For her performance as Lili von Shtupp in “Blazing Saddles,” she received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Madeline Kahn was nothing short of a comedy legend, and spotting her name in the credits of the only Mel Brooks film I hadn’t yet seen felt like striking gold. In Young Frankenstein, Kahn shines as Elizabeth, the glamorous and high-maintenance fiancée of Dr. Frederick Frankenstein.
The first time we meet Elizabeth, she’s hilariously bidding Frederick farewell as he boards a train to Transylvania—a scene that perfectly sets the tone for her delightfully over-the-top character. It’s comedic gold right from the start.
The scene not only parodies the iconic “goodbye at the train station” moments from countless classic films but also serves as the perfect introduction to Elizabeth’s character.
As the camera zooms in on the couple, Elizabeth stands out, draped in a lavish ensemble with jewels that adorn her like a living, breathing peacock—her head the crown jewel of the whole ensemble.
With the intense, almost melodramatic gaze that was common for female characters of the era, she assures Frederick, “I will count the hours you are away.” But when Frederick leans in for a passionate goodbye kiss, Elizabeth gracefully steps back, maintaining that same intense gaze. “Not on the lips,” she declares, explaining that she doesn’t want to smudge her lipstick—she’s got a party to attend later, after all.
Elizabeth’s obsession with her appearance is palpable in every moment of her performance. Madeline Kahn’s portrayal keeps her eyes locked on Wilder, constantly flashing a mix of desire and self-consciousness, as if she’s always checking her reflection in his gaze. Even as she warns him about her lips, there’s an almost insatiable hunger in her eyes.
When she shrieks, “The hair! The hair!” at Frederick, it’s just another comic instance of her over-the-top antics as he simply reaches out for a tender embrace. Each time, it’s the same—she’s preemptively warding off his attempts at affection, terrified of smudging her “just-set” hair, ruining her clothes, or nicking her perfect nails.
This constant focus on her image, rather than on Frederick himself, highlights a key aspect of Elizabeth’s character: while she may care for him, she’s far more consumed with her socialite lifestyle and appearance than she is with giving him her full, undivided attention.
Elizabeth’s character takes a fascinating shift in tone throughout her scenes. Whenever she pauses to correct Frederick about her appearance or attire, her voice loses that sultry, femme fatale quality and slips into the more refined, clipped tone of an ordinary upper-class woman.
For example, when Frederick asks if she loves him, she responds with a cool, noir-inspired “You bet your boots it does,” delivering it with all the dramatic flair of a classic film star. It’s a perfect blend of high society poise and a dash of the playful absurdity that makes her so memorable.
Madeline Kahn brilliantly honors the slang of the era, but when Elizabeth interrupts Frederick to correct him about touching her dress, she suddenly adopts an almost valley girl tone, stressing words like “No, the dress is taffeta! It wrinkles so easily!” It’s a playful nod to the over-the-top dramatics of the time, but with a comical, modern twist.
In a hilarious, exaggerated attempt to parody the female leads of vintage films, Kahn spins dramatically to face Frederick as he prepares to board the train. But it’s when Frederick blows her a kiss that the scene reaches pure comedy gold.
Kahn reacts with a look of utter disgust—like someone just threw a diaper at her—and ducks away in horror, as if she’s terrified the kiss might ruin her perfect appearance. It’s a moment of pure slapstick genius that elevates Kahn’s performance to a whole new level.
After her dramatic duck away from Frederick’s kiss, Elizabeth quickly snaps back into her socialite persona, flashing a bright smile and waving at him as if nothing happened. It’s moments like these that truly convince you Madeline Kahn is Elizabeth, with her flawless blend of vocal and physical choices.
Kahn’s timing in this role, especially her humorous pauses, gives the character a weighty comedic charm. She plays Elizabeth with such precision that she becomes the very embodiment of the over-the-top female stereotypes found in vintage films.
Though Elizabeth doesn’t reappear until the movie’s final act—an hour and a half after her first appearance—when she does, it’s with a bang. She awakens to find herself in a precarious situation, having been taken hostage by The Monster after his escape. Meanwhile, Frederick, caught up in a different set of circumstances, is preoccupied with Inga. A note from Frau Blucher informs him that Elizabeth will be arriving soon, setting the stage for the chaos that follows.
One of the most hilarious moments in Young Frankenstein occurs when The Monster starts removing his pants. As they fall to the ground, revealing… well, let’s just say something unexpected, Elizabeth’s reaction is priceless. “Oh my god. Woof!” she exclaims, her eyes going wide with shock. Kahn’s perfectly timed delivery indicates that, despite her fear of The Monster, she’s taken aback by what’s been revealed.
The scene quickly turns into one of the funniest, most operatic moments in the film. Elizabeth, still in character as the glamorous, self-absorbed socialite, begins to sing an over-the-top aria in response to the absurdity of the situation. Kahn’s comedic timing, paired with her physicality, makes this sequence an absolute standout. The way she portrays Elizabeth’s confusion, delight, and disbelief—without ever losing the high-society persona—is a masterclass in comedy.
At the end of Young Frankenstein, Frederick marries his lab assistant, while Elizabeth, with her hair styled like the “Bride of Frankenstein,” marries The Monster. It’s a wonderfully absurd conclusion, but does Kahn’s performance sell it? Absolutely.
Though her role may have been brief, Kahn’s portrayal of Elizabeth was nothing short of convincing. The rich socialite who unexpectedly falls for a monster could easily have been a farcical caricature, but Kahn brings depth to her absurdity. She commits fully, turning her character into someone who, despite all her vanity and social pretensions, can’t help but connect with The Monster in the most unexpected way.
It’s a bit of a shame that Kahn’s screen time was limited in this film, especially considering that Blazing Saddles came out the same year, likely pulling her in different directions. Despite that, Kahn’s portrayal of Elizabeth is a triumph. Even in moments where her performance is more subdued, like when she shifts between voice types in the opening scene, she gives it her all, making her portrayal of Elizabeth not just believable, but unforgettable.
it was also occasionally exaggerated, as shown in the sex scene between her and The Monster.
Madeline Kahn will be remembered as one of the greatest cinematic treasures and one of the greatest comedy symbols of the 1970s and 1980s, regardless of her roles in films like Cloe, Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, Paper Moon, or anything else.
