In a film that will only really appeal if you're a keen fan of Jerry lewis, Terry - Thomas, for me,was the saving grace of this picture. It was the only reason I bought it in the first place, but thankfully, aided by some fine support from a young Patricia Routledge, Bernard Cribbins and John Bluthal, the film is still worth a look-in. The story is also quite amusing, although I can't help feeling that it could have been used to a much bigger comic impact. Thankfully, there are enough comic scenarios are characters to help fill out some of the gaps for the film to become too slow. Terry - Thomas puts in a fantastic, stereo-typical "cad" performance and there's some great mugging from Bernard Cribbins but apart from that, the film is a bit of a dead loss.
14 Reviews
The best thing since moldy sliced bread
BrandtSponseller21 May 2005
I'm well known--well, or at least I'd like to be well known--for arguing that it's a mistake to identify genres with emotional reactions in viewers. For example, I think it's wrong to conflate "horror" and "scary movie", where "scary" is intended to describe the emotional reaction the film is supposed to cause in the viewer. "Horror" instead should describe the content of the film and (maybe) the way that content is handled. Likewise with comedy, although the identification of modern comedies and laughter is probably the most difficult case to disentangle. (If we use the traditional sense of "comedy", the disentangling is much easier.)
I bring all of this up not to bore you, or even to flabbergast you with how pretentious, pompous, or pseudo-intellectual I sound (or whatever other epithet you'd like to apply). I bring it up merely to say that the problems I had with Don't Raise the Bridge, Lower the River aren't solely based on it being a largely unfunny comedy--which it is. There are unfunny comedies that can be good films. Just like horror films need not be scary to be good, comedies need not be funny, or need not primarily aim for that. But Don't Raise the Bridge, Lower the River has a host of other problems that make it not succeed above a "D" level, or a 6.
It's difficult, at least this far removed in time, to say what exactly director Jerry Paris was shooting for here. The film is about George Lester (Jerry Lewis). The beginning has a quickly progressing sequence where we see George go from being a kid to meeting his wife and already having problems with her as he takes her on extreme business trips (often in hostile environments) across the globe. This all happens in maybe four or five minutes. The common theme throughout these all-too-quick scenes, and the gist of the film, is that George is a cross between a misguided dreamer/entrepreneur and a con-man/shyster.
Unfortunately, this opening sequence was maybe the best thing about Don't Raise the Bridge, Lower the River. There was a good story in following George as he grew up, met his wife and went on crazy business trips. Much of the opening is funny. This material should have been stretched into feature length.
But instead, Paris and writer Max Wilk, adapting his own novel for the screenplay, give us a very convoluted story set while George and his wife, Pamela (Jacqueline Pearce), are getting divorced. The film ends up being about a confused scheme to bilk some oil sheiks out of £50,000 and at the same time, get George's wife back into his arms. The premise isn't bad, but the script and the direction are a mess.
It doesn't help that Paris seems like he tried to reel Lewis in a bit--or maybe Lewis was trying to appear relatively more serious and sophisticated. Whatever the cause, the result is that Lewis is a bit boring and uncharismatic, and when he tries to do more manic comic bits, they tend to fall flat. Constructing the plot so that Lewis is stuck at home, mostly not interacting with others, wasn't a great idea either. It's like a literal representation of "phoning in" a performance. At the same time, it's clear that Paris was often going for a "madcap comedy", but he achieves neither a convincing "madcap" feeling nor many laughs.
Pearce's performance is decent, but she seems to be in the wrong film. Her tone doesn't match anyone else's. There are also two very good supporting actors, Terry-Thomas, as fellow shyster H. William Homer, and Patricia Routledge, as Lucille Beatty. Both do the best job they can given the script and direction problems, but neither quite manage to take off--either they just can't muster the momentum to take over as they need to, or they weren't allowed to.
