Our man in Kazakhstan

But why should we worry about that when a whole posse of American comedians have spattered fart jokes and worse over our screens in recent years?

The point is that he is much funnier, and far more daring, than any of them. And in laughter lies forgiveness.

Even his constant references to Jews (of whom he is one), gypsies, blacks and women are sufferable since they are said with a naïve smile that betokens Borat's own idiocy rather than real malice.

For at least an hour, the film almost reaches the status of a classic of which that old curmudgeon WC Fields would surely have approved.

Inevitably, it then fades, like a flower in autumn when the first frost bites. But since the whole thing is only 83 minutes long, a benefit in itself these days, you can't be too disappointed.

The start is an absolute hoot, as Borat, talking in the kind of English that mangles entire sentences as well as words, wanders around his home township introducing us to a society so backward that the cows look more intelligent than the human inhabitants. Then we get to America, and the satire begins in earnest. We will never know, since Cohen will never tell us, which of the scenes we witness are set-ups or the real thing.

But most of the best of them, such as the rodeo sequence which has Borat singing the words of the Kazakh national anthem to the tune of America's, look real enough. And the infinite-capacity of friendly Americansto deal patiently with people they regard as barely civilised is beautifully brought out.

Borat's sudden conversion to the twin charms of Pamela Ander- son, after watching an old Baywatch episode in his hotel bedroom, brings on the lesser third of the film, though the naked wrestling match between Borat and his fat producer, who doesn't want him wandering off to California-in search of her, is a minor joy to watch.

The film moves from this kind of outright farce into the realms of sophisticated comedy without strain until its final section, and its capacity to show us how infectious our prejudices may be is a large part of its strength. While I'm prepared to think that some won't like it, I can't imagine too many will fail to appreciate a comedian at the top of his form.

Borat - Cultural Learnings Of America For Make Benefit Glorious Nation Of Kazakhstan
Cert: 15