THE NUTTY PROFESSOR (1963)
Article #258 by Dave Sindelar
Viewing date: 11-29-2001
Posting date: 4-14-2002

A meek college professor tries to win the heart of a student by concocting a potion that will make him irresistible. He turns into an obnoxious lounge singer named Buddy Love.

Jerry Lewis’ take on DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE isn’t really that funny, though there are a few good sight and sound gags scattered throughout. Of course, it’s humorous value isn’t what makes this movie a cult item; it has a lot more to do with the way he played with his image and ended up with a character that didn’t really seem that far from how his own character would be perceived in years to come, although it was most likely meant to be a parody of Dean Martin. For horror fans, the most interesting moment is the transformation sequence, which is played (for the most part) surprisingly straight.

If you’ve ever wondered what the French see in Jerry Lewis, here’s an experiment you can try; the next time you’re watching one of his movies, pretend that all the voices are in a foreign language and that you’re reading what they’re saying in subtitles. Maybe it’s just my imagination, but it does seem a lot funnier that way.

Also, after having seen this gimmick in several movies, I’ve come to this conclusion: wisecracking birds are rarely funny.