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This is one movie musical that doesn't bother adapting its stage presentation for the big screen:Li'l Abner cheerfully uses brightly colored, patently fake backdrops and stage sets for its mythical setting. And why not? A movie musical based on a cartoon strip is about as far from reality as you can get. Al Capp's legendary comic about the hillbilly denizens of Dogpatch was brought to Broadway by the estimable comedy team Melvin Frank and Norman Panama, who also produced the movie. Along with sampling Capp's world (the pursuit of noncommittal Abner by Daisy Mae on Sadie Hawkins Day is a major plot device), the movie is a goofy record of 1950s attitudes and concerns--in fact, Dogpatch is threatened with destruction when the government wants to use it as an atomic test site. The actors' Broadway delivery has a deadening effect after a while, and some of the makeup is downright weird (think the Whos in the live-action Grinch). Gene de Paul's music is unmemorable, but Johnny Mercer's lyrics provide considerable fun, and the athletic dances are based on Michael Kidd's stage choreography. Plus, the movie honors Capp's eye for impossibly bodacious women by casting Julie Newmar as Stupefyin' Jones and Stella Stevens (her first movie role) as Appassionata Von Climax. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (60)

Charming and Hilarious Re-telling of the Robin Hood Story
I am not a great Danny Kaye fan, but this movie is one the the very funniest I've ever seen. Everything about it is excellent, from the production values to the songs & lyrics, from the fine quality of actors to the charm and wit of the dialogue and the story. There is literally nothing wrong with this movie. It is fit for all audiences, from the youngest to the oldest members of your family. I remember the first time I saw it, being struck by the fact that all the actors seemed to be having an absolutely marvellous time. Particularly during the Jester's first call at entertaining the court...unforgettable and sheer delight. Every single person on camera looked like they were having a wonderful time just being there. I hadn't seen anything like such a fine emsemble cast since 'All About Eve.' I think it must have been because there were no bad lines, no bad parts, no scenes that didn't work, and everyone had a chance to shine. Having a good material to work with really does make a world of difference. Stars Danny Kaye, Angela Landsbury, Basil Rathbone, and a host of marvellous British actors whose names are right now escaping my memory. Buy it. Keep it. Enjoy it for years.

The Brew that is True...
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!

Comedy Could Not Better Be!
In the history of the movies, fewer things are more amusing than watching Danny Kaye behave as Danny Kaye. Watching his films was a wonderful part of my childhood,and I remember being at home from High School on the day of his passing. I'm very glad for the legacy he has left us to enjoy.
In "The Court Jester" he couldn't be more in his element as he amuses us with his usual patter numbers clever, tounge-twisting lyrics and sword play, and moves us with his loving care of the orphaned infant heir to the English throne. The scene of his lullabying the baby was shown as a tribute to him at the end of "Entertainment Tonight" the weekend after his death and it was a fitting tribute to him, his love of children, and the childlike sense of wonder he brought to all of his films.
As Kaye's love interest, Jean, a charismatic Glynis Johns is highly complimentary.She is not the sterotypical woman of medeival times, but having been raised as a boy, has a lot of cunning, ingenuity, and an occassional bit of brawn as the leader of those in rebellion against Cecil Parker's evil King.
Angela Lansbury's Princess Gwendolyn longs for true love rather than an arranged marriage. She is firm and decisive in many ways, as she helps bring the tale to a positive conclusion.
As the sourceress, Mildred Natwick leads into some of the film's funniest scenes, including the notorious "Pellet with the poison is in the vessel with the pestle" routine that has become a classic.
Hubert Hawkins' cleverness in seizing the real Court Jester,(John Carradine, a man whom I could never really think of as funny) who was very arrogant, disguising himself in his clothes, and using his tounge-twisting dialogue with the King to cover his tracks is also a riot.
Basil Rathbone as the evil henchmen is a refined villian. It's amusing the way Kaye kept pushing his name out of the way during the opening credits, and I have wondered how often Hawkins' accelerated knighthood ceremony had to be rehearsed before those on the set could stop laughing.

Although the film overlooks the fact that a person can't be hypnotized against their will, the way Hubert Hawkins is, the comedy is generally light, and goofy, doesen't get any saucier than the exposure of an infant's backside, and children will love it.
And as Hawkins reassures us at the beginning,"What starts like a scary tale ends like a fairy tale, and life couldn't possibly better be!"

So funny your cheeks will ache from laughing!!
This is one of Danny Kaye's best. He was so talented and his comic timing is impeccable. The "chalice from the palace" scene is so funny that I have not forgotten it over the years. This movie will get you out of the blues in no time.

