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IMDb > The Court Jester (1955)
The Court Jester
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The Court Jester (1955) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
7.7/10   5,223 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 13% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Writers:
Norman Panama (written by) and
Melvin Frank (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Court Jester on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
27 January 1956 (USA) more
Tagline:
SONGS! Where Walks My True Love -- Baby Let Me Take You Dreaming -- Life Could Not Better Be -- The Maladjusted Jester -- My Heart Knows A Lovely Song! -- Outfox The Fox more
Plot:
A hapless carnival performer masquerades as the court jester as part of a plot against an evil ruler who has overthrown the rightful king. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 1 win more
NewsDesk:
(2 articles)
Mum Wants Gyllenhaal To Be Danny Kaye
 (From WENN. 4 December 2009, 5:31 PM, PST)

Film School 101: Protagonists
 (From Atomic Popcorn. 1 November 2009, 4:57 AM, PST)

User Comments:
Charming medieval comedy of errors more (93 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Danny Kaye ... Hubert Hawkins
Glynis Johns ... Maid Jean
Basil Rathbone ... Sir Ravenhurst

Angela Lansbury ... Princess Gwendolyn
Cecil Parker ... King Roderick I
Mildred Natwick ... Griselda
Robert Middleton ... Sir Griswold
Michael Pate ... Sir Locksley
Herbert Rudley ... Captain of the Guard
Noel Drayton ... Fergus
John Carradine ... Giacomo
Edward Ashley ... Black Fox
Alan Napier ... Sir Brockhurst
Lewis Martin ... Sir Finsdale
Patrick Aherne ... Sir Pertwee
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Runtime:
101 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Some songs that were written but not heard in the film are "I Live To Love" (sung by Danny Kaye to Angela Lansbury when he swings into her bedroom) and an extended "Pass the Basket" number when Kaye appears before the King (just prior to the famous "Maladjusted Jester"). Both songs were, however, recorded and released on the film's companion record. more
Goofs:
Revealing mistakes: During the tournament between Sir Griswold and Hawkins, when Sir Griswold lops off Hawkins' helmet, the helmet's visor opens and a head can be seen inside the helmet. Then Hawkins' head is shown emerging from his armor. more
Quotes:
Captain of the Guard: [Hawkins is being tested for Knighthood] He must scale a wall in full armor.
[Hawkins is tossed over the wall]
Captain of the Guard: Candidate passes!
[later]
Captain of the Guard: He must bring down a hawk in full flight.
[a hawk with an arrow is tossed on the ground]
Captain of the Guard: Candidate passes.
Hawkins: But I didn't even shoo...
Captain of the Guard: [shouts] Candidate passes!
[later]
[...]
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in The Producers (2005) more
Soundtrack:
My Heart Knows a Love Song more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
16 out of 16 people found the following comment useful.
Charming medieval comedy of errors, 1 March 2000
9/10
Author: Dan Franzen (dfranzen70) from United States

Not much goes wrong with this movie, a delightful spoof of action-costumer movies. Danny Kaye is an absolute delight as the young rebel impersonating a jester in the court of an evil king (although in this film, his evil is blunted) but mistaken for a hit man. There have been few performers who could light up an entire scene by their mere presence, and Kaye is one of them. Who in this day could do what he did? He could sing, he could dance, and he could make you laugh so hard you could only take liquids the next day. And in this movie he gets a chance to do all three, plus do some swashbuckling! Also along for the ride are the elegant Glynis Johns, who plays his superior in the slight rebel force trying to return the throne to its rightful owner, and Basil Rathbone, who could play the clever, suave cad as good as anyone in movies. Film buffs may remember Rathbone's turn as the Sheriff of Nottingham in 1939's "The Adventures of Robin Hood," which starred the eminent Errol Flynn. In that movie, Rathbone has a memorable sword-fighting scene with Flynn; here, that scene is copied, with Kaye a hilarious stand-in for Errol. This movie is a true delight, a must-see for all ages.

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