König der Spaßmacher

Without even attempting a British accent Danny Kaye stars in a delightful comedy as Mr. Chips type school teacher who dabbles in archeology. Kaye is his usual henpecked character, totally dominated by his father Noel Purcell who even scares his more self assured brothers Rex Evans and Robert Coote.

A long cherished assignment gives Kaye a chance to dig for a statue of Pan believed to be in the north of England. A traveling circus that is run by Salvatore Baccaloni with his daughter Pier Angeli as a high flying aerialist happens to be on the site of his dig. But when they face down the common enemy of the local lord who wants to have a dairy farm there now, Kaye's dig permit trumps all and he wins the gratitude of the circus folk. He wins even more from Pier Angeli.

Merry Andrew gives a full expressions to Kaye's many talents. The school and the circus setting give him an ideal venue for those comic and singing talents. Some really classic Kaye is involved here. My favorite is him digging for his Pan statue and coming up right in the middle of the lion's cage during a circus performance. Later on of course the Pan statue is found, but you won't believe who finds it.

This may all come to a sad end as Kaye is already slightly engaged to Patricia Cutts, daughter of one of the higher ranking teachers at Purcell's school, Walter Kingsford. Merry Andrew was Kingsford's final film ending a distinguished career on cinema. Kingsford is best known for playing Dr. Carew the head of Blair General Hospital in the Dr. Kildare series.

As Kaye would have said in this film, the picture is Tickety-Boo. Not quite sure what the phrase means, but it's all good.

A real nice, happy-go-lucky, entertaining movie with some catchy music and songs like the classic "Salud !" and Circus routines ! The scenery is also exhilarating ! Obvioously, the great Danny Kaye excels as the professor turned clown ! Also teaches a lesson that simple folk can be as full-of-life and character than sophisticated scholars if not more !! The Hypoteneuse song could help students remember the geometrical theorem as I have done for over forty years.......What a real, real pity this film is not available n DVD ! Please endeavor to resurrect it for the modern generation to watch and enjoy so we'll have a merrier world !

I first saw "Merry Andrew" on a ship crossing the Atlantic from London to Halifax in 1960. Its one of the first films I remember seeing as a child and it left a great impression. Danny Kaye was simply amazing (a true clown) and Pier Anglei was absolutely beautiful. I've seen the film a few times since on television, but would love to add it to my collection and so I wait patiently for its release on video or dvd.

I have posted comments before on Merry Andrew, but I don't think I will do any harm by mentioning either the same or different!!! I remember when I first saw this Delightful film in Sydney in 1958. I was sixteen at the time. I have caught it once or twice on tv. I just wish someone would buy the rights to release it on commercial video? Even though it's over forty years old, I would rather go miles to watch it again than some of the other shall we say more questional material at theatres or on tv. I'm fortunate to have bought the s/track & have the movie on tape. Summing up: Excellent & Supurb Family Entertainment.

Michael Kidd's "Merry Andrew" is one of my favorite musicals. I like it very much. It's funny, it's simple, the musical numbers are good, and we even have the circus. A person who likes comedy and musicals shouldn't miss this film. Danny Kaye is very good in it.