What makes it different from others?
... View MoreIt is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties.
... View MoreThe film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.
... View MoreWhile it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.
... View MoreSomewhere along the line Jerry Lewis who directed as well as starred in The Errand Boy forgot to put a coherent plot together. Normally that's something I look for first and foremost. But with the very thin premise that someone would hire Jerry to be an efficiency expert because no one would think a schnook like him would be suspected, Lewis succeeded in putting together a wonderful series of gags most of them involving not a word of dialog. Because of that The Errand Boy rates right up there with the best of Jerry's work in film. Brian Donlevy plays the head of Paramutual Studios and he and the rest of the Paramutual clan hire this klutzy paperhanger to root out the inefficiency in operations at the studio which is costing them money. Again because no one would suspect Lewis of being any kind of a spy because no one would suspect of having any kind of brain. Pretty thin if you ask me.Still if it weren't for Donlevy's folly we wouldn't get this marvelous film. Some wonderful comedy bits are far too numerous to mention, but some of my favorites were him taking Kathleen Freeman through the car wash and getting her properly waxed, the drowning sequence in the pool, his appearance as an extra in Sig Ruman's film causing Ruman the director to have a nervous breakdown. Best of all at the birthday party for star Iris Adrian, Jerry opening a yard high magnum of champagne which comes out with the force of a fire hose.Because so little dialog is used, The Errand Boy is probably the film that critics most often cite when they say and I agree that Jerry Lewis could have been one of the classic silent screen star, right up there with Chaplin, Lloyd, and Keaton. The Errand Boy ranks up with one of the best of Jerry Lewis's solo films and a must for his fans.
... View MoreBiting satire set up by the staid Brian Donlevy, and Howard McNear in his absolute best role, Jerry only exceeds this in "The Nutty Professor" with his 'Buddy Love' nightclub entrance and musical performance. Playing it straight as Jerry Langford in "King of Comedy" is also at the top of my list. "The Disorderly Orderly" and "Who's Minding the Store" are great entertainment also, {in my humble opinion} topping a list you all know. He and Mickey Rooney and a few others are the last of a vaudeville/burlesque tradition that we shall not see again. Jerry Lewis, the consummate comedian, actor, producer and director was able to bring genuinely funny and original material to the screen over and over again. Hats off to You, Jerry, a talent without peer.
... View MoreThis is probably one of the finest films Jerry Lewis did in the post Martin and Lewis era. In fact, this film is a pretty much a great parody of Hollywood and it manages to poke fun at what really goes on behind the scenes with many of its stars and how a lot of films are really produced. One scene that is particularly funny is the one in the recording studio. This pretty much reminded me of how a lot of actresses who couldn't sing had their voices dubbed by a professional singer (of course this could have been inspired by noted singer Marni Nixon who dubbed many of Hollywood's leading ladies including Audrey Hepburn and Natalie Wood). But the funniest scene was the one in the candy store in which Morty is constantly going up and down the ladder getting jelly beans for the three kids and finally explodes when the last kid asks for them. This film is definitely one of Jerry Lewis's best.
... View MoreThis is one of his most daring and creative ventures along with The Bellboy. Not much dialogue, just over the top sight gags and general hilarity. What do you people expect? This is Jerry Lewis in top form and it just doesn't get any better. The only thing funnier than his movies are the ridiculous criticisms of his films on this sight. Hello people...this is Jerry Lewis OK! It's too bad that his egocentric persona alienated several generations that didn't grow up looking forward to his next project. The Errand Boy stands alone as one of the most innovative comedies of all time and anyone that can muster some objectivity will appreciate his work for what it is. I personally think this is one of the funniest movies of all time and I rank it as Jerry's best work, although the Academy may disagree. 10/10
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