Love at Stake

This is a great film for fans of cheesy humor. The acting is sometimes questionable, but the experience and laughter is well worth putting up with it. If you enjoy films like "The Pirate Movie" and "Airplane" then this film is for you. It even has the pre-requisite Dr. Joyce Brothers cameo.

this was one of the last original funny movies of our time, and if you have not seen it, go out and do it. the acting is spectacular, the jokes could not be any funnier, and this woman has this thing with calling her cat pussy that generates much laughter. if you like to watch MADTV and SNL, then you would like this one. the salem witch trials are not getting any funnier, so rent this movie at once!! you will find the sort of jokes you find in mel brooks movies, like "spaceballs" and "history of the world", but surprisingly Brooks had nothing to do with this flick. what's great is that modernness is brought into this film, with a sexy witch and women suspiciously performing a rap. the power of the witch generates laughter that only you the viewer can laugh at.

This movie is hilarious! I can't believe it only rated 4.8/10! This is definitely a "B" movie, but there are a lot of very good "B" movies out there. I mean, every scene is funny. Anyone who enjoys "neo-slapstick" comedy should LOVE this, especially fans of Monthy Python, the "Fletch" movies, or even Benny Hill, will love this movie! And hey, it has John Travolta's wife in it & Barbara Carerra (sic?)! Not to mention, "Doug" McKenzie from the Great White North. I can definitely tell there is some SNL influence here. The old lady (mother of the struck-blind preacher) is hilarious, not to mention the songs! Definitely rent this movie if you haven't seen it. And if you have, BUY IT, if you can find it!

I remember liking this film when I was a child, and with very good reason. "Love at Stake" is a comedy that continues rolling out the laughs in each and every scene. Film was written by two former writers for the original Saturday Night Live variety show, and the film was directed by a man who later went on to direct episodes of the Cult Comedy favorite "Mr. Show." Film includes an excellent cast, including Dave Thomas from "SCTV" and Bud Cort from "Harold and Maude" fame. Actress Ann Ramsy also makes a hilarious appearance as an old witch. Film is essentially a spoof of the Salem Witch Trials, which makes it a fairly interest bit of history to tackle as a comedic feature. I would also like to add that this film is highly original, and, of course, they just don't make them like this any longer.

My review was written in May 1987 after a Cannes Film Festival Market screening.

"Burnin' Love" is a far-out, irreverent sendup of the Salem Witch trials that packs plenty of laughs for its targeted Mel Brooks audience.

Producer Michael Gruskoff has worked with Brooks on several features and the influence shows. Besides the patented "Blazing Saddles" brand of flatulence humor there is a healthy respect for slapstick and vulgarity here, sometimes missing the mark but often scoring. John Moffitt, a tv grad, pilots with aplomb and Terrence Sweeney and Lanier Laney's screenplay is chock full of clever anachronisms.

Patrick Cassidy and Kelly Preston are well cast as idealized young loves in 1692 Salem, caught up in the witch hunt hysteria created by the unscrupulous town judge (Stuart Pankin) and mayor (Dave Thomas, using just a trace of his patented Bob Hope impression) who are burning landowners as witches in order to confiscate their property as part of a real estate development scheme.

A real witch (Barbara Carrera, deliciously sexy) shows up and accuses Preston of the crime in order to take Cassidy for herself. In the manner of "Tom Jones", which remains the template for these period tales (right down to Carrera's plunging decolletage), Georgia Brown as a local tavern owner shows up in court to reveal Preston's actual parentage and save the day.

Cast excels in this romp, with many outstanding turns. Bud Cort gets some big laughs as the local parson who is struck blind by Carrera (similar to Elizabeth Montgomery's tv witch on "Bewitched", she just has to squint to work magic), while Audrie Neenan as his crusty old mama steals many a scene using a voice like Margaret Hamilton's. Pankin and Thomas make a comfortable team of bumbling villains in powdered wigs while Cassidy and Preston are effective butts of many physical gags as the too-good leads.

Period feel is captured well on Canadian locations, with a satirical music score by Charles Fox ramming home the jokes (plus some outlandish touches such as The Kingsmen's hit "Louie, Louie" playing at Thanksgiving Dinner after the Indians pass around the peace pipe).