The Court Jester

Rating:
Summary: One of the funniest movie ever!
Review: I think this is the best movie I've ever seen. Danny Kaye brings laughs to this classic about a court jester who must put a young babe who is a king on the throne.He was usurped by the present king and his hinchmen. A delightful comedy for the whole family. A must see!

Rating:
Summary: The Court Jester is a great movie!
Review: The Court Jester is a great movie in all categories: action, adventure, comedy and romance. All mixed up into one hilarious package! This is where the famous line "Get it? Got it. Good." came from. Danny Kaye is wonderful in this! He even did all his own fencing, marching and stunts! If you only buy one movie, this is the one to have! END

Rating:
Summary: The Brew that is True...
Review: If one is tired of baudy bathroom humor of the typical comedies one finds today, perhaps "The Court Jester" will satisfy your comical thirst. Set in England during the time of chivalry and knighthood this musical comedy stars Danny Kaye as a ne'er do well circus performer who ends up out"fox"ing the dastardly villains, getting the girl and saving the real king's butt (so to speak). Glynis Johns plays Maid Jean whose stunning beauty and big eyes just make you melt (wow, I wish I'd been born earlier). Basil Rathbone is his typical bad self as the evil Ravenhurst playing it to the hilt! This film pulls out all the comical stops from tongue twisters to hypnosis, magnetism and even a Zorro sword play spoof with Rathbone! This is Danny Kaye's finest and funniest comedy! A must see movie!

Rating:
Summary: Incomprable
Review: Hilarious film!

However, the DVD, while correctly framed at 1.78:1 (This is a VistaVision movie, so it's supposed to be widescreen!) it's a mediocre DVD otherwise. The color is likely close to what a Technicolor print would look like, but that's it. There is almost no detail or grain in the image. The contrast is awful. Also, the sound is distorted at times.

This is a perfect example of a film that ought to be fully restored by Paramount and later re-released as a remastered DVD.

Rating:
Summary: "A jester unemployed is nobody's fool!"
Review: Danny Kaye's 1956 "The Court Jester" is a deliciously funny, unapologetically silly spook of all "Robin Hood"-esque films. Widely considered to be one of Kaye's best films, it costars a shockingly youthful Angela Lansbury and Glynis Johns ("Marry Poppins".)

The engaging (and continuously entertaining) plot centers around the good-natured yet hopelessly clumsy Hawkins (Kaye) whom is elected to infiltrate the court of Sir Ravenhurst (Basil Rathborne), who has usurped the rightful King (a small baby with a purple pimpernel on his rear) by the Robin Hood clone, The Black Fox (Edward Ashley). Hawkins, a member of the Fox's band, is sent to obtain the key to the King's secret tunnel so that The Black Fox can carry out his mission under the alias of a Court Jester named Giacamo. Nonstop laughter and absolute comic genius ensues.

This uproarious and good-natured slapstick swashbuckler will have you clutching your sides with laughter. There are some truly classic moments in here that will have you quoting it months after viewing. The witty banter between characters and clever wordplay makes this a unique and unforgettable film. Watching "The Court Jester" made me nostalgic for Old-Hollywood when comedies were this funny, accessible, and inoffensive and movie stars were as genuinely talented, charming, and lovable as Danny Kaye.

Hawkins: I've got it! I've got it! The pellet with the poison's in the vessel with the pestle; the chalice from the palace has the brew that is true! Right?
Griselda: Right. But there's been a change: they broke the chalice from the palace!
Hawkins: They *broke* the chalice from the palace?
Griselda: And replaced it with a flagon.
Hawkins: A flagon...?
Griselda: With the figure of a dragon.
Hawkins: Flagon with a dragon.
Griselda: Right.
Hawkins: But did you put the pellet with the poison in the vessel with the pestle?
Griselda: No! The pellet with the poison's in the flagon with the dragon! The vessel with the pestle has the brew that is true!
Hawkins: The pellet with the poison's in the flagon with the dragon; the vessel with the pestle has the brew that is true.
Griselda: Just remember that.

Rating:
Summary: Still One of My Favorite Comedies
Review: I stil rate this film as one of my favorite five or six comedies. Clean, clever, witty, entertaining, creative, and very funny.

Definately a must see. Also Check out "The Inspector General". Another Danny Kaye 1949 classic comedy with color added.

Enjoy!

Rating:
Summary: You will go and buy this movie and do it like that (snap)!
Review: This is my favorite movie of all time. When I was a kid Danny Kaye movies played every Sunday morning and we would wait the few months until it came around again.

