A Major Disappointment

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

Jerry Lewis was already a huge star when this film came out, but this film marked his first outing as a director and it's an assured first film. Like most Lewis directed comedies, the film is often series of vignette comic set pieces. Jerry's "Kid" character is a Miami hotel bellboy who has lots of various tasks that mostly go comically awry, whether it's answering phones, having to fill an enormous ballroom with chairs, or conducting an imaginary orchestra, it's all quite funny. There's no real story and this is even openly stated by the film's fiction producer at the film's outset. An interesting film history note, Jerry is credited with creating the video-assist technique on this film, where he put monitors on the set that allowed him to immediately see what was filmed live on set, which is now a standard practice on films. Overall, the film is nothing brilliant, but it's quite enjoyable and a solid directorial debut for Lewis. Milton Berle and Walter Winchell have cameo appearances and future longtime Lewis collaborator Bill Richardson appears in the film as Stan Laurel.

Jerry Lewis's directorial debut casts him as a none-too-bright bellhop in Miami Beach's Fontainebleau Hotel. The producer at the beginning explains the the movie has basically no plot, just a series of gags. That's basically true. "The Bellboy" is quite literally just an excuse to be funny, and Jerry Lewis definitely succeeds. It's the sort of flick that they truly must have had fun making. There is one scene in particular that must have been a little risqué to film - you'll know it when you see it - and some of the humor is certainly a little outdated, but in the grand scheme of things, this is a comedy classic! Also starring Alex Gerry, Bob Clayton and Milton Berle.HE WHAT?!!!!!!!!!!

I have not seen this film in some 40 years. When I saw it as a child, I realized even then, that there was some art to this film. I finally got to see it on DVD in 2009. The first 28 minutes of this film is really good, and the last 28 minutes is not bad. From 29 minutes to 43, it has a lot to be desired. No, I don't find the telephone sequence very funny. When released in 1960, it was double billed with Tarzan the Magnificent, a very strange pairing.A Gentlemen from Australia, 4 years my junior, said that the film did not have a point, or meaning. I respectively disagree. In the DVD audio commentary where Jerry Lewis discusses the film with Steve Lawrence, he near the end of the film says to Mr. Lawrence "you can understand why people did not know that the kid did not talk".The final climactic scene, when the bellboys are talking about a strike I think is the films denouncement. Here we are given an indication that Stanley might not be this stupid bumbling idiot that others think he is. Some of his co-workers mention that he is hard working, and fast. He shows his skills in putting seats in an auditorium so quickly together. If Mr. Lewis had wanted to show him as a stupid idiot, the scene where he takes this jet up into the air, he would have had the character of Stanley act in fear as he is flying the plane. But he does not, he lands the plane without any problems. While Stanley makes mistakes, and may do absurd things, Jerry Lewis asks the question, if we allow Stanley to speak, perhaps we would discover a really intelligent human being.Throughout the film, Mr. Lewis asks the question, who are really the idiots. Mr. Lewis I think even makes fun of himself, the real Jerry Lewis, when he plays himself with his bunch of yes people who travel with him. The sequence, in many ways reminded me of La Dolce Vita, La Aventura, which were released the same year. It also brought back memories of Woody Allens Star Dust Memories, made some 17 years latter. There is a scene where Stanley, is sitting my a glass window, looking at the bottom of a swimming pool, the man who has just finished the work there, and taken down some boards, is polite. But one of the guests of the FountainBleu who sees Stanley, calls everyone to come down to look at this crazy person eating at the bottom of the pool. Here Jerry Lewis shows who really are crazy. Amazing to me that the real management of the Fountainbleu did not get that the joke might be on them.Also look how people treat the bellboys, calling them boy. Ironically, there is not one black person in the film, which for us in 2009 calls attention to itself. Also you do not see Spanish Speaking people, unless the gentlemen who wants his pants pressed is one. Had the Stanley character, been a black person, I am sure that even in 1960, people would have understood what Mr. Lewis was maybe trying to say.Mr. Lewis says this is a film as a homage to Stan Laurel, though in it you see a lot of Jaque Tati. When I finally saw a Tati film, I realized the similarities even then to The Bellboy. The Stan Laurel character does not work to well now, because we know that it is not him, though it 1960, perhaps it did work.I could not give it 10 out of 10, because not all of the film works for me, but those who have seen it, and perhaps dismissed it as just a series of gags, should see it again and reevaluate it. Perhaps the film is about our not being able to communicate, and that if we did, that those who we think are not worth knowing, perhaps are. The American film goer of 1960 was right, while the critics back then were wrong. While American critics only could look at Mr. Lewis as a commercial entity, the critics across the Atlantic, "Those silly French", were correct in realizing the worth of Jerry Lewis. I have not seen many other films by him, and perhaps he did not live up to what promise he showed with his first directing effort (Though many say his Nutty Professor, which I have seen some of is his masterpiece), The Bellboy is an interesting film, that should not be dismissed as just a series of jokes.

Well...the previous comments made me interested in seeing this film. But to call it a film is akin to calling advertising art. The film although quite old neither has the art or humour that slapstick or verbal comedy is supposed to have.It is a self-indulgent piece of fluff that doesn't highlight Lewis's obvious ability from other films and worse...involves other names from the era...notably Milton Berle and a Stan laurel look-alike that looks almost as embarrassed as the real Laurel would have been had he not wisely chosen not to appear.As homage even it fails. Silent film would have suited this better...but no...we get sound...because the silly faces just aren't enough.It may be that I am spoiled by watching so much comedy over the years (and yes...this film was made the year before I was born) but there is no real substance to the jokes...subtlety was not what I was looking for...after all..slapstick is hardly ever subtle...but sledgehammer and jokes telegraphed from Pluto was just a bit pathetic.The film is however watchable on a few levels.It highlights a man determined to milk the cow as much as possible while his star was ascendant...and that for whatever it means...is clearly a clever ploy on a managerial level.It highlights his obvious desire to be visible as much as possible...to the point of playing himself...It is so bad that just watching it makes you chuckle wryly about his motives.Worth a look just to see that the movie-going public in 1960 were just as gullible about BIG NAMES as they are now...no matter what dross they put out.There is no real wit...I guess that is my major grief with the film...no point to it even (and I realise it was shot in 4 weeks and had no plot) but it truly amazed me that so many people commented on the comedic genius of THIS film compared to some of the rest of his oeuvre...