Courtesy of William Klein and Walker Art Center

Screening
Mr. Freedom

Part of No Joke: Absurd Comedy as Political Reality
Sunday, October 20, 2019, 4:00 p.m.
Museum of the Moving Image - Redstone Theater
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Dir. William Klein. 1969, 92 mins. 35mm. With John Abbey, Delphine Seyrig and Donald Pleasence. John Abbey plays secret-agent-cum-comics-hero Mr. Freedom, a stand-in for America itself in a hilariously paranoid spoof of the sorry state of late-sixties international relations. Mr. Freedom has been sent to Paris to fight off his communist nemeses Moujik Man (Philippe Noiret) and Red China Man, who are themselves stand-ins for communist Russia and China, along the way spewing American imperialistic claptrap. William Klein’s campy superhero mise-en-scène combines exuberantly with his biting critique of exceptionalism to make for a riotously strange send-up. 

Preceded by Babo ’73 (Dir. Robert Downey, 1964, 56 mins.), Robert Downey Sr.’s woozy satire of paranoia and incompetence in our country’s executive branch starring the incomparable Taylor Mead as President.

Tickets: $15 ($11 seniors and students / $9 youth (ages 3–17) / free for children under 3 and Museum members at the Film Lover and Kids Premium levels and above). Order tickets online.(Members may contact [email protected] with questions regarding online reservations.) 

Ticket purchase includes same-day admission to the Museum (see gallery hours). View the Museum’s ticketing policy here. For more information on membership and to join online, visit our membership page.