Let’s take a break— “The Court Jester”
Commenter Geoffrey Britain reminded me of this fabulous scene from Danny Kaye’s “The Court Jester.”
I saw the film in a movie theater as a child. In those days, you could pay for a matinee (25 cents, if memory serves) and if you liked the film (or if your parents were particularly busy that day) you could stay and watch it all over again. My brother and I stayed for this one.
The film’s plot has Danny Kaye under the sway of a hypnotic suggestion that he is actually not the bumbling guy that is his original personality, but the suave and daring “Giacomo,” Jester of Kings. The trigger for his switch from his frightened self (at the beginning of this clip) into that swashbuckling personality (at 1:37) and then back again is a finger snap. Watch:
Here’s another switcheroo scene, from the same movie. The love interest is played by Angela Lansbury. In this one, Kaye starts out as the bold Giacomo, as you can see by his body posture:
One of my favorite movies. Kaye was a comedic genius.
I once had him on a flight out of LAX. That was in the days when passengers could visit the cockpit. He stepped in and asked us a series of funny questions about the controls and instruments. (He was a licensed pilot.) He had us in stiches for the few minutes he was up there. He also made a point of stepping in on arrival at the gate and thanking us for a nice flight. He was a real gentleman.
IMO, what kept this movie from much greater appreciation is the silly ending with the midgets. For me, it comes across as a flat note. Nor is the excuse that this is a children’s movie persuasive, as the sophistication of the dialog rests far above the average child’s appreciation.
Geoffrey Britain:
In 1955, that was standard stuff. I agree that it detracts, particularly these days, but at the time it was hardly of any notice, and the rest of the film has many parts that are side-splittingly funny, even today.
He was very talented. Actor, dancer, vocalist, and from an era when Hollywood was pro America. Sigh.
I had a friend who lived in Germany in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s and said that that was a very popular Monroe there, and so well dubbed that people thought it was done in German.
I loved that movie as a kid. We always joked about the vessel with the pestle and the flagon with the dragon. The last thing I did with my dad before he died in 2007 was watch that movie with him.
We should give Basil Rathbone credit, too: he was known as one of Hollywood’s top (real) fencers.
Beverly’s comment reminded me that my parents had a friend who did the fencing double work in this film (as well as other films.) I think he doubled for Basil Rathbone — who had been a great fencer in his day, but by 1956: A) He was getting a little long int he tooth; and B) Insurance companies played a role in who was ALLOWED to do what.
I love that movie. The marching scene where he becomes a knight is hilarious! Most of the songs are forgettable but the opening song is wonderful. I love it when everyone bows to the baby’s cute little behind! If people cannot get over the “midget” scenes, well it was a long time ago and seems to me that little people actors had a lot more roles at the time, even if they were dumb ones… The fencing scene with Basil Rathbone is one of the best things ever filmed, IMHO. The movie used all the sets from “Robin Hood,” and even one of the stars (Rathbone)!