Jumping Jacks (1952)

Nightclub comic Hap Smith assumes the identity of another soldier so he can tour army bases in a revue with his ex-partner Chuck Allen.

Director:

Norman Taurog

Writers:

Robert Lees (screenplay), Frederic I. Rinaldo (screenplay) (as Fred Rinaldo)

Stars:

Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Mona Freeman

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Dean Martin	...	Cpl. Chick Allen
Jerry Lewis	...	Hap Smith
Mona Freeman	...	Betsy Carter
Don DeFore	...	Lt. Kelsey
Robert Strauss	...	Sgt. McClusky
Richard Erdman	...	Pvt. Dogface Dolan (as Dick Erdman)
Ray Teal	...	Brig. Gen. W.W. Timmons
Marcy McGuire	...	Julia Loring
Danny Arnold	...	Pvt. Evans

Storyline

Hap Smith, nightclub entertainer, has a new act since his former partner Chick Allen joined the army: with lovely new partner Betsy Carter, Hap plays a clownish parody of a soldier. Meanwhile, Chick is organizing a soldier show at Fort Benning and finds he needs his old partner's help. To get onto the base, Hap impersonates a hapless real soldier, Dogface Dolan; but circumstances force them to prolong the masquerade, creating an increasingly tangled Army-sized snafu.

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Plot Keywords:

military | comedy team | nightclub | entertainer | two word title | 

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Taglines:

IT'S A RIP-ROARING RIOT! When Dean and Jerry Reach For Their Rip-Cords...

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

Finnish censorship certificate # 037611.

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Goofs

When Hap is in the parachute jump tower, and has to keep the rubber ball in his hand throughout his fall, notice Hap drops not one, but two balls. At the end of the fall he has the ball in his hand.

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Quotes

Sgt. McClusky: You know I'm beginning to like you.
Hap Smith: You are? Is that good?
Sgt. McClusky: Yeah! And I'm gonna let you in on a little secret.
Hap Smith: What?
Sgt. McClusky: I'm not half as tough as I sound.
Hap Smith: You're not?
Sgt. McClusky: Nah! It's just something that comes over me. Sometimes I think I'm my own worst enemy.
Hap Smith: No, you're not, Sarge. Not as long as I'm alive.

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Connections

Featured in The Silver Screen: Color Me Lavender (1997)

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Soundtracks

THE PARACHUTE JUMP
Music by Jerry Livingston
Lyrics by Mack David
Sung by Dean Martin and danced with chorus

User Reviews

Lewis & Martin already had best moments!!!

It's a great sorrow and continual grief in my heart to say this picture was miles away from the best pictures of the remarkable duo Lewis and Martin, sadly I have to confess even I'm a big fan of Jerry Lewis, it disappointed me entirely, the plot is unplugged and complex, nothing making sense at all, Dino singing along the movie is worst on those old fashionable and awful songs, even on those fancy sets, not enough romance allowed, just few scenes with Mona Freeman, they concentrated forces on military exercises and parachutes jumps, a sort of Army propaganda, has a minimal funny scenes which can be counted on the fingers of a single hand, the few number of votes at IMDB and rare reviews can justify such veracity, also almost all movies from Jerry Lewis were dubbed in Brazil and curiously it wasn't, why?? It's too easy explainable, the picture wasn't enough good!!

Resume:

First watch: 2019 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 6.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 June 1952 (USA)

Also Known As:

Jumping Jacks

Filming Locations:

Fort Benning, Georgia, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hal Wallis Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1