It's not that the film is a complete disaster. There are occasional sections that work, such as the beginning, mentioned above. There are also occasional sections that are funny, such as the idea of turning the house into a restaurant/disco, and the scenes featuring Fed Davies (Bernard Cribbins) in his second job (although the fact that he had two jobs wasn't explained very well). More often, there are scenes that might make you smile. But overall, the film is quite a trainwreck, because of the bad story/script and direction, despite the fact that the ending is satisfying, and the actors keep doing their best to surmount the difficulties.
Also on the positive side, the cinematography is crisp ad colorful if not particularly innovative, and the sets/locations are occasionally attractive. But this is not nearly enough to recommend the film.
I don't think I've seen any of Paris' other films yet, although I've seen a lot of his television work, which was often quite funny--he's directed episodes of "The Dick Van Dyke Show" (1961), "Mary Tyler Moore" (1970), and "The Odd Couple" (1970), for instance--all excellent shows. Maybe his talent was more suited for filling in 22 minutes of a comedy template than the more free-form structure of a feature film.
I bring all of this up not to bore you, or even to flabbergast you with how pretentious, pompous, or pseudo-intellectual I sound (or whatever other epithet you'd like to apply). I bring it up merely to say that the problems I had with Don't Raise the Bridge, Lower the River aren't solely based on it being a largely unfunny comedy--which it is. There are unfunny comedies that can be good films. Just like horror films need not be scary to be good, comedies need not be funny, or need not primarily aim for that. But Don't Raise the Bridge, Lower the River has a host of other problems that make it not succeed above a "D" level, or a 6.
It's difficult, at least this far removed in time, to say what exactly director Jerry Paris was shooting for here. The film is about George Lester (Jerry Lewis). The beginning has a quickly progressing sequence where we see George go from being a kid to meeting his wife and already having problems with her as he takes her on extreme business trips (often in hostile environments) across the globe. This all happens in maybe four or five minutes. The common theme throughout these all-too-quick scenes, and the gist of the film, is that George is a cross between a misguided dreamer/entrepreneur and a con-man/shyster.
Unfortunately, this opening sequence was maybe the best thing about Don't Raise the Bridge, Lower the River. There was a good story in following George as he grew up, met his wife and went on crazy business trips. Much of the opening is funny. This material should have been stretched into feature length.
But instead, Paris and writer Max Wilk, adapting his own novel for the screenplay, give us a very convoluted story set while George and his wife, Pamela (Jacqueline Pearce), are getting divorced. The film ends up being about a confused scheme to bilk some oil sheiks out of £50,000 and at the same time, get George's wife back into his arms. The premise isn't bad, but the script and the direction are a mess.
It doesn't help that Paris seems like he tried to reel Lewis in a bit--or maybe Lewis was trying to appear relatively more serious and sophisticated. Whatever the cause, the result is that Lewis is a bit boring and uncharismatic, and when he tries to do more manic comic bits, they tend to fall flat. Constructing the plot so that Lewis is stuck at home, mostly not interacting with others, wasn't a great idea either. It's like a literal representation of "phoning in" a performance. At the same time, it's clear that Paris was often going for a "madcap comedy", but he achieves neither a convincing "madcap" feeling nor many laughs.
Pearce's performance is decent, but she seems to be in the wrong film. Her tone doesn't match anyone else's. There are also two very good supporting actors, Terry-Thomas, as fellow shyster H. William Homer, and Patricia Routledge, as Lucille Beatty. Both do the best job they can given the script and direction problems, but neither quite manage to take off--either they just can't muster the momentum to take over as they need to, or they weren't allowed to.
It's not that the film is a complete disaster. There are occasional sections that work, such as the beginning, mentioned above. There are also occasional sections that are funny, such as the idea of turning the house into a restaurant/disco, and the scenes featuring Fed Davies (Bernard Cribbins) in his second job (although the fact that he had two jobs wasn't explained very well). More often, there are scenes that might make you smile. But overall, the film is quite a trainwreck, because of the bad story/script and direction, despite the fact that the ending is satisfying, and the actors keep doing their best to surmount the difficulties.
Also on the positive side, the cinematography is crisp ad colorful if not particularly innovative, and the sets/locations are occasionally attractive. But this is not nearly enough to recommend the film.
