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Cracking Up

Original title: Smorgasbord (The Movie)
  • 1983
  • PG
  • 1h 29m
IMDb RATING
5.8/10
986
YOUR RATING
Cracking Up (1983)
Comedy

Suicidal nerd seeks help from psychiatrist, runs into various nutty characters.Suicidal nerd seeks help from psychiatrist, runs into various nutty characters.Suicidal nerd seeks help from psychiatrist, runs into various nutty characters.

  • Director
    • Jerry Lewis
  • Writers
    • Jerry Lewis
    • Bill Richmond
  • Stars
    • Jerry Lewis
    • Milton Berle
    • Sammy Davis Jr.
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    5.8/10
    986
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Jerry Lewis
    • Writers
      • Jerry Lewis
      • Bill Richmond
    • Stars
      • Jerry Lewis
      • Milton Berle
      • Sammy Davis Jr.
    • 23User reviews
    • 11Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination

    Photos34

    Jerry Lewis in Cracking Up (1983)
    Jerry Lewis in Cracking Up (1983)
    Francine York in Cracking Up (1983)
    Jerry Lewis in Cracking Up (1983)
    Jerry Lewis, Randy Doney, Ed Kerrigan, and Jason Weiss in Cracking Up (1983)
    Jerry Lewis in Cracking Up (1983)
    Jerry Lewis and Herb Edelman in Cracking Up (1983)
    Cracking Up (1983)
    Jerry Lewis in Cracking Up (1983)
    Jerry Lewis in Cracking Up (1983)
    Jerry Lewis and Francine York in Cracking Up (1983)
    Jerry Lewis and Herb Edelman in Cracking Up (1983)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Jerry Lewis
    Jerry Lewis
    • Warren Nefron
    • (as Jerry --- Who Else?)
    • …
    Milton Berle
    Milton Berle
    • Ms. Sultry
    Sammy Davis Jr.
    Sammy Davis Jr.
    • Sammy Davis, Jr.
    Herb Edelman
    Herb Edelman
    • Dr. Jonas Pletchick
    Foster Brooks
    Foster Brooks
    • The Pilot
    Zane Buzby
    Zane Buzby
    • Waitress
    • (as Zane Busby)
    • …
    Dick Butkus
    Dick Butkus
    • Anti-Smoking Enforcer
    Francine York
    Francine York
    • Marie Du Bois
    John Abbott
    John Abbott
    • Surgeon
    Bill Richmond
    Donna Ponterotto
    Donna Ponterotto
    • Stewardess
    Robin Bach
    Robin Bach
    Buddy Lester
    Buddy Lester
    • Passenger
    Paul Lambert
    Paul Lambert
    • Joe - Carpet Installer
    Ben Davidson
    Ben Davidson
    • Big Bearded Plane Passenger
    Tori Lysdahl
    • Warren's Date
    Herbert Wiere
      Linda Hoy
      Linda Hoy
      • Nurse
      • Director
        • Jerry Lewis
      • Writers
        • Jerry Lewis
        • Bill Richmond
      • All cast & crew
      • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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      Storyline

      Edit

      Did you know

      Edit
      • Trivia
        The title was changed to "Cracking Up" so late that when the characters go to see this movie, the marquee of the theater still has the original title "Smorgasbord".
      • Goofs
        The chair used in the opening hanging sequence disappears entirely and then suddenly reappears.
      • Quotes

        Warren Nefron: I think I'll have the non-toxic lunch.

        Waitress: Would you like to start it with juice, fruit or soup?

        Warren Nefron: Hmm, I think juice will be fine!

        Waitress: We have apple, grapefruit, pineapple, apricot, orange, lemon, lemon crush, banana, asparagus, avocado, nectarine, tangerine, cherry, or pitless watermelon.

        Warren Nefron: Apple will be fine.

        Waitress: Apple it is! And what kind of salad would you like with your meal? We have Caesar, watercress, lettuce and tomato, plain tomato, plain lettuce, bibb lettuce, hearts of lettuce, hearts of bibb lettuce, lettuce leaves.

