The tyrannical usurper King Roderick (Cecil Parker) of England, in the 12th century, has killed off the royal family except for a baby boy who bears in his rear end the royal birthmark, that of a purple pimpernel.
The directing, writing and producing team of Melvin Frank and Norman Panama fill it with every timeworn medieval cliché possible, as it mainly spoofs Errol Flynn’s Robin Hood. This is probably Kaye’s funniest part since his first feature film, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947). The film relies on its success on how well the viewer goes for Kaye’s physical comedy, who is in almost every shot. It has the memorable burlesque “pellet with the poison” tongue-twisting skit of the “vessel with the pestle”and the “chalice from the palace,” that remains the film’s centerpiece comedy bit. The reason for the failure is that the 42-year-old Kaye seemingly has outworn his welcome with the public, but this energetic and lushly filmed musical comedy is one of the star’s more tolerable efforts. This Danny Kaye spoof on costumed swashbucklers flopped at the box office (budgeted for a 4 million dollar price tag, but only grossing 2.2 million at the box office). “The cleverly written plot is suitable for Kaye’s talent.” The film is now available on Blu-ray.Įnter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.COURT JESTER, THE (director/writer: Melvin Frank/Norman Panama cinematographer: Ray June editor: Tom McAdoo music: Sylvia Fine/Vic Schoen cast: Danny Kaye (Hubert Hawkins), Glynis Johns (Maid Jean), Basil Rathbone (Sir Ravenhurst), Angela Lansbury (Princess Gwendolyn), Cecil Parker (King Roderick I), Mildred Natwick (Griselda), Noel Drayton (Fergus), John Carradine (Giacomo), Herbert Rudley (Captain of the guard), Robert Middleton (Sir Griswold), Edward Ashley (Black Fox), Michael Pate (Sir Locksley), Alan Napier (Sir Brockhurst), Lewis Martin (Sir Pinsdale), Patrick Aherne (Sir Pertwee), Richard Kean and Hermine’s Midgets (Midget helpers the Black Fox) Runtime: 101 MPAA Rating: NR producer: Melvin Frank/Norman Panama Paramount Pictures 1955) Filmmaker Focus: Leonard Maltin on The Court Jester (HD – NEW)ĭIRECTORS/SCREENWRITERS: Norman Panama and Melvin FrankĬAST: Danny Kaye, Glynis Johns, Basil Rathbone, Angela Lansbury, Cecil Parker Paramount released The Court Jester in theaters on January 27, 1956.The stellar supporting cast includes Glynis Johns, Angela Lansbury, Mildred Natwick, Cecil Parker, and John Carradine. Alternating identities at the snap of a finger, between swordplay and wordplay, Kaye’s comic genius shines through. Hawkins infiltrates the court of an evil villain (Basil Rathbone), but when a sorceress hypnotizes him, royal chaos ensues. Kaye is kind-hearted entertainer Hawkins who disguises himself as the legendary king of jesters, Giacomo. Because the filmmakers are deceased, Leonard Maltin steps in for the Filmmaker Focus. A foldout theatrical poster is on the outside sleeve while the interior contains photos of the key moments. The Court Jester’s limited edition also includes the same collectible packaging as previous titles. Danny Kaye would also earn a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Comedy/Musical. Meanwhile, the American Film Institute (AFI) honored the film with the 98th slot in the 100 Years, 100 Laughs list. The National Film Registry added the film in 2004. The pellet with the poison’s in the vessel with the pestle the chalice from the palace has the brew that is true! This film is also the source of an iconic film line: I expect audiences–new and old–will love it! What I can certainly say without question is that the restoration is absolutely amazing. The result is an incredibly vibrant picture that faithfully captures the colors and textures of Edith Head’s sensational costumes and Hal Pariera’s sparkling art direction.
Here is what the Paramount did to bring the film’s colors back to life:įor this new restoration, the original negative was scanned at 6K and one of the “separation masters” was also scanned and recombined with the negative scans to address color fading in the negative. For Paramount, this meant releasing films in the superior VistaVision format. In the 1950s, every studio was doing what they could to compete with the rise of television. Writing in his Classic Movies Guide, film critic/historian Leonard Maltin refers to the musical comedy as “one of the best comedies ever made.” The Court Jester, the 1956 musical starring Danny Kaye, recently arrived on Blu-ray for the first time through the Paramount Presents line.