THE NUTTY PROFESSOR
US, 1963, 107 minutes, Colour.
Jerry Lewis, Stella Stevens, Del Moore, Kathleen Freeman, Norman Alden, Howard Morris.
Directed by Jerry Lewis.
The Nutty Professor is one of Jerry Lewis’s most successful films, especially since he co-wrote it and directed it as well as starring. The film was placed on the National Film Registry in 2004.
The film is really Jerry Lewis’s version of Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde. In production, it had the pun title Doctor Jerkyll and Mr Hyde.
Jerry Lewis portrays a geekish chemistry professor who is humiliated by the football coach in front of the class, in front of his girlfriend, played by Stella Stevens. He makes a potion and drinks it – and an inner self, Buddy Love, charming and attractive emerges. Buddy Love is also self-centred. And the difficulty is that the potion wears off fairly quickly. Obviously this gives the opportunity for Jerry Lewis to do his own kind of comedy style as well as something of a parody of Dean Martin. As the potion wears off more quickly it means that he has to move very rapidly from one personality to the other.
The film was so successful that it was remade (with its own sequel) as a vehicle for Eddie Murphy.
1. Critics say that this is a very good comedy. Was it? How enjoyable was it? What comic features did it use best?
2. How successful were the ingredients of parody, of both the professor and Buddy Love, the portrayal of the little man? American Universities and students in the sixties, farcical situations, gags?
3. What are the characteristics of Jerry Lewis's comedies? Were they present here? Does the film justify the claim that this is Jerry Lewis's best film?
4. How good was the portrait of Professor Kelp? His appearance, mannerisms, way of speaking and dithering, and yet strong intelligence, the way he ran the class, not an absolute idiot? The comic sequences? The little pathetic man? His adoration of Stella and her response to him?
5. How important was the theme of the 'inner man'? Drives and fantasies? The satisfaction with oneself and pride and drives to something more? The importance of his imaginings of Stella Stevens at the door in various dresses and costumes? The fact that Professor Kelp, manifested himself as Buddy Love? The challenging of the footballers and their
slinging off at the little man? And the importance of the building sequences?
6. How attractive was Stella and how convincing was she in transforming Kelp?
7. The importance of the footballers in the film? The satire on American footballers? And people being intimidated by them? And over challenging themselves?
8. How did the taunts so hurt the Professor? His clash with Professor Warfield? (The comedy of the wordless interview between them?) The importance of the Professor's body-building exercises?
9. How successful was Jerry Lewis's portrait of Buddy Love? As a sex object of the teens? Idol of the times? As proud, objectionable, self-absorbed? The introduction of Buddy Love, sequences towering over others? His parody of talk and behaviour, talking, mocking wit and charm? The sequences charming Millie Lemon, Professor Warfield imitating Shakespeare and doing Hamlet on the table? The teenage response? How important was this for the success of the film?
10. The parody of the Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde situation of the professor in the laboratory? His talking to Jennifer about the bird and her comments? The initial turning into a monster? The theme of Jekyll and Hyde cracking and with Buddy Love singing in both voices?
11. The impact of the finale with Buddy Love breaking down and turning into professor Kelp? The pathos of the confusion about identity and Kelp's asking people’s pardon, not wanting to hurt others, wanting to love? The quality of love in Stella’s response?
12. How humorous was the fact that the parents had the formula and that they were changed? Did this blend in well with the rest of the film? (With the initial reminiscences of the Professor? )
13. Was the ending too sentimental or did it work - going off to get married? The final joke breaking the film?
14. How high a standard of comedy did the film keep? is it rightly considered a classic of its kind?
