The Bellboy
1960 · United States · 72 min
- Director
- Jerry Lewis
- Screenplay
- Jerry Lewis
- Producer
- Jerry Lewis
- Music
- Walter Scharf
- Cinematography
- Haskell Boggs
What the critics say
80 % Rotten Tomatoes positive reviewsCast
What it is about
The Bellboy has no conventional plot. Jerry Lewis plays Stanley, a bellhop at a Miami Beach hotel who stumbles from one absurd situation to the next through a string of gags. A prologue presents the film as a portrait of an unusual character with no story to tell. Stanley says very little throughout, and that silence becomes part of the comedy.
How it was made
Lewis had written the script in 1956 but set it aside, judging it impractical. Shooting took place at the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach, where Lewis filmed by day and performed in the hotel's nightclub at night. To shape his character he sought advice from Stan Laurel, whose silent-era work he admired. The film marked his directorial debut and made pioneering use of a video assist system, which let him watch the action while he was performing.
Reception and legacy
The Bellboy opened on July 20, 1960, released by Paramount Pictures. It earned close to 10 million dollars in the United States alone, and by 2021 it held a positive rating of around 70 percent from critics on Rotten Tomatoes. Its historical interest lies in being Lewis's first film as director and in its contribution to physical comedy and on-set technical experimentation.
Stills
Trailer
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Trivia
Advice from Stan Laurel
Before filming, Lewis consulted Stan Laurel, a silent-film veteran and master of pantomime, and followed his suggestions eagerly. Lewis may have named the character Stanley as a tribute to Laurel.
Video assist system
The film is cited as one of the first to use a video assist system, which let Lewis watch the scene while he appeared in it.
More films by Jerry Lewis
The Nutty Professor
The Ladies Man
The Big Mouth
One More Time
The Family JewelsOriginal Cinematopedia text based on Wikipedia (es) and Wikipedia (en) and Wikidata.