Schrecken der Division

So, Martin & Lewis came out near the end of the slapstick comedy era. They were the last of the great classic comedians, that grew out of vaudeville and kept the sub-genre of the slapstick comedy alive for 50 years. In the silent era of film, you had the likes of, Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd. In the 1930s and 40s, it was names like, Laurel and Hardy, the Marx Brothers, The Three Stooges and Abbott and Costello, who reigned as kings on the slapstick stage. Martin and Lewis would debut in the movie theaters in 1949 and dominated the 1950s. But, by 1956 (oddly enough the same year that Abbott and Costello broke up), Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis called it quits. This left the decaying bones of the slapstick sub-genre to low-budget films, mostly made by the aged Three Stooges, Jerry Lewis' solo career and a small resurgence of new comedians on television, that kept the sub-genre alive until its untimely death in the 1970s.

This film is a textbook example of what a great Martin and Lewis film looked like. Dean and Jerry were huge in the 1950s. They had crowds show up to their Atlantic City, New Jersey shows, like Elvis was in town. They were big in the movies and on television. This film follows the same formula, that the old Abbott and Costello war films were like. The difference with this one was the Korean War was going on and it was a different attitude in the 1950s. They weren't trying to sell war bonds, so much as, just make a comedy about basic training and war games. Dean (as Chick Allen), is a corporal in the Army, who is part of the para-troopers and also used to do a nightclub act back in the states. In a desperation move to put on a great show, he asks for the assistance of his old fellow performer, Jerry (as Hap Smith), which unfortunately ends in Hap getting pulled into training camp and becoming, accidently, a para-trooper himself. It is hilarious watching Hap, who has no business being near the Army, get through this film without getting himself killed. Dean throws in some great songs and this film is a classic in a sub-genre still at its peak.

7.3 (C+ MyGrade) = 7 IMDB.

This is another Martin & Lewis movie I watched on YouTube. Two years after At War with the Army, they're back there although Jerry's only there because Dean needs his old performing partner back to put on a show. Mona Freeman is Lewis' new partner back in New York where they're supposed to prepare for a Broadway show. So Jerry's there under false pretenses and...oh, watch the movie to see how it all turns out. In chronologically reviewing this iconic team's movies, I've mentioned when their leading ladies did another film with them. Now I can say what male co-stars have made return appearances: First, there's Robert Strauss-previously their superior officer in their last picture Sailor Beware-once again as their sergeant who eventually warms up to Lewis. Then there's Don DeFore-previously Dean's rival in My Friend Irma-as one of Dean and Jerry's fellow privates. Since there's a show business angle involved, there's plenty of musical numbers with Dean either by himself with some dancers or with Jerry clowning around. Jerry himself has a number with Ms. Freeman though her singing voice is dubbed by Imogene Lynn. In summary, this was quite hilarious to me with Dean himself, for once, getting almost as equal laughs as Jerry especially during that lunch-on-a-train sequence with Strauss and another actor named Richard Erdman who's character Lewis is impersonating. So on that note, I highly recommend Jumping Jacks.

Jumping Jacks though early in the careers of Martin and Lewis personified and solidified the act as comedians. Though it was relatively the end of their comedy team, this movie only proved they had more fun and slap stick to come. Fantastic laugh a minute movie with a few Martin songs which are equally as good. If you have never seen a Martin and Lewis movie this is the one to see.

"Jumping Jacks" is an okay time killer. It has a few laughs and a few smiles but nothing very memorable. I enjoy Jerry Lewis (I saw him perform at Westbury (NY) Music Fair when he was ninety years old. It was a fun show.) and Dean Martin. But I enjoy them separately. As team, at least in their movies, they also fall flat with me. "Jumping Jacks" is better than their other movies but that's not saying much. "Jumping Jacks" has a good story and the supporting cast is likeable. It does have some funny moments but from some reason the movie started to feel long. And then it felt even longer. It should have been fifteen minutes shorter.

I have my voice to see! I love that movie since when I was a kid, i'm a big kid now! That's amazing,