Danny Kaye's physicality, quick delivery of dialogue, and exaggerated facial expressions are masterfully exploited in at least five classic comic routines.
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Written and directed by Melvin Frank and Norman Panama, The Court Jester is a textbook example of how to tailor a film to fit its star's skills. To ensure that Hawkins/Giacomo meets the princess's expectations, Griselda (Mildred Natwick) hypnotizes him into thinking he's the medieval version of Rudolph Valentino. Nor could they anticipate that Princess Gwendolyn's lady-in-waiting, Griselda, has promised that a handsome stranger will rescue the princess from an undesirable marriage. They don't know, of course, that the villainous Sir Ravenhurst (Basil Rathbone) has hired Giacomo to assassinate three of the king's advisors.
Learning that no one in the king's court has ever seen Giacomo, they hatch a quick scheme that has Hawkins assuming the identity of the jester.ĭanny Kaye and Basil Rathbone: "Get it? Got it. Of course, Hawkins is not entrusted with this mission alone he is accompanied by Jean (Glynis Johns), one of the Black Fox's senior officers.Įn route to the palace, Hawkins and Jean encounter the new royal jester Giacomo ("King of jesters and jester of kings"). Danny Kaye plays Hawkins, a minor member of the Black Fox's gang, who is given the mission of smuggling the baby into the palace and getting the key to a secret passageway to the Black Fox. But I'm hard pressed to think of a classic film comedy that's as nearly perfect as The Court Jester.įor the uninitiated, it's a medieval tale in which the Black Fox (a sort of Robin Hood) plots to restore the rightful heir to the throne: a royal baby with a purple pimpernel birthmark on his posterior. I realize comedy is very subjective as some folks prefer broad laughs and others opt for dark humor. I am half agony, half hope.I recently watched The Court Jester (1955) for perhaps the tenth time-and laughed just as much as the first time. “The stuff that dreams are made of.” ROMANCE RATING Where to Watch: The Court Jester is available on Netflix and can be bought to stream or on DVD at Amazon. Fans of Princess Bride should definitely give it a go.Ĭontent Note: The film has an Approved rating in the US. The Court Jester is a fun film with action, romance, intrigue, comedy and great costumes. Then there is Princess Gwendolyn who dreams of marrying for love, whom Hubert romances, while under hypnosis. First, there is the fondness between Hubert and his female Captain who has put aside her own happiness until the mission is successfully carried out. This was an unusual stance for a film to take at the time. It is also interesting that Jean is attracted to Hubert precisely because he is not a typical action hero but a kind and good man. The roles of the female characters stood out as being surprisingly active for the time. Besides, this film is set in a non-specific Hollywood Middle Ages that many similar films use, so accuracy isn’t all that important. While they are in no way historically accurate, they are gorgeous. The costumes are colorful and suit the tone of the film perfectly. I don’t generally like musicals but I enjoyed this one a great deal. He takes easily to swordplay and was famous for his ability to mimic. Kaye is on familiar ground here, having also starred in films like White Christmas and Hans Christian Anderson. This is certainly an old-fashioned musical in the big sense. RELATED POST – Vintage Film Review: I Was a Male War Bride (1949) – A Saucy Romantic Comedy with Slapstick There is wordplay, slapstick, farce and much more. Both women are excellent in their roles with excellent comedic timing. The Court Jester also stars Glynis Jones and Angela Lansbury who are much younger than we are used to seeing them.
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His performance is versatile and full of heart. Danny Kaye is the talented center of the film and carries it well. This is largely due to the writing and the performance of the stars.
Seizing the opportunity to place a spy in the King’s court, Jean knocks him out and convinces Hawkins to impersonate him. On the way, they run into Giacomo, a Jester who is traveling to serve King Roderick. Hubert and Captain Jean are instructed to bring the baby safely to an Abbey where he can be protected. Hubert Hawkins is an ordinary man following The Black Fox, an outlaw hero fighting to return the true heir to power. The baby prince survived and was smuggled away by loyalists. King Roderick has usurped the throne of England, killing the entire royal family, save one. The whole thing is played tongue-in-cheek, however, for maximum comedy. There are dashing swordfights, romantic trysts, and devious plots. It is a good-natured comedy that takes full advantage of the trappings of the genre. The Court Jester is a musical parody of popular old swashbuckling films starring the likes of Errol Flynn.
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