You will go and buy this movie and do it like that (snap)!
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. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

It's tame in hindsight, but A Touch of Class brought much-needed prestige to the romantic-comedy trend of the early and mid 1970s. Glenda Jackson won an Oscar® for her performance as a savvy London divorcée who falls in love with married insurance agent George Segal, and the film surprised critics by earning a Best Picture nomination as well. Chemistry's the key, with Jackson and Segal equally adept at bickering and making up (and she even has a gay male friend, long before that became a genre cliché). What begins as a routine affair--complicated by a wide spectrum of lightly comedic pitfalls--ends with mutual love and the dilemma it creates. Writer-director Melvin Frank keeps the dialogue briskly intelligent, and while he can't match Neil Simon word for word, Touch mines the same romantic territory that was perfected in Simon's later hit The Goodbye Girl. Consider them a fine double bill, with A Touch of Class ranking a respectable second. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Should've Been on the AFI's list of "Top 100 Romantic Films"
I saw this movie when it first came out in the 70's and have seen it many times on and off for years.

The movie is funny, but what makes it work is the two stars. George Segal (who never looked better) is in fine comedic form, and he and Glenda Jackson complement each other perfectly. She was especially singled out for critical acclaim -- some people compared her to Katharine Hepburn in Hepburn's comedic roles.

The movie also affords a look at London in the early 70's.

Because the actors work so well together, I would've liked a different (happier) ending for the movie. Still, after thirty years, "A Touch of Class" remains very watchable and poignant -- largely because of the two stars.

creepy and disturbing
I did not like this movie. I know that times have changed and it would be revisionist to hold this movie to millennium standards of sexual conduct and infidelity. Nonetheless, I found it very disturbing: his lack of concern for his wife and children, how the wife was unsympathetic and one dimensional, and how absolutely de rigueur it was in the sixties for married men to have "a bit on the side." And what about her kids? apart from the first scene we never see them again; she instead seems to spend all her time cooking and keeping house for a married man. I'm not a prude, really, but this film left a bad taste in my mouth.

One of the funniest, sexiest, smartest movies I've ever seen
...and I'm not easy to please. It's strange when you realize just how sexy George Segal was. But the movie is wonderfully written, sharp, smart and incredibly funny. I saw another reviewer liked The Goodbye Girl better. I prefered this...Sharper, more biting, less sentimental. That doesn't mean it's heartless or even cynical, just that it's lacking in syrup. George Segal and Glenda Jackson have the all the chemistry and the comedic chops (and then some) needed to make this movie work. This movie made me laugh a lot, was sexy enough to warm any cold night and smart enough to make me feel like the people who made it figured I had at least a high school education. How come comedic movies this smart don't get made by the major studios anymore?

A great movie that will one day be remade
Glenda Jackson and George Segal tear up the screen and nearly each other in this frothy 1973 Oscar-winning comedy. The relationship is the key here and the two leads almost define screen chemistry. Shot in London and Malaga, Spain, it's also a fun date film. The DVD transfer is pretty decent considering the age. Whatever your tastes in film, this is a pretty tough one not to like.

With Hollywood remaking classics like "Charade," this one seems a solid bet. Who would they pick today? Oh, probably Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake.

How come it's unavailable???
Extremely funny, light-hearted movie. Whether it was worthy of a best actress oscar is debateable, but nonetheless: HOW CAN AN OSCAR WINNING FILM NOT BE AVAILABLE IN THIS DAY & AGE?????? ... Read more

Reviews (6)

I Love Howie/Bobo !
This movie starts off slow, but soon enough it picks up and its hilarious. Howie Mandel was a comic genious. My favorite scene is where he changes clothes in a dressing room but the dressing room was...umm..occupied! You'll love it too.

An Absolute Childhood Classic!
I remember watching this video every day, when I was very young, until my siblings were blue in the face with annoyance! :) I am 17 now and this movie is still a favorite with me. I would really like to have it in my collection but I am having trouble finding it! It is a must have!

how can you get funnier than this
the very first time i saw this movie i was laughing so much that tears were rolling down my face.the best part was when they were in church and bobo was howling to the song.there were parts in this movie that would make anybody laugh.this is one that should be on dvd i would be one of the first ones to buy it.

Laugh out loud funny
This has to be just about the funniest movie I ever saw. Howie Mandel is excellent as Bobo a man lost in the woods for 28 years raised by wolves. This movie is very kid friendly and good family entertainment. There is no sex or violence in the movie. I very highly recommend Walk Like A Man to anyone who enjoys laughing a lot.

Howie Mandel at his best!
If you like Howie Mandel and his type of humor, you will really enjoy this movie. I laughed out loud at his portrayal of being a wolf that is being trained to be a man. This film is unique because it doesn't have any violence or wild love making yet it is good. I found humor based on Howie's body language. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

'El Schmucko is getting the Hell out of here...'
Goldie and Segal...Caviar and Martinelli Sparkling Cider, funny rich and raunchy. Two of my favorite Actors gamboling like playful lecherous pups with more energy than guile, and the rest of the cast had me reaching for my pampers...especially the hysterically funny scene with Conrad Janis, whose role as the deadpan Mormon Preacher wedged between these two comedic masters, manages to steal the biggest laugh by deciphering their Franco/Pig-Latin quasi-seduction scene in the middle of their runaway Coach, leaving my friends and I in tears. Triple A Plus---a 'Must See'.

