Great Film overall

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

An odd scene in which Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing make their brief appearances as Dracula and Frankenstein respectively, distinguishes a not very distinguished but occasionally likable caper through an olde English castle. Peter Lawford makes an unintentionally laughable attempt at a dual role, but Sammy Davis puts over a couple of songs capably. In other respects, his high jinks and constant mugging betray the directorial hand of Jerry Lewis whose celebrated directorial talent for smashing up sets is also on a modified display here. The script, such as it is, could be described as a somewhat meandering peg, but at least it allows for opportunities for a couple of less familiar character actors to ham it up with the principals. As usual, Lewis is overfond of both close-up and zoom lenses. Alan Cuthbertson has a brief scene and then completely disappears. The film has bright photography and was obviously made on a fairish budget. All in all, it could be described as an unfunny knockabout farce, but it does have its moments of genuine amusement – almost despite its general air of directorial, editorial and thespian ineptness.

An unfunny disjointed mess of a movie. Directed by Jerry Lewis, it's apparent the movie was a vehicle for Sammy to channel the comedic stylings of Lewis. Safe to say, Sammy is no Jerry.The plot has Lawford assume the identity of his wealthy slain twin brother by getting the police to believe it was his character (Pepper) that was killed. And he keeps this little secret from his best buddy Sammy (Salt). Movie moves to big castle and no hilarity ensues.Lewis has Sammy engage in some comedic 'bits' where Sammy has difficulty crossing the street, difficulty with a teapot, difficulty with a water heater and unwittingly encountering some Satanic ritual. All fall flat. Really flat. The teapot scene was just pathetic.And unlike their earlier pairing in 'Salt and Pepper', Sammy and Lawford now seem devoid of chemistry. 'One More Time' is for Jerry Lewis and Rat Pack fans only.

Even if you don't like the earlier film, "Salt and Pepper," you have to admit that it is a paragon of structure and traditional storytelling compared its sequel, "One More Time." That's not to say that the second Davis Jr/Lawford team up isn't enjoyable--it is just bizarrely different from the original. "Salt and Pepper," directed by Richard Donner--veteran director of some of the Sixties' best TV series, and later of the classic action/comedies in the Lethal Weapon and Superman series of films--was a light and breezy "Rat Pack" action/comedy. It was wholly conventional for its time. But when it came time for the sequel, the producers apparently decided that the success of the first film was due more to the comedy elements than the thriller elements. With that in mind they made the obvious choice for their new director—Jerry Lewis. The singular Lewis had never directed a film starring anyone else but himself, so I'm not sure what the producers expected would happen. Well, the result was that Jerry didn't just add a few comic touches to the already proved formula. He took the thing over entirely and made "One More Time" a pure 100% Jerry Lewis film, with all that means for good and bad. If you're familiar with Lewis' film-making, you know that his films are very light on plot (ranging from hardly any as in "Cinderfella" to none at all as in "The Bellboy" and "Hardly Working.") and very heavy on surreal jokes, visual gags and his own patented mugging and clowning. Well, the plot of "One More Time" is this: Lawford impersonates his rich brother, who is mysteriously murdered, and Davis Jr. doesn't figure it out until near the end. That's about it. The film is 90 minutes long and at least an hour of that is just Sammy Davis Jr. doing a spot on Lewis imitation in a series of increasingly strange and barely connected (but often funny) vignettes as he rambles about in Lawford's ill-gotten English manor. If you go into this film expecting anything different (as the audiences in 1970 did) then you're going to be sorely disappointed (as the audiences in 1970 were). But if you go in expecting a Jerry Lewis film—you get a pretty good one!

Follow-up to Salt and Pepper where Peter Lawford and Sammy Davis Jr. played two very middle-aged swingers running a night spot called Salt and Pepper. This time around the two get into trouble for repeated problems and ask Lawford's lookalike brother(yes, he plays him as well) for money. Turns out he is a Lord and owns the family castle given up by Pepper so long ago. Also turns out he is involved in smuggling diamonds and is a double agent, etc... Lawford's brother is killed and Lawford as Pepper assumes his brother's role and hilarity is to ensue - NOT! While I believe this to be a more engaging and slightly more amusing vehicle than the original Salt and Pepper, it really doesn't have a lot going for it. Jerry Lewis directs his buddies Davis and Lawford and with his special brand of humour. We get Davis trying to be Jerry Lewis in several scenes: a scene with him seeing how everything is huge in his new bedroom at the castle where he looks and everything looks so huge. I have seen Lewis pull this same thing countless times. Davis; not sure if this is a compliment or not, is no Lewis; however. He just doesn't have the same lunatic spirit though he has some scenes which are slightly amusing. Most of the time he does come off as being very flat because the material is so tiresome and over-used. The brightest spots in the movie are Lawford's as he pulls off playing the two brothers really rather well. The plot is ridiculous. Are we really to believe that these two over-the-hill guys are hip swingers? Davis of course sings a few tunes including the somewhat catchy "One More Time" as the opening and end credits roll. For me the only fascinating aspect of the film is the addition of Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee in brief - and I mean BRIEF - cameos. In one scene Davis finds a wooden secret panel in the castle that has behind it , down some steps, a laboratory with Cushing standing, a woman on a gurney, and Lee bearing fangs. Cushing has a brief line or so as does Lee. Their screen time is embarrassingly slight. Why Lewis didn't given them a bit more time amazes me as THIS scene is the opening scene in this film's theatrical trailer! Unfortunately Cushing and Lee maybe have 30 seconds of screen time. But if you are a completist in either's filmography, you will have to endure One More Time at least once.