![]() ![]() The story evolves into a massive comedy of errors - with Hubert always at the center - filled with plot twists, misunderstandings, clever wordplay, elaborate slapstick and the funniest sword fight this side of The Princess Bride. Lord Ravenhurst makes the fatal mistake of bringing a sword to an elf fight. Hubert, however, only has eyes for Maid Jean (Glynis Johns), a rebel captain who gets kidnapped to serve as a king’s wench. ![]() At the same time, Roderick’s amorous daughter, Gwendolyn (Angela Lansbury) becomes convinced Hubert is the love of her life, foretold by the royal witch (Midred Natwick), who puts an amusing spell on him. Ravenhurst thinks Hubert is Giacomo, while Hubert assumes Ravenhurst is his rebel contact inside the castle, and the scene where they conspire together is a classic piece of mistaken identity. However, the real Giacomo is an assassin hired by Lord Ravenhurst (Basil Rathbone) to kill Roderick. He shines as Hubert Hawkins, a cheerful minstrel who ends up helping the Black Fox - a Robin Hood-like outlaw - overthrow illegitimate, tyrannical King Roderick (Cecil Parker) by protecting a baby who’s the true heir to England’s throne.Ī set of amusing circumstances has Hubert gaining entry to the castle by posing as newly hired jester, Giacomo. But everywhere else, he’s genuinely funny, displaying a indelible gift for rapid-fire, tongue-twisting banter and elaborate physical comedy. Sure, the songs are silly and Kaye cranks the ham up to broil while performing them. ![]() However, The Court Jester turned out to be terrific fun, mostly because of the star himself. And indeed, Kaye’s insipidly bubbly title song - as he danced & pranced like an overreaching high school thespian - didn’t instill me with much confidence that the film would be anything but a chore, the kind of flick music teachers make their students sit through. This was my first time watching The Court Jester, mostly out of a sense of obligation for the sake of this review. theatrical, for my tastes, with an acute awareness of his own performance. I especially like this release because my favorite aspect of the series has so-far been the slipcases that fold-open to reveal the original poster art, which for the older films is a reminder of the beautiful hand-painted work you just don’t see in modern one-sheets.Īs for the film itself, I was never much of a Danny Kaye fan, but must also confess I’ve only seen a small handful of his movies. Get it? Got it? Good.This is the type of film the Paramount Presents series should give us more of.truly iconic selections from the studio’s entire history, not just the ‘80s and ‘90s. That’s not to say that… I wouldn’t wait a few centuries for the jester to reach modern times, if it meant marrying Danny Kaye. Certainly, the way of speaking in the film is contemporary, but the hijinks of sword fights and spells and maidans fierce and fair is within the context of its knightly setting. “Court Jester,” though, does not yank its jolly band of colourful characters out of their own time period to make its humor. ![]() One can assume, for example, that the many pop culture littered one liners in so many superhero films today will only elicit confusion and not laughs from future generations. Rather though, it’s comedy reliant on the grace of its own moment of inception that ages poorly. There are always allegations that comedy ages poorly, causing the vast majority of major canon classic films to be heavy works of drama. It’s that, by being a parody that spurns the temptation to lean on the cheap gag of the ironic anachronism, “Court Jester’s” comedy becomes eternal. It’s not just that the jokes and dialogue are one playfully immortal quip after another. Even language itself seems in on the play, providing ample ammo of alliteration all throughout.Īs endlessly quotable as it is endearing, “Court Jester” is so accomplished in its parody of Medieval fantasy adventures, it defined its own genre offshoot that stills sees regular entries, and imitators, to this day. Serendipity simultaneously conspires for and against Kaye’s royal clown. It’s simply impossible to watch Melvin Frank and Norman Panama’s “The Court Jester” without falling head over heels for Kaye, and the film itself. When Dame Angela Lansbury said, “If you harm one hair on majestic head she would throw herself from the highest turret, she was right. If there is a perfect specimen of manhood, it’s Danny Kaye in “The Court Jester.” If there is a man I would marry up on sight, it is Danny Kaye in “The Court Jester.” If there is a man that would do anything for, it is Danny Kaye in “The Court Jester.” ![]()
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