THE PATSY
US, 1964, 101 minutes, Colour.
Jerry Lewis, Ina Balin, Everett Sloane, Phil Harris, Keenan Wynn, Peter Lorre, George Raft, John Carradine, Scatman Crothers, Jack Albertson.
Directed by Jerry Lewis.
A typical Jerry Lewis vehicle of the early sixties. Not only does he star, he wrote and directed the film and was involved in its production. He is very much to the fore in the film, although he surrounds himself with an excellent cast of veteran Hollywood character actors, including Peter Lorre in his last film. He also has a humorous guest role from George Raft who had appeared in The Ladies' Man. Ina Balin is a relaxed and attractive heroine. Lewis presents himself as usual as the oppressed little man who is challenged to change his way of life, who reacts against the phoniness of the American system and who wins out in the end.
It is the Danny Kaye to Woody Allen (with echoes of Charlie Chaplin) version of the little man, fast style. The film pokes a great deal of fun at the entertainment industry and has - quite a number of walk-on bits by celebrities culminating with Ed Sullivan bringing the central character on to his show. In a way, the film celebrates the star mentality of the sixties as well as poking fun at it. Jerry Lewis has some amusing routines, especially when he echoes silent film styles. He also has many of his seemingly inane farcical and raucous routines. However, the film is one of his more important features.
1. Jerry Lewis's career as an American comic? The comic tradition, the zany manic contortions, the comic grotesque? Visual humour? Mime? American style ? the little man, the childlike man? The satire on American men, celebrities? Greed? Lewis's contribution as writer, director, producer, star?
2. The film as a Jerry Lewis vehicle: the focus on himself? His surrounding himself with character acting talent? His showcasing of the supporting stars? Guest stars? An exhibition of his skills? The display of his comedy style? The little man, the fool succeeding? His satirising American types? The little man pressurised, sentimentalised, laughed at, laughed with? Ultimate success? A variation on the American dream?
3. Lewis's knowledge and use of cinema traditions? The silent films and the routines with the vases in the music teacher's room, the flashback about the dance, the baker, the suit? The traditions of slapstick and. farce? Verbal humour? The romance of the little man? The place of this kind of film in Jerry Lewis's contribution to the development of American comedy?
4. The world of Los Angeles, films and television, records? Echoing the bustle of the sixties? Star systems, greedy entrepreneurs? The world of show business and the types that it attracted? Tutors and hangers on? The world of records the night clubs? Television and the Ed Sullivan show? The movies?
5. The group of businessmen and their manipulation of Stanley Belt? The character stars performing these roles? Audience knowledge of their careers? Their parodying their previous roles? The situation with the death of their comedian? Their avaricious plans? The selection of Stanley Belt? Confounding him with the news? The agent and his deals especially with Hedda Hopper and her allowing herself to be mocked? Tutoring and rehearsals? The writer and going over the material to make it acceptable? The valet and his clothes? Caryl and his deals? Iffie effort going into training Stanley, the plans, the night club debut and its disaster, dropping him especially with the signed letter? Their comeuppance at the end and being forgiven!
6. Ellen and her role in the group? Ina Balin's natural style, the credibility of her falling in love with someone like Stanley? Her work for the group, sympathy for Stanley, helping him out? Her place as the ugly duckling in his reminiscence of being hurt at the dance? Her being hurt with her signature at the end of the letter? Being caught in the traffic? Her fears at the end? forgiveness and the happy marriage?
7. Jerry Lewis's creation of Stanley Belt, the zany bellboy, his being aghast at his selection, and the fixed stances of the group gazing at him, his babble of talk? How stupid really was he? The potential which actually came out?
8. The clothes sequence and the difficulties in dressing him, the barber and Caruthers and his song polishing his feet? The music tutor and the catching of the vases, the hand caught in the piano and the shattering of the vases? The various tutors and rehearsals? The embarrassed flop at the night club?
9. His being abandoned and laughed at? His defying the group? The appearance on the Ed Sullivan show and Ed Sullivan satirising himself? The mime of the young man getting to the premiere? Success?
10. Jerry Lewis's vision of himself, his comic ability and sincerity? As echoing an American comic view of life in the sixties?