        Warren Nefron: Watercress is always the...

        Waitress: Watercress it is! Good choice! You got it! And what do you have on it? We have vinegar, vinegar and oil, plain oil, thousand island, hundred island, wine island, three mile island, Russian, German, Swiss, Mayo, Roquefort, blue cheese, brown cheese, cheese, cheese and bacon, bacon bits, bacon chips.

        Warren Nefron: Hmm, vinegar and oil...

        Waitress: Vinegar and oil, good choice! You got it! And now for your main course? We have steak, chops, veal, lamb chops, veal chops, chops of beef, beef tournedos, tournedos of beef, roast beef, boiled beef, royal beef, baked beef, braised beef, ribs, livers, lungs, onions...

        Warren Nefron: I think steak is the best...

        Waitress: Steak, and how would you like that? Medium, medium rare, well, well-done, rare, very rare...

        Waitress: [time has elapsed] ... coffee, decaf, cocoa...

        Warren Nefron: Can I just have a check?

        Waitress: Fine, will that be cash, Visa, MasterCard, Carte Blanche, American Express, Bank of America, Bank of Germany, Bank of Tokyo, Bank of England, Bank of Andorra, Bank of Uruguay, Bank of the Peloponesian Island...?

      • Crazy credits
        The main title is immediately preceded by a credit "Jerry---Who Else? in"
      • Connections
        Referenced in Looney Tunes: Back in Action (2003)
      • Soundtracks
        Theme from New York, New York
        Music by John Kander, unused lyrics by Fred Ebb

        Danced to in bank sequence

      User reviews23

      Review
      Review
      Featured review
      A Complete Misfire That's Not Worth the Pain Lewis Felt
      Cracking Up (1983)

      1/2 (out of 4)

      Jerry Lewis wrote, produced and directs this film where he also stars as a nerd who wants to commit suicide for his various problems. He ends up going to Dr. Pletchick (Herb Edelman) who tries to cure him of his dumbness.

      For his 90th birthday Mr. Lewis appeared on Turner Classic Movies to discuss various films and I must admit that I was a little shocked that they were showing this picture. In his introduction Lewis talked about the constant pain he is in from various falls that he did to get a laugh throughout his career. Lewis was in a lot of pain while making this movie and it's rather sad that he did so many physical things here because the end result is quite horrible and it certainly wasn't worth the pain he had to go through.

      I'm not going to sit here and say that I never laughed because that would be a lie. There were a couple segments that had a couple laughs but the majority of the film is just a complete misfire. It really does seem as if Lewis was sitting around drinking with friends and coming up with stuff they thought were funny in their drunken minds. On film it just doesn't work. The opening sequence has Lewis walking into a hotel to kill himself. He has many objects to do so and we see him fail at doing it. The next scene is a very long sequence where he's trying to get into the doctor's office but keeps sliding and falling everywhere.

      There's a lot of physical humor like this where Lewis is trying to recapture his earlier days but it just doesn't work. There are so many awful moments here that you honestly can't blame anyone but Lewis. Naturally comedy is a subjective thing but I doubt even the French would laugh at this film. There are many cameos throughout including Milton Berle dressed in drag, Sammy Davis, Jr. playing himself and Dick Butkus. As for Lewis, he plays several characters here but all the effort was really for nothing because the film is rather embarrassing.
      helpful•2
      2
      • Michael_Elliott
      • Mar 20, 2016

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      Details

      Edit
      • Release date
        • April 13, 1983 (France)
      • Country of origin
        • United States
      • Language
        • English
      • Also known as
        • Immer auf die Kleinen
      • Filming locations
        • Irving Ave & Bel Aire Dr, Glendale, California, USA(Crosswalk in early flashback scene of Jerry Lewis as a boy.)
      • Production company
        • Orgolini/Nelson Productions
      • See more company credits at IMDbPro

      Technical specs

      Edit
      • Runtime
        1 hour 29 minutes
      • Color
        • Color
      • Sound mix
        • Mono
      • Aspect ratio
        • 1.78 : 1

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