The Bellboy
by Jerry Lewis
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Alex Gerry, Bob Clayton, Eddie Shaeffer, Jerry Lewis, Sonny SandsDirector: Jerry Lewis
Brand: Paramount
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 1.0; English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 1.0
Format: Black & White, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.66:1
Running Time: 72 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2004-10-12
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Paramount
Movie Reviews of The Bellboy
Movie Review: Stuffed With Incredible Sight Gags; One of 3 Masterpieces by Jerry Lewis
Summary: 5 Stars
Maybe the French are onto something. I think Jerry Lewis is often underrated as a director and actor. Sure, there are a lot of misfires in his cinematic canon, but I think he produced at least 3 comedic masterpieces. "The Bell Boy" is one of them, and Jerry Lewis should be judged primarily on the basis of movies such as "The Errand Boy," "The Bell Boy," and "The Nutty Professor." Jerry not only acts in this movie but directed it and co-wrote it, thus fulfilling his "auteur" theory of filmmaking in which the director has complete control over presenting his own personal vision.
"The Bell Boy" was the first movie Lewis directed and, in 1960, was the beginning of a several-year period when he had separated himself from Dean Martin and before he began making awful, maudlin movies with only a few forced laughs. He's still young enough to project a youthful helplessness without being "over the top" or too old to carry it off any longer.
The most unique feature of "The Bell Boy" is that throughout the entire movie (until the very end), Stanley, the Jerry Lewis character doesn't say a word. It's as if it's the last silent-era comedy ever made. While there is little or no plot in the movie, that actually adds to the surreal way in which Stanley lives his seemingly random existence via a series of episodic sight gags. To me, the silence in the film (with no soundtrack) is fascinating. Most movies of the past several decades are afraid of silence, and every second of time must be filled to tell us how to think and feel. The silence only adds to the effectiveness of the mood and humor that Lewis creates. It helps us to focus on what's actually happening, as well as forcing us to zero in on Lewis many comedic reactions and befuddlements. However, the lack of plot and conventional humor are also common criticisms of the film.
But for me the humor wins out in the end. My favorite scenes include:
Stanley is asked to get the luggage from a car and goes to the rear of a VW. After a cut in the film, Stanley is shown knocking on the hotel room door, holding an engine in his hand.
Stanley taking 5 minutes to put one chair out of hundreds in place, and then, miraculously, by the time his boss comes he's put them all in perfect order.
A woman checks into the hotel to lose weight, and just when she is about to leave after having lost her weight, Stanley innocently gives her a gift of a box of chocolates. The next shot shows her back to her original, obese size.
There's also a scene where the "real" Jerry Lewis appears and Milton Berle plays a bellboy, as well as a scene where the real Milton Berle appears with Jerry Lewis playing Stanley.
Also worth seeing: the scene where the exasperated boss of the bellboys yells, "Stanley! There's only one Stanley!" And then a Stan Laurel look-alike comes walking by.
Not everyone will like "The Bellboy," but for me, it's still one of the funniest films ever made. The humor is somehow purer, and Lewis' directing talents are put to the test since without a plot or music, the visual is at a premium. "The Bellboy" demonstrates that Lewis knew exactly when to cut the film and what to leave out of a scene for maximum comedic effect.
Summary of The Bellboy
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