THE SAD SACK
US, 1957, 98 minutes, Black and White.
Jerry Lewis, David Wayne, Phyllis Kirk, Peter Lorre, Joe Mantell, Gene Evans, Shepperd Strudwick.
Directed by George Marshall.
The Sad Sack is one of Jerry Lewis's first solo efforts. It is less manic in the writing and in the performance than many other of Lewis's films. It is based on a cartoon character from the papers - and Lewis brings him quite pleasingly alive in his eccentric way.
Direction is by George Marshall who had directed Martin and Lewis in such films as Money from Home and Living it Up.
It is a Services comedy with all the conventions of that kind of film - played for laughs with Jerry Lewis as partly comic little man and partly the man with the potential for achievement.
1. Enjoyable Jerry Lewis comedy? On his own, without Dean Martin? Lewis's comic presence, style (less manic than in other films)?
2. Production values, black and white photography, military camps, the African settings? Musical score? The song and dance and choreography?
3. The title, the American slang, the army background? A paper cartoon character transferred to the screen?
4. Jerry Lewis as Meredith Bixby - on the train, his powers of memory, wanting to be kind to people, irritating them? The buddies, not waking them up? Arriving at camp, putting them in unwittingly? The gravel on the captain? The interview with the major and his self-consciousness? With the general? Dolan looking after him, the shooting practice and Dolan shooting for him and his great success? Going out on the town, the judo, the bar brawl? In the women's dormitory? His lack of friends, making friends with Dolan and his buddy? Shipping out to Africa? Going into town, his attraction towards the exotic dancer, dancing with her, giving her his pin? Thinking that she was breaking off, going AWOL, the Foreign Legion, trapped with the rebels, putting the gun together, being rescued by Dolan and his friend, the clash with the Africans, the comedy of his winning, the getting of the medal - and his future? A sympathetic Jerry Lewis character?
5. Dolan and his pal, typical army types, out with the women, getting back home, caught, put in by Bixby, Major Shelton and her asking Dolan to look after Bixby, his agreement, the night out, the judo and the brawl, the women's dormitory, his spinning a line to the major? Attracted to her - and the spoof on psychological behaviour and analyses? Getting Bixby qualified with shooting? Africa, the nightclub, going to get Bixby back, involved in his adventures, getting the medal? Typical army types, buddies?
6. The major, a psychological background, interest in the experiment, interview with Bixby, getting Dolan to help him, attracted by him, her disappointment with Dolan, the final achievement?
7. The nightclub, the exotic dancer, attracted towards Bixby, dancing with him, the background and her needing to get out of the country? At the camp, involved in the capture - but her going back to Scranton?
8. The rebels, criminal types, the nightclub? Sinister, the cannon? Peter Lorre and his knife, his attempts to kill Bixby, his having to do push-ups?
9. The background of the army, the officer commanding and his interest in Bixby, army manoeuvres and training? The sympathetic presentation of the army, '50s style?
