Editing Blazing Saddles (section)

=== Filming ===
Principal photography began on March 6, 1973, and wrapped in early May 1973. Brooks had numerous conflicts over content with Warner Bros. executives, including frequent use of the word "[[nigger]]", Lili Von Shtupp's seduction scene, the cacophony of flatulence around the campfire and Mongo punching out a horse. Brooks, whose contract gave him final cut, declined to make any substantive changes, with the exception of cutting Bart's final line during Lili's seduction: "I hate to disappoint you, ma'am, but you're sucking my arm."<ref name="Madison2015">{{cite book|author=Madison, William V.|title=Madeline Kahn: Being the Music, A Life|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CvAaBwAAQBAJ&pg=PT119|year=2015|publisher=[[University Press of Mississippi]]|isbn=978-1-61703-762-7|page=119|via=Google Books|access-date=November 21, 2015|archive-date=May 16, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160516223945/https://books.google.com/books?id=CvAaBwAAQBAJ&pg=PT119|url-status=live}}</ref> When asked later about the many "nigger" references, Brooks said he received consistent support from Pryor and Little. He added: "If they did a remake of ''Blazing Saddles'' today [2012], they would leave out the N-word. And then, you've got no movie."<ref name="DGA-Quarterly-summer2012">{{cite journal
| last = Weide
| first = Robert
| date = 2012
| title = Quiet on the Set! Mel Brooks: the DGA Interview
| url = http://www.dga.org/Craft/DGAQ/All-Articles/1203-Summer-2012/DGA-Interview-Mel-Brooks.aspx
| journal = DGA Quarterly
| location = Los Angeles, California
| pages = 30–37
| publisher = Directors Guild of America, Inc.
| oclc = 68905662
| access-date = January 21, 2016
| archive-date = March 6, 2016
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160306090037/http://www.dga.org/Craft/DGAQ/All-Articles/1203-Summer-2012/DGA-Interview-Mel-Brooks.aspx
| url-status = live
}} Page 36: '''Q:''' ''Blazing Saddles'' also makes frequent use of the "N-word". Could you get away with that today? '''A:''' Never. If they did a remake of ''Blazing Saddles'' today, they would leave out the N-word. And then, you've got no movie. And I wouldn't have used it so much if I didn't have Richard Pryor with me on the set as one of my writers. And Cleavon Little [as Sheriff Bart] was great. Even though it was allowed, I kept asking Cleavon, "Is that all right there? Is that too much there? Am I pushing this?" and he'd say, "no, no, no, it's perfect there."</ref> Brooks said the use of the slur was to show how despised, hated, and loathed the black sheriff was.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mensjournal.com/entertainment/life-lessons-from-mel-brooks-20130514|title=Life Advice from Mel Brooks|date=December 4, 2017|website=[[Men's Journal]]|first=Sean|last=Woods|access-date=April 23, 2025|archive-date=April 22, 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250422112951/https://www.mensjournal.com/entertainment/life-lessons-from-mel-brooks-20130514|url-status=live}}</ref> Brooks said he received many letters of complaint after the film's release.<ref name="DVD"/>