Ragazzo tuttofare

This movie is one of my all time favorites! Every time I see it I catch something new I hadn't seen before, and, even after watching it so many times, it never ceases to set me into a fit of laughter! Future viewers: Ignore all that junk about it being dated, etc.! Watch this movie and decide for yourself- JL is awesome, and you WON'T be disappointed!

Most viewers watching this today will be puzzled as to why this movie has received so much acclaim and was a success at the box office. True, Jerry doesn't do his "kid" character (he's mute until the end), but he does his spastic movements - and there's a flaw there. A little of this goes a long way, and Jerry keeps doing it until he beats it to death.

Most of the other gags in the movie don't seem creative today, or funny. The movie does kill time for its 72 minutes, but it really isn't funny. I've nothing against Lewis - he's been good before and after this movie - but he's not funny here.

This is one of Jerry Lewis' most unusual films. While many of his are quite episodic (with lots of little comedy skits buried within the film), this one is episodic--with no real plot to support it. In other words, it's JUST comedy skits and there is no attempt to create a back story or plot. While this isn't the sort of film I'd usually want to see, it's nice for a change of pace. In many ways, it reminds me of the Mr. Hulot films by Jacques Tati--which isn't surprising, as Lewis has praised Tati's work (and vice-versa).

The film takes place at a swank Miami hotel. Jerry plays a bellboy who always seems to be getting into trouble or being at the wrong place at the wrong time. Many of the skits are only mildly funny--but they come so quickly that it really doesn't matter. Among the best of the routines is when the great actor, Jerry Lewis, comes to the hotel-- as well as Milton Berle. Seeing the bellboy AND Lewis was a clever touch--and I loved seeing the entourage that got out of Lewis' limo. Quite engaging and worth seeing. I also marvel that Lewis wrote, directed and starred in this film and did it so very quickly.

Stanley (Jerry Lewis) is a bellhop at a posh Miami hotel. It is hard to see how he stays employed! When a manager tells him to empty the trunk of a guest's car, for example, the auto turns out to be a Volkswagen beetle. Confused, Stanley nevertheless takes out the car's engine and presents it to the guests. Another time, an overweight lady checks into the hotel in order to complete a diet program. She loses a great deal of pounds and looks great but Stanley decides to give her a box of chocolates, as a reward, and she reverts to her old habits and fatter self. In short, this film is a series of episodes in the life of a hotel bellboy, strung together nicely. Lewis' usual facial expressions, physical humor, and antics are here for the world to see. As a legendary comic, he does a nice job but, this is certainly not his most memorable film. One would have to say The Nutty Professor or even one of my favorites, Way Way Out, are better examples of his talent. With that in mind, however, fans of Lewis should definitely carve out a couple of hours to watch this movie. It is fun, if not totally successful, flick.

In Miami Beach, the mute bellboy Stanley (Jerry Lewis) works at the luxurious Fontainebleau Hotel. In spite of being a serviceable and friendly employee, the clumsy Stanley gets successively into trouble with his mistakes.

"The Bellboy" is a silly collection of gags written, produced and directed by the lead star Jerry Lewis. There are some funny and non-sense jokes, like for example when Stanley meets the guest Jerry Lewis or when he removes the engine of a Volkswagen, and a great homage to Stan Laurel. My vote is five.

Title (Brazil): "O Mensageiro Trapalhão" ("The Clumsy Bellboy")