Il balio asciutto

Giving a Jerry Lewis movie, any Jerry Lewis movie, a vote of ten is in some people's minds tantamount to movie heresy. That is, however, the vote I gave to Rock-A-Bye-Baby, and I stick by it. Believe it or not, before he became the king of overindulgent egomania in many of his later films, Lewis did manage to put a few good films on celluloid. These films were not only funny, but gave us charming, sympathetic characters, a good script, and good supporting casts. Of his early solo efforts, Rock-A-Bye Baby is the one that has stuck with me the longest, so it is the Lewis film I have chosen to talk about here.

Lewis plays Clayton Poole, a television repairman, who has gone through life carrying a torch for the beautiful Carla Naples (Marilyn Maxwell). Because of advice that Clayton gave Carla, she left town to become an actress, and ends up becoming a big film star. Carla's father, Gigi Naples (Salvatore Baccaloni) blames Clayton for his daughter going away. Then there is Carla's younger sister, Sandra (Connie Stevens), who is carrying the torch for Clayton. It turns out that Carla, had been married for a short time to a bullfighter who was killed in the bull ring. Later, just when she finds out she is to star in a film called (believe it or not) White Virgin of the Nile, she also finds out she is pregnant. Believing that she will not be able to do the movie if people find out she has had a baby (not to mention the way morality was looked at back then, see what happened to Ingrid Berman), Carla contacts Clayton to see if he will temporarily take care of the baby till the film is finished. Feeling that this is the one thing he can do for Carla, he agrees. What Carla doesn't tell Clayton is that there is not one baby, but three as she has had triplets.

What happens after that, well I set it up for you it's up to you to find the movie and watch it. Jerry as Clayton is funny throughout, without resorting too much to mugging while keeping the slapstick toned down to where it fits well into the picture. Marilyn Maxwell plays Carla, and though in todays climate it would hard to understand her motives, in this movie we are reasonably able to understand her motives, and despite the fact that she is using Clayton, we are sure she wouldn't if she had another way out. The rest of the cast is also good. Connie Stevens as Sandra, is sweet and funny, especially when she gets frustrated at Clayton for refusing her advances. Salvatore Baccaloni as Papa Naples, shows a rough mean exterior, yet we know inside he is a loving, carring, father. Reginald Gardner is witty and debonair as Carla's agent. Hans Conried who plays Claytons boss, could have been on note but it is not, as he also cares about Clayton despite Clayton's on the job foul-ups.

There is an early scene in this movie, where Clayton sings a song with himself as a child, played by Lewis's own son Gary. It sets the tone for the rest of the movie and from then on we are hooked. How does it all end? I'll not tell that, as it is one of the funniest endings of not only a Jerry Lewis movie, but of any movie.

This movie is for everyone. It has heart, it has soul, it has comedic genius. I only wish Jerry had made more films like this one. Then, not only in France, but in the USA, we just might be calling him "genius".

Till Next Time, Next Class Please

I have seen most of Jerry Lewis' comedies and I wasn't surprised that I liked this film, as it was made during a period in which most of his best films were made--the late 1950s (don't ask me what I think of the ones from the late 60s and 70s...yick). However, I must confess that while I liked the film overall, it was very uneven and about as many gags worked as flopped. As for me, I actually preferred many of the moments when Jerry wasn't trying to be funny-- such as one of the musical numbers where Jerry and the babies' grandfather sing a nice little duet.

The plot to this film is kind of weird. Clayton Poole (Lewis) used to date Carla Naples (Marilyn Maxwell) but now Carla has gone on to better things. She's now a big Hollywood star and her career is about to take a hit because she's pregnant and her husband died after only a day...and no one knows about the marriage. So, to avoid any sort of scandal, she plans on dumping the baby off on Clayton. However, she is surprised when she ends up having triplets. Yet, oddly, Clayton agrees to raise the kids even though they aren't his and he spends most of the rest of the film with the three adorable little girls. But, some rich biddy without kids decides to go to court to try to take the kids away, as everyone back in the 1950s KNEW that a man cannot raise a child by himself. What's next?

The film has lots of jokes that simply fall flat. The ones with the babies tended to work better because they were gentler and seemed less forced. As for the music, Jerry sings a lot of tunes (several of which were poorly chosen, as they were out of his musical range) and his acting is very nice. Overall, a cute little film that Lewis fans will love and others will at least tolerate.

I've read the preceding comments and they pretty much tell the story of why this is a classic Jerry Lewis film. However, I think one of the reasons I love this one so much is that it also captures a feel for what life was like growing up in the fifties (as I did). In many ways it typifies the fifties mindset, but also exemplifies the entertainment of the period. Things were so much more family-oriented. Sex wasn't non-existence in films, but it was more often handled tastefully. Language was wholesome and the humor didn't depend on "shock" (such as the name of Navin Johnson's dog in The Jerk).

I find the segment in Hill Valley of the fifties in Back to the Future especially enjoyable as Robert Zemeckis does a great job of re-creating the era. Watching Rock a Bye Baby, which is authentically of the era confirms that. (In fact, the court house and town square in both of these films appear to have a striking similarity to one another.)

Although the story owes a lot to The Miracle of Morgan's Creek as inspiration (and even gives Preston Sturges credit), it really has its own unique flavor as well. Like a son who bears a resemblance to his father but also has his own personality. In many ways I think that Frank Tashlin has improved upon it. The subplot with the sister and its resolution are wonderful additions.

Over all I think it is a great film and can't wait till it's available on DVD (Is anybody listening?).

I have to admit I've never been a rabid Jerry Lewis fan (even with a French last name, I can't join some of my relatives on the Continent in idolizing him), but, in looking back, I've seen more of his movies than I might have preferred. This one, though, was a lot of fun, possibly because it was a delightfully vulgar remake of a Preston Sturges classic.

The VistaVision/Technicolor production values are first-class; the supporting cast is able to withstand Jerry's frantic goofiness (especially Marilyn Maxwell, who gets to perform the wacked-out production number, "White Virgin of the Nile," and Ida Moore as Jerry's elderly landlady, avidly and simultaneously consuming every product being advertised on the TV she is constantly watching); and Frank Tashlin's direction pilots Jerry through the plot's crazy machinations with just the right touch of cartoon-like unreality.

If you're a Lewis fan, it's a must-see; if you aren't you may still find it an enjoyable way to spend a mindless 103 minutes.

A famous movie star has triplets, but doesn't want the public to find out.So she leaves the babies to Clayton Poole (Lewis) to babysit.Bad mistake?I think not.I think he does a pretty good job if you ask me.Rock-a-Bye Baby is a great Jerry Lewis movie from 1958.It has that Jerry's well known slapstick comedy and it's also a warm and touching movie at the same time. It is beautiful to watch Jerry and Salvatore Baccaloni singing Dormi-Dormi-Dormi.This is a movie that makes you laugh and a movie that may make you cry.I didn't cry.I rather laugh when I'm watching a movie.Especially a Jerry Lewis movie.I'm funny that way. But anyway, watch Rock-a-Bye Baby if you want to see a funny and tender Jerry Lewis comedy.