THE FAMILY JEWELS
US, 1965, 100 minutes, Colour.
Jerry Lewis, Donna Butterworth, Sebastian Cabot Robert Strauss.
Directed by Jerry Lewis.
The Family Jewels is very much a Jerry Lewis film, it comes later in his solo career. A very American comic with his exaggerations and farce, he nevertheless has greater skill in visual jokes and humour. He also has much comedy on the poor and pathetic little man. This is his equivalent of Kind Hearts and Coronets where he plays a multiplicity of characters, often satirising types e.g. his Terry-Thomas? Captain Eddie, air hero, his parody of Bugsy the gangster and of Sherlock Holmes. Much of it is too farcical and broad humour but it indicates the styles of Jerry Lewis' comedy.
1. An example of Jerry Lewis's acting, directing? A film later in his career?
2. His particular comic styles? Serious, zany, farcical? Exaggerations? Broad American humour?
3. The colour photography, locations, the variety of American backgrounds of wealth, gangsters, planes, the Navy, etc.? The musical score?
4. The variety of characters that Lewis portrayed? His skill in each of them? £he parody of American types? The parody of film styles and characters for example Sherlock Holmes, Captain Eddy? His portrait of the chauffeur as the ordinary kindly man? Everett, James, Captain Eddy, Julius, Bugsy, Skylock? The distinguishing characteristics of each character? The humorous and farcical situations for example the sinking of the ship and the scuttling of the bomb, the photography, Captain Eddy and his flying the ladies to Chicago, Bugsy and the parody of gangster kidnappings, Skylock and his investigations with Doctor Matson?
5. How humorous were the various routines? The blend of sentiment with Donna? Donna and her basic situation, the advice of seeking out a father? The ignoring of the child, for example by the clown, by the photographer with the breakfast cereals, the kidnapping by Bugsy and then his kindness and playing games with her? Captain Eddy and his quaintness? The potential for all these persons as father? The inevitability of the chauffeur becoming the father, the device of having him disguised as a clown?
6. The blend of sentiment, sentimentality, humour, farce? The image of the man of pathos that Jerry Lewis portrayed? An American comic type?
