Il ciarlatano

This one is just all over the place! When gerald goes fishing in san diego, he finds a spy who has been shot. Or something. Something about some diamonds.. hidden... somewhere. There's a narrator, who keeps busting in to break the fourth wall, picking on the film. But when gerald gets in trouble with the hotel clerk, he takes on an offensive japanese character, complete with over-size teeth, and every stereotype there is. And falls in love with the blonde bambi and the dark haired suzie ( played by mrs. Leonard nimoy aka susan bay !) also cameos by rob reiner and charo, although they are both easy to miss. Don't forget lewis' pals buddey lester and charlie callas. Eve the original colonel sanders!! There's just way too much going on here. Some pretty funny bits now and then, but it's so silly and complicated. Too many side stories. Lots of time spent at sea world. It's okay.

A tepid, extremely mild, fairly tedious, slightly overlong comedy. The first half has some reasonably funny bits (like the one that takes place in a phone-booth), but in the second half things get pretty desperate. Jerry Lewis himself is appealing when he is playing the "straight man", but irritating when he appears disguised. And the direction has no comic timing whatsoever.

This time, Jerry Lewis plays reporter Gerald Clamson, who just happens to be a dead ringer for Sid Valentine, wanted by a crime syndicate. The only thing is, Valentine is supposed to be dead, so when the thugs see Clamson, you can imagine what sorts of things they do! Mistaken identity seems to be a frequent source of comedy (or drama; see "North by Northwest"). So even though "The Big Mouth" is nothing special, it's good for a few laughs. Most of the laughs come from what happens with the thugs when they see Clamson. But one also gets the feeling that Lewis was sort of losing his ability to come up with anything new after this. And now that we know what sort of a person he is in real life, that weakens it. But overall, this one's pretty funny.

I read the reviews for this film before I tried watching and I found my reaction was somewhere in the middle. Some described it as being among Jerry Lewis' worst films, though I think films like "Which Way to the Front?", "Cracking Up", "Slapstick of Another Kind" and "Three on a Couch" are much, much worse. And, it certainly is no work of great genius like some have said. It's a decent little time-passer with a few faults.

When the film begins, Jerry is fishing and somehow hooks onto someone in a wetsuit. The guy ends up being a gangster who could be Jerry's double and he tells Jerry about some hidden loot. As for Jerry, he wants to do the right thing and tries to get police and others to listen to his account of catching the man...but no one seems willing to listen. And, as for the gangsters who shot the man Jerry caught, they are now looking for the fisherman because they think the dead man must have told him about the money. Despite this being the theme, the movie is almost plot less at times, a bit like "The Bellboy"...which isn't all bad since this earlier Lewis film is among his best. Now I am not saying all the silliness or Jerry's dressing up like the Nutty Professor work most of the time...but it is pleasant and diverting during much of the film. Overall, no bomb nor work of genius but a generally decent little film that will offer a few laughs...just a few. There certainly could have been more laughs and Charlie Callas was simply awful...but fortunately he was only used sparingly in the picture. Also awful was Lewis' embarrassingly bad imitation of Japanese folks...a definite low- point in the film...or in any film that came out that year.

By the way, look quickly and you might spot Rob Reiner in his film debut. You'll also see Colonel Sanders...though he is pretty obvious!

Why this Jerry Lewis comedy isn't better known or more widely available is a mystery since it's a classic and as consistently funny as anything he did. Here the slapstick verges on the surreal while its 'thriller' plot is virtually irrelevant. As well as starring, Jerry wrote, produced and directed and if it never amounts to anything more than a series of sketches they are, at least, very funny. It's certainly a movie ripe for rediscovery that, for now at least, will have to settle for ultimate cult status.