Rhinoceros (1974)

Directed by Tom O’Horgan. Starring Gene Wilder, Zero Mostel, Karen Black, Joe Silver, Robert Weil, Percy Rodrigues. [PG]

Eugène Ionesco’s absurdist play gets a muddled translation to the big screen as Gene Wilder’s mild-mannered office drone witnesses all those around him, including neighbor friend Mostel and girlfriend Black, illogically transform into the title animals. Any presumed message against conformity and mob mentality gets lost in the ham-fisted distractions of Tom O’Horgan’s direction—the preposterous rarely felt so plodding. Curious fans of The Producers should be warned the star reunion doesn’t generate even a fraction of the old Bialystock & Bloom magic. Mostel recreates his Tony Award-winning role here. Produced by Ely Landau as part of the American Film Theatre’s string of stage-to-film adaptations between 1973 and ‘75.

35/100