Sunday, October 13, 2013

397. The Nutty Professor

The Nutty Professor
1963
Directed by Jerry Lewis











Most people know the movie The Nutty Professor as, well, this:
Unfortunately, the truth is much more disturbing.  Well, it is October here so you might have been expecting some degree of horror on the blog.

The Book continues to torture us with Jerry Lewis movies.  I have no idea why.  Jerry Lewis is a cultural icon, so I understand having one film on the list.  But to continue to make me watch these films is such a gross exploitation of power!  Anyway, hopefully this is the last one…

Jerry Lewis does a funny voice and crosses his eye a lot acts and directs in this film.  He is a nerd who aspires to be loved by one of his students, Stella.  He develops a drug that makes him into a more attractive jackass.  And since women love jackasses, it works!  And in one scene he dresses up like a baby and does a baby voice.

Just ugh.  The only reason I am giving it a couple stars is because it was never that boring or outright offensive.  My bar has become considerably lower after watching so many movies.

RATING: **---

Interesting Facts:

Buddy Love was rumored to be a spoof of Dean Martin.

Trailer:

7 comments:

  1. I hate Jerry Lewis. When I was younger, back in the day, we didn't have as many viewing choices as we do now. it was inevitable that I would end up watching his movies and I HATED HIM! I don't even care that he did nice things for kids with MDA every Labor Day weekend. I still hate him.

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  2. I hate Jerry Lewis, too, but I have to say that I love when you are forced to watch them! Makes for very entertaining blog entries! :-)

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  3. Hey, if we carry on like this, this could be construed as a hate site, as I am going to join in the anti Jerry Lewis thing.
    It's not just the unfunny mugging.. but.. sorry to sound so predictable, but all I have seen have been quite offensive in their sexism. The 'Jekyll' side of him.. (is it called something crass like 'Buddy Love'?) is a nightmare. We may disgree as to which gender it is the most offensive.. Men, for making out that is what we are supposed to be, or women for what they are supposed to go for. What was the other one we had to watch for this list? The one where he becomes a caretaker in a Barbie doll pink house full of silly pink barbie doll caricatures? Laies man or something? Which was worse?
    Hey, it's not worth it.
    I will, at risk of being expelled from the 'We hate Jerry Lewis club', say I thought he did a great job in King of Comedy.
    Ray
    (If Andrew reads this, sorry, I know you like him..)

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    1. Hi Ray,
      Yes it was Ladies Man and although both films are terrible I think The Nutty Professor is slightly worse; I didn't find myself as offended as I did with this film (although Lewis always manages to insert sexism in all his movies).
      I too thought he was decent in King of Comedy but I think he was mostly just playing himself, so we don't have to give him that much credit and can still form a We hate Jerry Lewis club (I will design the teeshirts if you handle the newsletter).

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  4. Beside all the Jerry Lewis (which I incidentally share), how about the idea of a teacher hitting on a student? Icky as hell, if you ask me.

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    1. My high school had like four sexual misconduct scandals related to teachers while I was there so that was perhaps the most realistic part for me.

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  5. There are some good gags in here (EG: sitting on the notebook), the film does have a story and a purpose (however disinteresting I found them) and I liked the colour in the visual design. Jerry Lewis is a skilled director, as he was in The Ladies Man, and once again puts in a skillful performance.

    But, but, but . . . I just don't find anything he does funny. Which is a problem in a comedy film that's a vehicle for one performer.

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