I don't think I've seen any of Paris' other films yet, although I've seen a lot of his television work, which was often quite funny--he's directed episodes of "The Dick Van Dyke Show" (1961), "Mary Tyler Moore" (1970), and "The Odd Couple" (1970), for instance--all excellent shows. Maybe his talent was more suited for filling in 22 minutes of a comedy template than the more free-form structure of a feature film.
Not fabulous....
planktonrules1 December 2012
Warning: Spoilers
One of Jerry Lewis' best solo efforts was "The Bellboy". It has very little in the way of plot but featured lots and lots of vignettes-- most of which were pretty funny. The jokes came one after another after another and even if one fell flat, it was soon followed by another. "Don't Raise the Bridge, Lower the River" is the opposite. There is LOTS of plot (too much) and because the plot is so darn complicated, there doesn't seem to be a lot of room for laughs. It's not a terrible film...but it certainly isn't a very good effort from Lewis.
I will try to explain the plot. It is complicated and confusing....so here goes. Jerry marries and takes his wife all over the world for three years--taking her on one adventure after another. The problem is that there's no normalcy for her--and the marriage is all about Jerry and his adventures. So, after she tires of his self-absorption, she sues for divorce and leaves him. In the interim, Jerry turns her lovely home into a Chop Suey palace and discotheque! She returns and is naturally furious--especially since he took out a loan in BOTH their names. She vows to have him jailed and he insists that he will win her back--even when she introduces him to her new boyfriend.
As for the boyfriend, he works in the oil industry and he's invented a new drill. Jerry's very larcenous friend (Terry-Thomas) is intrigued when Jerry proposes a way to earn back the money Jerry owes his wife--to steal the boyfriend's plans for the drill and sell it to the Arabs. BUT, after Jerry sneaks into the company and photographs the plans, he gets the mumps and cannot fly to meet the Arabs. Now here is where the film gets WAY too complicated. He comes up with a scheme where they'll blackmail a local doctor to implant microfilm into an air steward's mouth AND make sure the painkiller wears off at about the time the poor man arrives in Lisbon on a flight. And, the dentist is to give the man a card for an 'associate' (actually a very crooked dentist) in Lisbon in case there are any complications--and he has rigged it so there will surely be a serious complication. Then, at the crooked dentist's office in Lisbon, Terry-Thomas and the Arabs look into the man's mouth to read the plans. BUT, Jerry has only sent half the plan--and the Arabs are NOT pleased. From here, it gets even MORE complicated....all of which tend to confuse the audience and leave you wondering how the plot got this convoluted. As a result of its lack of humor, I think this one merits a 4. I only give it a 4 because Terry-Thomas was pretty good in the movie. Overall, not terrible but not at all good.
By the way, although Lewis himself directed most of his films during the 1960s, this one was directed by Jerry Paris--the same guy who played 'Jerry Helper' on "The Dick Van Dyke Show" as well as director of many comedies over the years. And, the script was also not written by Lewis--making this a rare case where all Lewis had to do was act in the film.
I will try to explain the plot. It is complicated and confusing....so here goes. Jerry marries and takes his wife all over the world for three years--taking her on one adventure after another. The problem is that there's no normalcy for her--and the marriage is all about Jerry and his adventures. So, after she tires of his self-absorption, she sues for divorce and leaves him. In the interim, Jerry turns her lovely home into a Chop Suey palace and discotheque! She returns and is naturally furious--especially since he took out a loan in BOTH their names. She vows to have him jailed and he insists that he will win her back--even when she introduces him to her new boyfriend.
