DON’T RAISE THE BRIDGE, LOWER THE RIVER.

UK, 1967, 99 minutes, Colour.
Jerry Lewis, Terry- Thomas, Jacqueline Pearce, Bernard Cribbins, Patricia Routledge, Nicholas Parsons, Michael Bates, Colin Gordon, John Bluthal.
Directed by Jerry Paris.

One of Jerry Lewis's final film’s in the sixties. During the seventies he was comparatively inactive. The film is directed by actor-comedian Jerry Paris. The film is slight, has typical Jerry Lewis routines. The distinguishing aspect is the British setting, the humorous interpretations and the co-starring with Terry Thomas. A very reliable English comic cast is in support. The film is a curiosity item showing Lewis among the British. It also shows his comic phase coming to an end.

1. The significance and emphasis of the title, a Jerry Lewis vehicle, a British production?

2. Audience expectations about a Jerry Lewis film? His style of comedy, his person and personality, routines, style, situations? The particular characteristics of his comedy, American comedy? How well were they fulfilled?

3. The use of colour, English and continental locations, comic atmosphere? Jerry Lewis fitting into this British context?

4. How enjoyable was the plot? Its plausibility and implausibility? The nature of the humour in the situations, confidence tricks, accidents and mistakes?

5. Jerry Lewis and his impersonation of George Lester? Lester as a character, a winner and a loser, a quick thinker yet a bungler, his managing and mismanagement? His turning the house into a restaurant, his involvement with Homer, with Pamela, the incident with the teeth and the microfilm? A sympathetic hero?

6. The contribution of Pamela, heroine, love interest, exasperation with George that the audience could share? Dudley as an ineffectual friend? As an alternative to George as Pamela’s husband? The humour in Pamela’s
reaction to the restaurant, the adventures of the microfilm etc.?

7. Terry-Thomas' contribution to the film as Homer? His personality and comic style? The shrewdness and the confidence tricks? Relationship with George? The various plots?

8. Davies as a comic character, his work in the garage, with the planes, his teeth?

9. The themes in this kind of film and their contribution to the comedy and excitement?

10. The minor characters, for example Dr Spink, Lucille Beatty, Dr Pinto and his nurse? A gallery of comic characters for this kind of film?

11. For what audience was it made? The values of this kind of comedy and laughing at human foibles?