Boeing Boeing

Boeing Boeing is known primarily today as the film where Jerry Lewis stepped out of his schnook character and played a lead role in a Sixties sex comedy. Jerry does all right in expanding his range on this one, but the whole thing itself is not the greatest these type of films ever.

It's more of a warmed over version of The Tender Trap than anything else with Lewis playing not quite so second a banana to Tony Curtis as David Wayne did with Frank Sinatra.

Curtis has a great little operation going over at his place, he's got three fiancés, all airline stewardesses working at different airlines who live at his rather sumptuous bachelor pad in Paris. He keeps complete track of the schedule of Dany Saval for Air France, Christine Schmidtmer for Lufthansa, and Susanna Leigh for British Airways. But one fine day schedules change. Not only that, but an old rival Jerry Lewis comes into town and watches in amazement.

I'm still trying to figure out just how Tony Curtis could afford the living quarters he was in together with live-in maid Thelma Ritter who helps him keep the pretenses up. Just how a Jewish maid from Queens got to be living in Paris is also a mystery. All this mind you is on a reporter's salary and no one said that Curtis was Carl Bernstein.

Good thing he could afford her because Thelma Ritter as usual is the best thing in the film despite the statuesque proportions of the ladies involved. Especially Schmidtmer as Ritter caustically commented.

In his memoirs Tony Curtis says he liked making Boeing Boeing and thinks highly of Jerry Lewis as a person and comedian. He also said Lewis even when not doing his usual shtick in a film was still the greatest scene stealer on the planet with whom he had to stay constantly alert.

It's not a bad comedy, some will find it incredibly sexist for their taste. It does suffer by comparison to The Tender Trap.

You'll enjoy this movie from start to end if you take it as it is: a fun, entertaining film with two wonderful leading men. Tony Curtis was a brilliant actor, and in comedies he's simply amazing. I spent a wonderful evening laughing out loud in certain moments. See it!

"All you need is a timetable," explains playboy Tony Curtis (as Bernard Lawrence), an American reporter working in Paris. Mr. Curtis keeps three blondes in one apartment, each thinking she is Curtis' "one-and-only" fiancée. The rotating women are all airline stewardesses, on different timetables. Curtis' sexy arrangement is discovered by envious old pal Jerry Lewis (as Robert Reed). Mr. Lewis plots to take over the satisfying arrangement of women, after he learns Curtis may be transferred to New York. But, both men are threatened when the stewardesses' flight patterns change; and, everyone heads for the apartment bed!

Funnier than its reputation; perhaps, the film's celebration of pseudo-promiscuity distanced it from other sixties sex comedies - the "romance" between Lewis and Suzanna Leigh (as Vicky "British United" Hawkins) comes closest to "acceptable" for the genre. The other two women, hefty knockwurst-loving Christiane Schmidtmer (as Lise "Lufthansa" Bruner) and wispy soufflé-loving Dany Saval (as Jacqueline "Air France" Grieux), are more funny than romantic. Curtis is finely frantic; however, Lewis, in a lower key, and Thelma Ritter (as Bertha) are more outstanding.

****** Boeing Boeing (12/22/65) John Rich ~ Tony Curtis, Jerry Lewis, Thelma Ritter, Dany Saval

When the opening credits run, and the supporting female cast members ‘measurements' are shown beneath their names, you have no doubt you're in the 60's, bedroom farce, defined. In a role reversal of sorts Jerry Lewis plays straight man to Tony Curtis this time around .

Bernie Lawrence (Curtis) is an American newspaper man stationed in Paris, the man for whom there is never too many airline hostesses, just too little time. His delicately balanced, and timed to the minute, 4-way love life comes totally unwound when old pal Robert Reed (Lewis) arrives for an unexpected stay.

Cliché after cliché, time stamped in most every shot, Boeing Boeing is a tribute to a different type of filmmaking than we see today, a different morality, a different approach to comedy.

Wonderful Paris sights are an added treat. Recommended.

In my mind Jerry Lewis and Tony Curtis are two of the best actors of that era, and they both bring to this film a star quality, which I don't think the film could do without. Jerry Lewis proving himself to actually be a good actor without having to resort to over the top slapstick. And I really don't think I need to say anything about the greatness that Tony brings.

The plot though kind of cute isn't all that, and I suppose nowadays is considered to be quite politically incorrect. However the plot is secondary to the interactions between the two main characters and the housekeeper which is really what the film is about.

I used to watch this film on a very regular basis, and I would encourage everyone else to do the same!