I have never stopped laughing at the scenes, the funny interplay between Danny Kaye and the court and his continual buffonery.

Even kids will love this movie. It starts with a dance routine which is almost like Robin Hood Men in Tights. That is quaint, yet the next scene will take you in and take you on the funniest rides of all time.

Kaye, disquised as an old man who is hard of hearing having a scream fest with the captain of the guard. This few minutes is one of the funniest scenes I have ever witnessed. Then there are just funny scenes that will make you split your sides with laughter from there on out.

The wit it took to bring together this cast and the concept of the movie seems that it will never be outdated.

What Danny Kaye and the rest do here is ascend age and time making this movie appeal to any age group, young or old. I have seen a young family start off thinking this was a silly movie then, taken by the first comedic interaction, launch into continuous laughter. I laugh getting a kick out of watching everyone else laugh too.

This movie is a must for any DVD or VHS library. Share it with your friends, watch it when you are a little too stressed out to do anything else to lighten up your day.

The plays on words, the different fast paced situational scenes that will have you thinking; 'how clever...,' even when you think that Hawkins/Giacommo is at his end, then it gets even funnier. The Chalis with the poisly has the pellet with the pesly......

This movie is so fast paced that you cannot believe you have sat there and laughed for the better part of 90 minutes. The great thing about the DVD, you do not have to worry about watching this over and over again and wearing it out.

This movie has great color and scenery. The imagery is wonderful. You wonder if they really were in a castle.

Laugh and love this movie......I recommend it for school, church and family activities. It is a classic that may become more well known with time.

Rating:
Summary: DANNY KAYE, A VERY TALENTED GUY.
Review: "The Court Jester" is one of the most original comedies that one can see: the film combines quick dialogues, physical stunts and tricks, very original jokes, screwball, slapstick and really memorable characters. Without a doubt Danny Kaye was one of the most resourceful comedians in the comedy universe, he sang with style and humor, he performed physical stunts, he said light-speed dialogues and jokes, well, he had the profile of a possible fifth Marx Brother.

"The Court Jester" has characters that can make that the audience feels comfortable, interested and identified with them. Besides, most of the scenes have at least one very funny and imaginative sequence. Danny Kaye really is one of the most underrated comedic actors, and really was a talented guy.

"The Court Jester" is recommendable for those who enjoy classic comedies.

Rating:
Summary: Jest Wonderful
Review: Possibly the funniest musical comedy ever made. Even if you are not a Danny Kaye fan, you should try this movie. Don't be put off by the opening sequence, which looks rather dated now. The film contains some excruciatingly funny scenes, including the classic "Flagon with the dragon" routine. This is Kaye at his brilliant best.

The story (set in a mediaeval England which cheerfully makes no attempt at historical accuracy) is remarkably solid and complex, which helps maintain the film's brisk pace. In the theatrical version that I saw many years ago there was a rather gruesome torture scene which I felt was out of place. In the DVD version I watched, that scene was omitted. That leaves a hole in the plot (you may be puzzled as to why a significant character simply disappears half way through) but it's probably just as well - no sense in giving the kids nightmares.

So when you are in the mood for some good old-fashioned fun, put your feet up and summon "The Court Jester".

Rating:
Summary: The whole family will laugh 'til it hurts
Review: If you haven't encountered the unbelievably talented Danny Kaye yet, this film is an excellent introduction. It moved him to the top of my list! He sings, dances, and delivers the most difficult dialogue with ease and grace in this marvelous comedy spoof of the entire swashbuckling genre.

When we say the whole family enjoys this film, we're not saying it's a children's movie with some adult humor; we mean a film appropriate for everyone, with dialogue, characters, slapstick, and situations actually worth laughing at. It raises your standards for all other movies.

Same for the singing and dancing. Not your typical Broadway musical numbers, but relevant and entertaining music. Kaye and his costars breeze through the entire film, apparently effortlessly. And what a cast! You'll be amazed at the young Angela Lansbury, and Basil Rathbone delivers a thoroughly convincing and enjoyable performance as the scheming villain.

Why hasn't this film eclipsed Monty Python's "Holy Grail"? It's certainly better. Even the quotes are funnier (although I don't want to ruin any of them for you.) If the film even has a weakness, it's the first 20 minutes before the plot gets moving. But it manages to hold your attention with -- of all things -- midget acrobats until you're so involved with the characters that you can't stop watching.

So get it, already! You can't afford to miss this one!