I Want This Movie on DVD!
I first saw The Duchess and the Dirtwater Fox in a movie theater when I was a kid and I thought this movie was hilarious and I liked the cast, especially Goldie Hawn and George Segal and I'm hoping this movie will be made available on DVD!

a classic goldie moment
I first saw this film when i was around 7 back in the 80s and i fell in love with it then, nearly 15 years later it is still amazing. Funny, fanastic, one of goldie's best! Shame its not on dvd!!!!
This is a must see for any goldie fan or any comedy fan, easy to get humour, both dirty and clever.
A MUST!!!!!

UNFORGETTABLE
Another of Goldie Hawn's classics! It's the story of a conman and a prostitute thrown together by the hand of fate, and their hilarious partnership. The best scene is where Goldie auditions for the job of governess to a religious family, and she must give a demonstration of her musical skills. The only song that is suitable for the circumstances, is a number she used to perform in the brothel: "Please don't touch my plums" and she does a magnificent job of impressing the pater familias and tickling the viewer's funnybone. The Duchess is a pearl in Goldie's crown.

An Awsome Classic !!!!
This movie is so funny!!!Any one who likes, or loves Goldie will simply LOVE this movie!!!I collect vhs (soon to be dvd) classic movies and this one has been a real bear to get ahold of. Anyway, I love it and I hope someone will read this and get the movie too. I promis they won't be dissapointed. Also, if anyone has ever seen The First Wives Club, they show a "tiny" pic of Goldie in her saloon outfit, next to her phone, and answering machine as "Brenda" is leaving her a message. That was only for the GREAT Goldie fans to notice. ... Read more

Description

Mel Edison, a soon-to-be-unemployed advertising executive, is driven to the brink of a nervous breakdown by New York City living. In an attempt to escape from a garbage strike, nosy neighbors and an unreliable air conditioner in the middle of a head wave, Mel and his long-suffering wife Edna visit his brother in the country. Unfortunately, the dark cloud of tribulation seems to follow Mel in this comic nightmare. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Another knockout for Simon/Lemmon
This is the third in a trio of classic comedies written by Neil Simon and starring(onscreen) Jack Lemmon. This movie delivers laugh after laugh without slapsick, and without the cheesiness of some of Simon's later works. (The Goodbye Girl) This movie earns five stars from me not only because it's a great comedy, but this movie gives the viewer a heartfelt lesson in humanity as well. See it at all costs. Worth owning, too, I've all but worn my copy out.

A little but incredible comedy
This movie is among the greatest twenty american comedies in any age.
Lemmon is superb and the lovely Anne Bancroft(Miracle worker) makes a great couple.
It's incredible how this work has been so underestimated.
A must for everyone.
A lot of laughable gags.

Melvin Frank made a masterpiece comedy
It's incredibkle this movie has been so underestimated.
The plot is plenty of laughable situations. A well script and above all the presence of this wonderful couple.
The unique Jack Lemmon and the lovely Anne Bancroft an extraordinary gifted actress. (Miracle worker)
Under no circunstance you should doubt about the virtues of that film, because if you edit the twenty best american comedy films in any age, this film deserves to be in that list.

Surprisingly the plot is so realistically current again
Being a 70s movie, it had a slow start but then as scene rolls in, the story line suddenly sparkles in the dark and jitters through the nurve with uncanny current realities of recent years. Great flowing script and its a privilege to watch two Maestros (Jack Lemmon and Anne Bancroft) playing it out in perfect harmony with perfect tune till the very end! Amazing!

I love this one!
To my way of thinking, this is the highest form of comedy: it is the kind of comedy that makes us laugh and cry at the same time; it is the kind of comedy that captures something about who we are, and presents it in such a forgiving and loving light that we simultaneously laugh and ache. For me, the quintessential example of this is the boxing scene in City Lights, which is as tragic as it is hilarious. "Prisoner of Second Avenue" is, in a sense, an entire play about this boxing scene: it is about the struggle to survive in a cold and almost brutal world. The only difference is that, in the boxing scene, the hero chooses to take a beating in order to save someone else, while here the two heroes struggle to survive as a team. In the final scene, we know that this team has won, not because a new job has been located, but because this team will prevail. What a wonderful homage to the strength of the human spirit! Couple this with the exceptional (as always) performances of two great actors: Anne Bancroft and Jack Lemon, and you have what I think is a true gem.

By the way...it's time to bring this in DVD! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Not good
As a big fan of 60s comedies, I find this one seriously lacking. There's no chemistry between Rock and Gina, nothing likeable about their characters, and nothing compelling about the storyline. I do believe I laughed once during the movie however, but I can't remember why. Actually I only got this movie because it came packaged with Man's Favorite Sport, which actually IS a good and funny movie.

Bad DVD of a Good Movie
Not genuine letterboxed. Portion of original picture missing. Read review under the orginal DVD two-pack release of Strange Bedfellows/Man's Favoite Sport.

Gina and Rock or Rock and Gina?
This couple, Rock Hudson and Gina Lolibridgita is always fighting because she's different from him and has her own idea and stands for women's rights and then before you know they are made for each other but she also is involved with another man with hilarious results so be prepared to laugh. Find out who gets the girl by watching the movie. ... Read more