Besuch auf einem kleinen Planeten

Back in 1955 Gore Vidal wrote a television play that later went to Broadway for 388 performances and starred Cyril Ritchard and Eddie Mayehoff. It was meant to be a satire on McCarthyism with an alien miscalculating a visit to Earth's American Civil War and arriving in Virginia a century later. So what must he have thought when his Broadway play wound up a vehicle for Jerry Lewis. Not that it's a bad Jerry Lewis, not his best to be sure, but surely not what Vidal intended.

Jerry plays a most innocent alien with powers akin to what Ray Walston had in my favorite Martian. His people from way the other side of the galaxy have progressed to not only having powers beyond mortal men, but have dispensed with emotions. His people like his mentor John Williams are just below the Organians from Star Trek in that they still have corporeal bodies. Jerry wants to feel some earth like experiences so Williams gives him a chance.

He experiences emotions all right, but a little too much for one Visit To A Small Planet. How he copes with Earth and its Earthlings is for you watch the film for.

I can see that the characters that are played by the cynical Fred Clark and the excitable and paranoid Gale Gordon might have made great counterpoints for satire. But Jerry Lewis never has done satire and I doubt at his age he'll try it. Lee Patrick plays a role modeled on what she did as Leo G. Carroll's wife in the television version of Topper.

It's jealousy that does Jerry in, mainly the jealousy that Earl Holliman feels as his girl and Clark and Patrick's daughter Joan Blackman starts taking an interest in their outer space visitor. Truth be told I can't see what Blackman sees in Holliman's lunkhead character. Holliman must have felt ridiculous doing the part.

Best sequence in the film is Lewis and Blackman's visit to a beatnik joint and the impression he makes on all those cool cats. You'll get a chance to see ace drummer Buddy Rich in that scene and that should never be passed up.

Visit To A Small Planet is a decent enough Jerry Lewis film, but far from whatever Gore Vidal had in mind.

Goofy alien Jerry Lewis lands on Earth, decides to try the suburban way of life for awhile, angering his superior officers in space. Screenwriter Edmund Beloin adapted Gore Vidal's play, but it doesn't seem directly tailored for Lewis' mugging talents--which is a blessing. The material is actually quite sophisticated, with a fair amount of witty lines and good supporting performances by Joan Blackman, Earl Holliman and Gale Gordon. Jerry Lewis himself isn't bad; he had yet to be reeled-in by a strong director, but he isn't grating or overtly offensive here. There's some surprising, modern humor in this scenario, while the production, the (minimal) special effects, and Loyal Griggs' black-and-white cinematography are all first-rate. Lots of fun! **1/2 from ****

I'm suspicious to talk about Jerry Lewis he makes part of my life in my youthful days and today a l have almost all movie from this true genius of the comedy whose many actors were inspired by him, like Jim Carrey, this time he came to the Earth as a clumsy friendly alien visitor, who didn't scary nobody except a fearful dog which he talks each other, great acting from veteran actor Fred Clark , the always fine Earl Holliman and John Williams as Alien leader who almost stolen the movie with a funny performance!! Just came out officially in Brazil with dubbed short version and extended subtitled version, sorry for a wrong choice for black and white photography, as comedy works well in color!!

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First watch: 2017 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 7.25

Thank you Cinemax for dusting off this rare gem. You don't get too many chances to see this on the tube. The idea of Jerry Lewis popping in from 8 million light years away in his saucer to help Gen. Lee's troops fight the "damn yankees" should be enough incentive for anyone to make time for this and it doesnt disappoint. Unfortunately Jerry miscalculated and landed on Earth 100 years later-he's a student, not a very smart one but he is majoring in the "Earth" so his natural curiosity brought him down for a short stay, much to the frustration and eventual amusement of his mentor Mr. Delton on his home planet where his every move is monitored on the first 60" wide screen I can remember seeing. The movie is just hilarious with sight gags galore. I thought I was going to fall out of my chair watching Jerry take his first glass of whiskey and then walk up the wall and stand on the ceiling to have a conversation with his host. And the Beatnik scene at the "Hungry Brain" is a real keeper although many probably wont get it-beatniks were the 'way cool' hipsters that preceded the flower child movement of the 60's. Koo koo baby! Earl Holliman is very funny in an early role and Joan Blackman is scrumptious as Holliman's love interest that he can never seem to keep his hands off of. She later appeared in two Elvis flicks so you know she's got to be pretty hot. Just a great movie and I think ranks in Lewis' top three with The Bellboy and The Errand Boy. Don't miss it. 9/10

Jerry Lewis was a big kid. He believed that all he was doing was fun and that everyone would laugh. But his gags and his humor are infantile, pure invention of a child who has remained a child, which has not matured. His best film is "Which Way to the Front?" directed by himself. I think I laughed a little when I've seen "The Ladies Man," but I'm not sure. This "Visit to a Small Planet" is totally stupid, you have nothing to laugh about at all.