauma. Afterward, track down a copy of the original 1981 soundtrack; the "Spanish Inquisition" and "The Jews in Space" themes are masterclasses in comedic songwriting that stand alone even without the visuals.