As for the boyfriend, he works in the oil industry and he's invented a new drill. Jerry's very larcenous friend (Terry-Thomas) is intrigued when Jerry proposes a way to earn back the money Jerry owes his wife--to steal the boyfriend's plans for the drill and sell it to the Arabs. BUT, after Jerry sneaks into the company and photographs the plans, he gets the mumps and cannot fly to meet the Arabs. Now here is where the film gets WAY too complicated. He comes up with a scheme where they'll blackmail a local doctor to implant microfilm into an air steward's mouth AND make sure the painkiller wears off at about the time the poor man arrives in Lisbon on a flight. And, the dentist is to give the man a card for an 'associate' (actually a very crooked dentist) in Lisbon in case there are any complications--and he has rigged it so there will surely be a serious complication. Then, at the crooked dentist's office in Lisbon, Terry-Thomas and the Arabs look into the man's mouth to read the plans. BUT, Jerry has only sent half the plan--and the Arabs are NOT pleased. From here, it gets even MORE complicated....all of which tend to confuse the audience and leave you wondering how the plot got this convoluted. As a result of its lack of humor, I think this one merits a 4. I only give it a 4 because Terry-Thomas was pretty good in the movie. Overall, not terrible but not at all good.
By the way, although Lewis himself directed most of his films during the 1960s, this one was directed by Jerry Paris--the same guy who played 'Jerry Helper' on "The Dick Van Dyke Show" as well as director of many comedies over the years. And, the script was also not written by Lewis--making this a rare case where all Lewis had to do was act in the film.
3/10
missbellu-431429 February 2019
Oh dear oh dear oh dear. I can't make my mind up if this is one of those so bad it's good films or if it's just awful. The only stand out thing for me is it is the first film appearance of the fantastic British actress Patricia Routledge as a dotty girl guide leader. Other than that, it's one of those films you either give up on half way through because it's so terrible or stick with it because it's a bit bonkers.
Middling Lewis At Best
ferbs5426 November 2007
A labored comedy that lurches from one silly set piece to the next, 1968's "Don't Raise the Bridge, Lower the River" is certainly middling Jerry Lewis at best. In this one, Jerry plays an American wheeler-dealer living in London who is so busy chasing after money and arranging schemes that his wife, the yummy Jacqueline Pearce, dumps him in disgust. To win her back, Jerry turns her family mansion into a Chinese disco (don't ask!) and arranges a deal with his sometimes-partner, the usually dependable Terry-Thomas, to steal the plans for a new oil drill and sell them to the Arabs. Many unfunny situations ensue, some of them painful. Lewis is a bit cooler here than usual, only occasionally lapsing into his trademark goofiness. Jerry & Terry would have made a good comedy team, but they DO need something better to work with. Anywaste, I originally rented this one out because I had so enjoyed Ms. Pearce's work in a pair of 1966 Hammer horror films, "The Plague of the Zombies" and "The Reptile," and she turns out to be a gifted comedic actress here. Other pleasant surprises include the presences of Margaret Nolan (so fondly remembered by fans of the movie "Goldfinger") and Patricia Routledge, almost 25 years before playing Hyacinth Bucket on the Britcom "Keeping Up Appearances." Still, despite some good folks in the cast, I think I only laffed once: when Jerry said that one of his mumps had just exploded (again, don't ask!). This is a film that will best be appreciated by those who are either very stoned, very young or, I suppose, very French!
Worst Lewis Film Ever.
flackjacket2 September 2013
I'm a big fan of Jerry Lewis. It seems people either love him or hate him. They either get the humor or they don't. I have every movie he's made, except for this one. And after seeing it again today, I realize why.
First of all he's completely miscast. It was mistake to cast him in this role and an even bigger mistake for him to take the job. This obviously wasn't a role for a comedian because the film isn't a comedy. Is divorce funny? When is the last time you heard someone say, "My divorce was hilarious."?
Then there's Jacqueline Pearce, who plays the role of his wife, or ex-wife. I'm amazed at all the positive talk about her. She can't act, looks like she cut her hair herself while wearing a blindfold and is totally annoying.
And if the storyline wasn't bad enough, throw in a girls scout troop, with mumps headed up by the stuffy Patricia "voice like the French Chef" Routledge. Seriously? Why? It had nothing to do with the plot.
And as I stare at the screen in disbelief that this is a Jerry Lewis movie, it all makes sense when you realize it was directed by Jerry Paris - the untalented hack that played Dick Van Dyke's neighbor.
