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THE NUTTY PROFESSOR (1963)
The recent passing of Jerry Lewis gave the 1963 comedy The Nutty Professor a bump up on my watchlist. There is a school of thought that this film is Jerry's masterpiece and somehow I never managed to fit it into my viewing schedule. The film does provide laughs, but frankly, I think Lewis has done better work.
Lewis co-wrote and directed this comedy in which he plays Professor Julian Kelp. a nerdy and lonely college professor who is on the verge of losing his job after yet another explosion in his lab. Julian's loneliness and the unrequited crush he has on one of his students, one Stella Purdy (Stella Stevens) prompt him to concoct a potion that turns him into a womanizing stud named Buddy Love, who fascinates Stella and every other female on the campus, even though Buddy is an arrogant jerk.
Unfortunately, Buddy Love's appearances are limited and Julian has no control over when he will return to his nerdy self and is not happy that Stella is fascinated with Buddy but won't give Julian the time of day. Julian takes advantage of his limited time as Buddy until it is suggested that Buddy perform at the prom and Julian be a chaperone, forcing Julian and Buddy to be at the same place at the same time.
Lewis and co-screenwriter Bill Richmond do make some interesting choices that probably connect with the story's underlying theme that we should be happy with who we are and that even pretty people have problems. I thought it was an interesting story choice that Buddy is made to look like kind of a jerk and yet, Julian still seems to cherish his time as Buddy and works feverishly to have more control over his creation, even if he is kind of an ass. There's also a suspension of disbelief that is involved with this story that was kind of hard to get behind, specifically dealing with the character of Stella. Buddy doesn't look so completely different from Julian that some suspicion should have been aroused and it seems like Stella suspects what's going on in one scene and doesn't have a clue in the next, which made it kind of hard to invest in the story. There is another school of thought that the Buddy Love character is based on Dean Martin, but you be the judge.
The film does allow Lewis to display his penchant for physical comedy and, more specifically, the physicality involved in creating these two characters, who really are radically opposite even if they do look alike. The detail Lewis puts into establishing the nervous Nelly that is Julian is impressive...watch him in the first scene where he is called into the Dean's office or the scene at the gym. There were few actors who challenged their bodies in their work as frequently as Jerry Lewis did.
Stella Stevens is a vivacious leading lady and Del Moore was also very funny as the dean. but the film doesn't really provide the laughs that it should. Of course, Eddie Murphy re-thought this film in 1996, but it was interesting seeing the genesis of that film, which has some funny stuff, but I think Jerry has made funnier movies.
The recent passing of Jerry Lewis gave the 1963 comedy The Nutty Professor a bump up on my watchlist. There is a school of thought that this film is Jerry's masterpiece and somehow I never managed to fit it into my viewing schedule. The film does provide laughs, but frankly, I think Lewis has done better work.
Lewis co-wrote and directed this comedy in which he plays Professor Julian Kelp. a nerdy and lonely college professor who is on the verge of losing his job after yet another explosion in his lab. Julian's loneliness and the unrequited crush he has on one of his students, one Stella Purdy (Stella Stevens) prompt him to concoct a potion that turns him into a womanizing stud named Buddy Love, who fascinates Stella and every other female on the campus, even though Buddy is an arrogant jerk.
Unfortunately, Buddy Love's appearances are limited and Julian has no control over when he will return to his nerdy self and is not happy that Stella is fascinated with Buddy but won't give Julian the time of day. Julian takes advantage of his limited time as Buddy until it is suggested that Buddy perform at the prom and Julian be a chaperone, forcing Julian and Buddy to be at the same place at the same time.
Lewis and co-screenwriter Bill Richmond do make some interesting choices that probably connect with the story's underlying theme that we should be happy with who we are and that even pretty people have problems. I thought it was an interesting story choice that Buddy is made to look like kind of a jerk and yet, Julian still seems to cherish his time as Buddy and works feverishly to have more control over his creation, even if he is kind of an ass. There's also a suspension of disbelief that is involved with this story that was kind of hard to get behind, specifically dealing with the character of Stella. Buddy doesn't look so completely different from Julian that some suspicion should have been aroused and it seems like Stella suspects what's going on in one scene and doesn't have a clue in the next, which made it kind of hard to invest in the story. There is another school of thought that the Buddy Love character is based on Dean Martin, but you be the judge.
The film does allow Lewis to display his penchant for physical comedy and, more specifically, the physicality involved in creating these two characters, who really are radically opposite even if they do look alike. The detail Lewis puts into establishing the nervous Nelly that is Julian is impressive...watch him in the first scene where he is called into the Dean's office or the scene at the gym. There were few actors who challenged their bodies in their work as frequently as Jerry Lewis did.
Stella Stevens is a vivacious leading lady and Del Moore was also very funny as the dean. but the film doesn't really provide the laughs that it should. Of course, Eddie Murphy re-thought this film in 1996, but it was interesting seeing the genesis of that film, which has some funny stuff, but I think Jerry has made funnier movies.