Blazing Saddles?

Brilliant selection, especially after his stint in the cowboy outfit in "Boogie Nights."

In fact, most of my choices could come straight out of a Paul Thomas Anderson flick:

Beyond Cheadle, my choices:
Waco Kid: in a stunning turn back to comedy: Sean Penn!
Hedley Lamarr: Kevin Kline or George Clooney (a la most of his work with the Coen Brothers)
The Gov.: Robin Williams (closest thing we have to an old-fashioned borscht-belt guy these days)
Taggart: John C. Reilly
Lilly Von Schtupp: Maria Bello
Mongo: Howie Long

I don't think the movie could get redone. Too many Cole Porter references.

 

If Jackie Gleason was still alive, he would be the perfect Gov.

 

Blazing Saddles could certainly get made today. It is real satire, as opposed to Borat. There's a difference between racial humor and racist humor.

Bottom line - people of different races would find Blazing Saddles funny. Great movie.

 

Tony Siragusa is about the nearest thing we have to a 21st century Alex Karras.

Although I could see having Shaq play the role too (just imagine the howls over an African-American playing a 'mentally-challenged' character ). Since Mongo only has about four lines in the movie, I think Shaq's acting chops might be up to the task.

Kline or Clooney as Hedley Lamarr would work too -- he's got to have that suave, smooth persona to play off of.

Tom Cruise in an uncredited cameo as Lyle.