Odd that the video cover says "The original king of comedy at his outrageous best!" Yes, he's one of the original kings of comedy, but in this film he's never outrageous and at his all time worst.
First of all he's completely miscast. It was mistake to cast him in this role and an even bigger mistake for him to take the job. This obviously wasn't a role for a comedian because the film isn't a comedy. Is divorce funny? When is the last time you heard someone say, "My divorce was hilarious."?
Then there's Jacqueline Pearce, who plays the role of his wife, or ex-wife. I'm amazed at all the positive talk about her. She can't act, looks like she cut her hair herself while wearing a blindfold and is totally annoying.
And if the storyline wasn't bad enough, throw in a girls scout troop, with mumps headed up by the stuffy Patricia "voice like the French Chef" Routledge. Seriously? Why? It had nothing to do with the plot.
And as I stare at the screen in disbelief that this is a Jerry Lewis movie, it all makes sense when you realize it was directed by Jerry Paris - the untalented hack that played Dick Van Dyke's neighbor.
Odd that the video cover says "The original king of comedy at his outrageous best!" Yes, he's one of the original kings of comedy, but in this film he's never outrageous and at his all time worst.
Unbelievably Unfunny Jerry Lewis
richard.fuller12 September 2013
Warning: Spoilers
From the opening scene of his walking thru London with the bowler and parasol, this movie is really a study of an ego at it's worst.
As others have said, saving graces in this film are Cribbens, Routledge and Thomas.
Lewis fails at any kind of humor or reasoning throughout the entire film. Why turn the house into a disco in the first place? Endless stunt after stunt has no reason.
When I saw Abbott and Costello's show, I couldn't help but think Costello reminded me of Lewis' idea of comedy; just watch me and I'm funny.
Even worse is Lewis' one-liners or attempts at such. None of them are funny.
Watch this movie to see a study of an ego. For that matter, you can do this with many of Lewis' movies.
As others have said, saving graces in this film are Cribbens, Routledge and Thomas.
Lewis fails at any kind of humor or reasoning throughout the entire film. Why turn the house into a disco in the first place? Endless stunt after stunt has no reason.
When I saw Abbott and Costello's show, I couldn't help but think Costello reminded me of Lewis' idea of comedy; just watch me and I'm funny.
Even worse is Lewis' one-liners or attempts at such. None of them are funny.
Watch this movie to see a study of an ego. For that matter, you can do this with many of Lewis' movies.
"I wanna know your shoe size! I wanna know the distance between your eyes!"
moonspinner5519 July 2017
Jerry Lewis as a professional schemer who marries a lovely Brit and moves to Swinging London, but neglects his new spouse by always putting his eccentric clients first. She sues for divorce and gets custody of their manor--but while she's away, Lewis sneaks back in and turns the property into a restaurant/discotheque with a Chinese theme. Lewis, working solely as an actor-for-hire, is more appealing when he's restrained, but at the same time was getting too old for juvenile antics like this. Screenwriter Max Wilk adapted his own novel (!), but doesn't have much of a sense of humor. His ingredients here include loud divorce arguments, the mumps, blackmail, suspected infidelity...and Lewis doing a really awful Chinese imitation with his two front teeth stuck out. *1/2 from ****
One of the better Jerry Lewis flicks
ksf-217 March 2009
Pretty good film with Jerry Lewis and Terry Thomas involved in a money scam to raise money quickly. George Lester (Lewis) and his wife Pam (Jacqueline Pearce, who looks and sounds JUST like Audrey Hepburn, even her wardrobe) are getting a divorce, and in an attempt to hold onto her, George has spent a lot of money converting their house into a business. Pam will have none of it, and now George needs money fast. He and his buddy Willie Homer (Terry Thomas) come up with a scheme to sell something that belongs to Pam's new beau Dudley Heath (Nick Parsons). Thomas had made "Naked Truth" with P. Sellers ten years prior... Keep an eye out for a YOUNG Patricia Routledge - she will go on to be Hyacinth Bucket (its Bou - quet !) on BBC's "Keeping Up Appearances". She keeps getting in the way of George's scam. Viewers will know the gap-toothed Terry Thomas as the Colonel and botanist from Its a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (J. Lewis had a cameo in that) , and TONS of film appearances in the UK and the US. Here, Lewis plays the straight man, who spends most of the film storming and fuming, trying to keep Heath away from Pamela. The funniest scenes in the flick are on the two airplane trips from England to Lisbon, and the slapstick comedy there is done by the flight attendant (Bernard Cribbins). There ARE some funny one-off lines and scenes from J Lewis, (he even says two separate lines directly into the camera). While it IS a clever farce, this has more of a serious, believable story-line than the earlier, sillier J Lewis films where he spoke in a high pitched voice and tripped over himself every couple minutes. Unfortunately, the ending is quite weak, compared to the pace of the rest of the movie. Story by Max Wilk, who had also written "It Happened to Jane", starring Doris Day. Directed by Jerry Paris, best known from the Dick Van Dyke Show. He made the jump from acting to directing pretty early on, and did mostly directing from the 1960s on.
