I should preface this review by saying that I'm a huge fan of Dean Martin. But I think I can be objective, and there are films of his (e.g., "Artists And Models" and the later Matt Helm flicks) that are not so hot. But this 1955 comedy is one of the Martin & Lewis films on the high side. The co-stars are second rate -- Diana Lynn, Nina Foch, and Raymond Burr (two years before he hit it big with "Perry Mason" and became a television staple).
In this film, Wilbur Hoolick (Jerry Lewis) is a frustrated barber's apprentice who spends most of his time sweeping the shop. There are some funny bits when Bob Miles (Dean Martin) visits the barbershop for a trim. But before that, Raymond Burr's character steals the Majuba Diamond and hides it is Miles' pocket. Wilbur, who appears to have inadvertently gotten the diamond, is sent by Burr to Burr's wife's apartment to give her a hair-do...merely a plot to secure the diamond, which fails.
Wilbur is forced to leave town...again, inadvertently with the diamond. He doesn't have enough fare for the train to Blitzen, Washington so he finagles a boy's sailor suit so he can pose as a child for half fare. Okay, so it's goofy...but this is that kind of comedy. Wilbur as an 11 year old is pretty far-fetched, but he ends up on the train...sitting next to Burr...and ends up in Dean's girlfriend's train cabin....scared of the thunderstorm. And starts the gossip back at the school where Martin and his girlfriend teach.
Once at the girl's school, things get out of hand with Wilbur falling in love with Martin's girl, but unable to be the adult he really is.
There's a great finale, with some lake-speedboat photography that's surprisingly realistic.
Dean has a couple of good romantic songs of the style popular back then -- "Like I Do" and, particularly the romantic "Sympatico". Dean and Jerry are hilarious in "I Like To Hike", with a large chorus. I'm not a Jerry Lewis fan, but there were times he was so good...and this is one of them.
This film was re-released in 1964...right after Dean Martin hit big with "Everybody Loves Somebody".
In this film, Wilbur Hoolick (Jerry Lewis) is a frustrated barber's apprentice who spends most of his time sweeping the shop. There are some funny bits when Bob Miles (Dean Martin) visits the barbershop for a trim. But before that, Raymond Burr's character steals the Majuba Diamond and hides it is Miles' pocket. Wilbur, who appears to have inadvertently gotten the diamond, is sent by Burr to Burr's wife's apartment to give her a hair-do...merely a plot to secure the diamond, which fails.
Wilbur is forced to leave town...again, inadvertently with the diamond. He doesn't have enough fare for the train to Blitzen, Washington so he finagles a boy's sailor suit so he can pose as a child for half fare. Okay, so it's goofy...but this is that kind of comedy. Wilbur as an 11 year old is pretty far-fetched, but he ends up on the train...sitting next to Burr...and ends up in Dean's girlfriend's train cabin....scared of the thunderstorm. And starts the gossip back at the school where Martin and his girlfriend teach.
Once at the girl's school, things get out of hand with Wilbur falling in love with Martin's girl, but unable to be the adult he really is.
There's a great finale, with some lake-speedboat photography that's surprisingly realistic.
Dean has a couple of good romantic songs of the style popular back then -- "Like I Do" and, particularly the romantic "Sympatico". Dean and Jerry are hilarious in "I Like To Hike", with a large chorus. I'm not a Jerry Lewis fan, but there were times he was so good...and this is one of them.
This film was re-released in 1964...right after Dean Martin hit big with "Everybody Loves Somebody".