USA: 1977 -- Directed by Mel Brooks

Written by Mel Brooks, Ron Clark, Rudy DeLuca and Barry Levinson

Starring Mel Brooks, Madeline Kahn, Cloris Leachman, Harvey Korman and Dick Van Patten.


"Danger, Intrigue, Romance... and a Touch of Kinkiness!" - original tagline

An affectionate homage more than a spoof of Alfred Hitchcock thrillers, Mel Brooks's hilarious movie is one of the funniest modern comedies around. Brooks plays a psychiatrist with a severe fear of heights who moves to the Bay Area to take over a psychiatric hospital after its former head mysteriously disappears. He must contend with the resident psychiatrist (Harvey Korman) and the twisted resident nurse (Cloris Leachman) as they plot against him, eventually framing him for murder. While on the run, Brooks teams up with the alluring daughter (Madeline Kahn) of the missing doctor to solve the mystery and confront his own fears. Containing some classic sequences and cowritten by Barry Levinson (Rain Man, Wag the Dog), who appears briefly as a too-touchy bellhop in a Psycho-shower-scene takeoff, High Anxiety is a thoroughly enjoyable romp from one of the masters of comedy today. --Robert Lane

Hope to see you there. I'll save you an aisle seat and your goddamned newspaper!

Awards

Nominated for Golden Globes for Best Motion Picture - Musical/Comedy, and Best Motion Picture Actor - Musical/Comedy for Mel Brooks

More awards

Memorable Quotes

Nurse Diesel: Come to my room right after dinner.
Dr. Charles Montague: No, not tonight, I'm too tired. I think I'm going to turn in early.
Nurse Diesel: I'll let you wear my underwear.
Dr. Charles Montague: I'll be there.

Dr. Richard H. 'Harpo' Thorndyke: Professor Little Old Man!
Dr. Vicktor Lillolman: "Lillolman"! "Lillolman"!

Victoria Brisbane: I'm sorry, please forgive me. I'm just SO close to my menstrual cycle I could SCREAM.

Nurse Diesel: (toying with fork) Dr. Thorndyke, we're dealing with sick people here, you understand.....DANGEROUSLY SICK PEOPLE (Stabs fork into table)

More quotes

Trivia

This tribute to Alfred Hitchcock contains references to more than 10 of his films. Hitchcock sent director Mel Brooks a "good luck" bottle of champagne during production.

The bird droppings were actually mayonnaise and chopped spinach.

Cameo by Carol Burnett as Dr. Thorndyke's mother, in a brief flashback.

More trivia