Funny, but uneven
bkoganbing4 December 2013
As Jerry Lewis was winding down in his career as a box office star he did this film in Great Britain where he got to co-star with Terry-Thomas. Lewis plays a mercurial entrepreneur of sorts whose schemes seem to go awry all the time. For one thing unabashed con man Terry-Thomas is constantly bamboozling him. But when wife Jacqueline Pearce finally is ready to leave him once and for all, Lewis has need of his nemesis and the contacts he has to win her back.
He'll have to go some because after he turns their home into what he thinks is a grand idea, a combination discotheque and Chinese Restaurant in swinging London of the Sixties that settles his hash. But Lewis has a scheme whereby he steals the plans for a new type oil driller from Pearce's boyfriend Nicholas Parsons and he needs Terry-Thomas to make the contacts for illegal buyers.
Don't Raise The Bridge Lower The River had a pretty good plot premise, but somehow Lewis and Terry-Thomas never quite meshed together in their comedy styles. It's like both were in different films. In fact the comedy itself is clearly British in origin with Lewis brought in to insure some American box office.
One good thing about the film is the debut of Patricia Routledge as the mentor of some Girl Guides which is the British equivalent of the Girl Scouts. When she gets loaded and sets a romantic eye on Jerry it gets the funniest it does get.
He'll have to go some because after he turns their home into what he thinks is a grand idea, a combination discotheque and Chinese Restaurant in swinging London of the Sixties that settles his hash. But Lewis has a scheme whereby he steals the plans for a new type oil driller from Pearce's boyfriend Nicholas Parsons and he needs Terry-Thomas to make the contacts for illegal buyers.
Don't Raise The Bridge Lower The River had a pretty good plot premise, but somehow Lewis and Terry-Thomas never quite meshed together in their comedy styles. It's like both were in different films. In fact the comedy itself is clearly British in origin with Lewis brought in to insure some American box office.
One good thing about the film is the debut of Patricia Routledge as the mentor of some Girl Guides which is the British equivalent of the Girl Scouts. When she gets loaded and sets a romantic eye on Jerry it gets the funniest it does get.
Jerry causes a riot in Britain
Petey-1016 March 2009
Jerry Lewis plays George Lester, an American man who lives in Britain.He wants to become rich, quick and he comes up with schemes.He marries a pretty Englisg woman Pamela (Jacqueline Thomas), who then wants a divorce because she's tired of being dragged around the world.George wants her back.Jerry Paris is the director of Don't Raise the Bridge, Lower the River (1967).It's main star, comedian Jerry Lewis turns 83 today.It's always a joy to watch the master at work.I found the VHS last year and just watched it.While this isn't the best movie Jerry has been in, it still has some good moments.It's quite funny when Jerry goes to Dudley's office wearing a moustache and trying to take pictures with that mini camera.All Jerry Lewis fans should see this.
