A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
Themes and Commentary
The Cold War
One of the most interesting aspects of A Funny Thing is the circumstances in which it was made. Zero Mostel, the man who starred as Psuedolus, was accused of being a communist and blacklisted (like many other actors who were cast for this film) from Hollywood. Mentions of the Cold War were actually sprinkled in throughout the film, but often as a lighthearted joke.
Gender & Sexuality
Despite being a comedy, A Funny Thing arguably depicts women and sexuality more progressively than most other Toga movies. Despite most of the women being rather one-dimensional, their lack of personality is satirical, a commentary on how badly Ancient Roman epics often portray women. Indeed, one of the leading ladies, Gymnasia, is a surprisingly skilled with a spear and intelligent despite, at first, being used as Psuedolus' love interest.
Freedom
This film has a surprising amount of commentary about the very American value of freedom. The slave Psuedolus strikes a deal with Hero, the son of his masters, in order to become free. His motivation throughout the entire movie is freedom, the ability to be his own person, a value Americans like to place special emphasis on when praising the U.S.
