Steve D
Deeply unpleasant and never the least bit funny.
Rated 0.5/5 Stars •
Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars
03/09/23
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Audience Member
Jerry Lewis is at it again with his childish antics with Cracking Up. It's the story of Warren (Jerry Lewis) who tells a psychiatrist (Herb Edelman) all of his problems through various skits. While the film was funny (mostly because of Dick Butkus), the film still doesn't hold up. The editing by Gene Fowler Jr. was obviously horrendous especially during the chair used in the opening hanging sequence disappears entirely and then suddenly reappears. Just like all the other Jerry Lewis films, Cracking Up has blatant product placement. The film's writing by Jerry Lewis and Bill Richmond was also ridicolous at times. Will you be cracking up at Jerry Lewis' Cracking Up? Maybe you will. Maybe you won't. But I'll say this. Cracking Up is better than Jerry Lewis' previous two films Which Way to the Front? and Hardly Working but that's not saying much.
Rated 2/5 Stars •
Rated 2 out of 5 stars
02/18/23
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Audience Member
The opening sequence for this one is not only superbly funny, it's one of the longest extended sequences of pratfalls I can think of where you see all the falls fully on film, and Lewis was 56!!! No stunt men, no padding, this is Lewis doing his best choreography on a shiny floor and it is stunning.
When you put it into the context that he had a triple bypass right after this film wrapped, on top of a back injury before that, it really is one of the most amazing opening sequences you will ever see from a truly athletic comedian who made his falls look like a ballet.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
02/17/23
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Audience Member
Director: Jerry Lewis Writers: Jerry Lewis, Bill Richmond Stars: Jerry Lewis, Milton Berle, Sammy Davis Jr. , Zane Buzby, ,Milton Berle, Foster Brooks, Dick Butkus
Jerry Lewis reprises his previous movie persona, this time as Warren Nefron, a man unable to successfully kill himself, while Herb Edelman is Dr. Jonas Pletchick, the psychiatrist out to cure him of his failure, in this Jerry's signature ,absolutely hilarious slapstick comedy.
It's so clear to see how he influence modern comedian Jim Carrey it's uncanny . Many of Lewis' past routines crop up again through the device of flashbacks, as he sits in the doctor's office and remembers vignettes from his past. It was only released theatrically overseas under its original title, Smorgasboard. The film was released in France. As usual, the French love his humor and flocked to see this film when it was first released.
It's a bizarre, nearly avant-garde exercise in stringing together gags and, then of course, pushing those gags to surreal excess. I found the 'Smorgasbord' to be extremely hilarious and really showcase Jerry's brilliance as a writer and comedic actor.
Some of the best scenes were ; Jerry witnesses a bank robbery. The head crook (also played by Jerry) notices the bank's security cameras. The criminals become obsessed with the security cameras and perform an elaborate dance routine in front of them. The police arrive and join the dance. Another hilarious scene his shrink tells Lewis "He's playing with half deck"; "He doesn't have both oars in the water";"You've made too many Swan dives into empty pools"! Smorgasbord the last feature film written and directed by Jerry Lewis turns out to be one of his best comedic films . 9/10
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
01/14/23
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Audience Member
I could only watch the first 15 minutes. It was like watching Jerry place a tombstone on his career. An entire movie loaded with him trying to desperately re-squeeze laughs out doing schtick he'd done for the past 30+ years. It was sad to watch.
Rated 1/5 Stars •
Rated 1 out of 5 stars
02/19/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Not seen except in very limited theatres, the film was more loved by the French. Mostly a series of skits of a man in deep trouble from his current sad state and back through his geneology. Mostly slapstick, mostly overlong comedy scenes. Suggest you watch this for yourself.
A scene from the film:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnYifhU5Yp8
[img]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eD21YqZxRVk/T3sjrAHPygI/AAAAAAAABTk/frsBRGD_yhg/s1600/crackingup-suicideattempt.png[/img] So inept, he fails at suicide
Cracking Up is a comedy film directed by and starring Jerry Lewis. Originally titled Smorgasbord, it was filmed in 1981-82 and only received limited distribution in the United States.
It is the last film to be directed by Lewis.
NOTES:
1 In December 1982, after filming completed, Lewis underwent triple-bypass heart surgery at the Desert Springs Hospital, Las Vegas NV.
[img]http://jerrylewisfilmmaker.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/239982_large.jpg[/img]
SEE the entire film here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qCBRntnIdI
Jerry Lewis as Warren
Herb Edelman as the Psychiatrist
Zane Buzby as the Waitress
Milton Berle as the Lady
Foster Brooks as the Pilot
Dick Butkus as Anti-Smoking Enforcer
Francine York as Marie
Sammy Davis, Jr. as Himself
[img]https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSUbeVuwRmtbFn8vhhH5RqQSevG45Ywhkhz-rmGrCYOLyniFUGr7Q[/img]
Directed by
Jerry Lewis
Produced by
Peter Nelson
Arnold Orgolini
Written by
Jerry Lewis
Bill Richmond
Distributed by
Warner Brothers
Release date(s)
April 13, 1983 (France)
Running time
83 minutes
[img]http://24.media.tumblr.com/cc6c190940131cef492356b1d145365d/tumblr_mrjgrjHlaH1rtrw8qo1_500.png[/img]
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
01/19/23
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