Lewis In London
ShadeGrenade2 February 2009
Warning: Spoilers
In the mid-'60's, Walter Shenson scored at the box office with the Richard Lester directed Beatles films 'A Hard Day's Night' and 'Help!' and was keen to do other films in a similar madcap vein. One was the underrated '30 Is A Dangerous Age Cynthia' starring Dudley Moore. Another was this - 'Don't Raise The Bridge, Lower The River'.
Jerry Lewis plays 'George Lester', a smooth American con man based in London. He is married to lovely 'Pamela' ( Jacqueline Pearce, the future 'Servalan' of the B.B.C.'s 'Blake's Seven' ), but she grows tired of his constantly travelling around the world trying to make a fast buck, and wants a divorce. The final straw comes when he turns her family home into a discotheque and ( it is implied ) knocking shop.
To raise the money needed to restore the house, he embarks on his biggest caper yet - making illicit copies of the blueprints for a new kind of electronic drill, which he hopes to sell to the Arabs. He smuggles half of the plans out of the country in the dental work of an airline steward called Fred Davies ( Bernard Cribbins ). To help him out, he enlists the aid of fellow crook - H.William Horner ( Terry-Thomas )...
Unlike the majority of Jerry's Sixties films, this was not written by him ( it was by Max Wilk, adapting his own novel ) and directed instead by Jerry Paris, whose other credits include the 'Happy Days' television series and a couple of the 'Police Academy' sequels.
The fact that Jerry was at large in Swinging London was the film's main selling point. Unfortunately, the ludicrous story leaves little room for the kind of satire the film badly needs. Perhaps it would have been funnier if Lester had been manager of a rock band or something. Lewis himself seems more restrained than usual. Some might think that a good thing, but the 'Jerry' of 'The Disorderly Orderly' and 'The Family Jewels' would, had he been injected into the proceedings, have gone some way to making the film fun.
As it stands, it is mainly down to the supporting cast ( Bernard Cribbins, Michael Bates, John Bluthal, Nicholas Parsons, Patricia Routledge - very good as the head of a girl guide troupe - and, of course, Terry-Thomas ), to try and salvage something out of the almost joke-free script. Cribbins having an attack of toothache while serving drinks on a plane is very funny indeed. Sally Gesson of 'Bless This House' can be glimpsed as one of the girl guides.
Pearce is rather wasted as Lester's wife. Apparently she did not get on with Lewis during the film's making, and it shows.
Jerry Paris' direction breezes the inane story along to a not very amusing conclusion.
Two other reasons to see the film - Margaret Nolan and Sandra Caron ( sister of Alma Cogan ), both of whom play dental nurses. They can extract my molars any time!
Jerry Lewis plays 'George Lester', a smooth American con man based in London. He is married to lovely 'Pamela' ( Jacqueline Pearce, the future 'Servalan' of the B.B.C.'s 'Blake's Seven' ), but she grows tired of his constantly travelling around the world trying to make a fast buck, and wants a divorce. The final straw comes when he turns her family home into a discotheque and ( it is implied ) knocking shop.
To raise the money needed to restore the house, he embarks on his biggest caper yet - making illicit copies of the blueprints for a new kind of electronic drill, which he hopes to sell to the Arabs. He smuggles half of the plans out of the country in the dental work of an airline steward called Fred Davies ( Bernard Cribbins ). To help him out, he enlists the aid of fellow crook - H.William Horner ( Terry-Thomas )...
Unlike the majority of Jerry's Sixties films, this was not written by him ( it was by Max Wilk, adapting his own novel ) and directed instead by Jerry Paris, whose other credits include the 'Happy Days' television series and a couple of the 'Police Academy' sequels.
The fact that Jerry was at large in Swinging London was the film's main selling point. Unfortunately, the ludicrous story leaves little room for the kind of satire the film badly needs. Perhaps it would have been funnier if Lester had been manager of a rock band or something. Lewis himself seems more restrained than usual. Some might think that a good thing, but the 'Jerry' of 'The Disorderly Orderly' and 'The Family Jewels' would, had he been injected into the proceedings, have gone some way to making the film fun.
As it stands, it is mainly down to the supporting cast ( Bernard Cribbins, Michael Bates, John Bluthal, Nicholas Parsons, Patricia Routledge - very good as the head of a girl guide troupe - and, of course, Terry-Thomas ), to try and salvage something out of the almost joke-free script. Cribbins having an attack of toothache while serving drinks on a plane is very funny indeed. Sally Gesson of 'Bless This House' can be glimpsed as one of the girl guides.
Pearce is rather wasted as Lester's wife. Apparently she did not get on with Lewis during the film's making, and it shows.
Jerry Paris' direction breezes the inane story along to a not very amusing conclusion.
Two other reasons to see the film - Margaret Nolan and Sandra Caron ( sister of Alma Cogan ), both of whom play dental nurses. They can extract my molars any time!
Disappointing film, not really worth watching.
jrfranchi19 May 2005
Jerry was cardboardish and unfunny. Good effort by Terry-Thomas, his scenes were funny. Jacqueline Pearce as Jerry wife was attractive but added nothing to the film. There was generally poor writing & directing. I was surprised to see Jerry Paris (the dentist neighbor from the Dick Van Dyke Show) was the director and not Jerry Lewis himself.
The unseen pilot of the Plane to Lisbon on the British Air Company that has no offices had some funny lines. I particularly like the line were they cruising " somewhere between 8,000 and 30,000 feet." I cannot really find any reason to recommend watching this movie, it is not campy and doesn't even show off Jerry's typical shtick.
The unseen pilot of the Plane to Lisbon on the British Air Company that has no offices had some funny lines. I particularly like the line were they cruising " somewhere between 8,000 and 30,000 feet." I cannot really find any reason to recommend watching this movie, it is not campy and doesn't even show off Jerry's typical shtick.
The bridge on the river obnoxious.
mark.waltz31 May 2022
Warning: Spoilers
A completely hideous Jerry Lewis comedy, coming at the end of his line of post Dean Martin comedies that would end shortly after this. Louis had not had a fairly funny comedy since "The Disorderly Orderly" four years before this. It deals with his scheming with Terry Thomas in a money making business venture following his wife leaving him after three years of marriage because he's taken her all over the world and seemingly doesn't pay any attention to her.
The shrewish, demanding wife (Jacqueline Pearce) is instantly seen around with another man, obviously intent on milking Lewis dry, and for some reason, he wants her back. She's not worth taking back. In fact, unless they're lowering the river to toss her in it, the title is pointless. In fact, the whole plotline is pointless, painfully unfunny and considering the subject matter, even depressing.
For non-Jerry Lewis fans one of the great things about his films was the supporting cast. When you can't get a laugh out of Terry-Thomas, obviously something is wrong. He spends most of his time being ridiculed for his gapped teeth, leading to some very painful to listen to dental jokes. Comical British musical legend Patricia Routledge struggles to gain laughs in the type of role that Joyce Grenfal excelled in prior to this, but it's not Routledge's fault. It's the imitation of something formerly called a screenplay. Lewis was definitely scraping the bottom of the barrel to stay relevant at this point, making the lame Bob Hope comedies from around this time classic in comparison.
The shrewish, demanding wife (Jacqueline Pearce) is instantly seen around with another man, obviously intent on milking Lewis dry, and for some reason, he wants her back. She's not worth taking back. In fact, unless they're lowering the river to toss her in it, the title is pointless. In fact, the whole plotline is pointless, painfully unfunny and considering the subject matter, even depressing.
For non-Jerry Lewis fans one of the great things about his films was the supporting cast. When you can't get a laugh out of Terry-Thomas, obviously something is wrong. He spends most of his time being ridiculed for his gapped teeth, leading to some very painful to listen to dental jokes. Comical British musical legend Patricia Routledge struggles to gain laughs in the type of role that Joyce Grenfal excelled in prior to this, but it's not Routledge's fault. It's the imitation of something formerly called a screenplay. Lewis was definitely scraping the bottom of the barrel to stay relevant at this point, making the lame Bob Hope comedies from around this time classic in comparison.
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