The Stooge

source: The Stooge

This was Jerry Lewis' favorite of his Martin and Lewis films. I'm guessing this is because this film had the type of maudlin sentimentality that Jerry would often include in the films he would go on to write, produce, and direct. The story has singer Dean Martin as a singer who during one performance has a hilarious back-and-forth banter with audience member Jerry. The two then scheme to plant Jerry in the audience for future performances to recreate the gag. Jerry becomes the real star of the show, but gets no billing or equal pay, and generally is exploited by Dean, to which Dean's wife, Polly Bergen, eventually confronts him over. It's a pretty lightweight drama and the sappiness works to a point, mostly thanks to Jerry's very sympathetic performance, but this isn't your usual wacky Martin & Lewis outing and the mix of comedy and drama doesn't quite mesh. Still, it is worth watching for fans of the comic duo and for fans of Jerry in particular.

I would imagine that after their breakup four years after this film was made, both Martin and Lewis could look back on this film as being a bit of a premonition of things to come. Here, a singer (obviously Dean) with a stage act that is going flat hires a stooge (obviously Jerry) to spice up the act. But in a sense, it's a role reversal, because here Jerry is getting no attention, while Dean gets all the kudos in the press. Ironically, after the real Martin & Lewis breakup, it was Dean that was expected to flounder and disappear, while Jerry was expected to continue to rocket to success. How ironic that in this film Dean is told, "You're not a single, and you never will be!" While there's lots of classic Martin & Lewis here, this film does have a serious story line...2, in fact. Singer neglects and almost loses wife. Singer doesn't provide his stooge with the dignity he deserves and almost loses act. There's some good sentimentality here, and both Martin and Lewis probably do their best real acting to date. Dean has several good songs here -- "I'm Yours", "With My Eyes Wide Open I'm Dreaming", and "A Girl Named Mary And A Boy Named Bill". Plus there's a fun Dean & Jerry version of "Just One More Chance". Polly Bergen is very good as Dean's wife. We survive through Marion Marshall as Jerry's love interest...again. Eddie Mayehoff is really good as the agent. And it's interesting to see Frances Bavier (Aunt Bee on Andy Griffith's show a few years later) as Jerry's mother. This is one of the better Martin & Lewis films because -- like "That's My Boy", there's some drama mixed in with the comedy. Recommended, but their best films are yet to come.

With this, Martin & Lewis's seventh feature together, they're reunited with the following co-stars from previous movies: Polly Bergen-who was in At War with the Army and That's My Boy-playing Dean's wife who once again has a wonderful duet with him, Marion Marshall-who was also in TMB as well as Sailor Beware-playing Jerry's girlfriend, Eddie Mayehoff-previously Jerry's father in TMB is now Dean's and eventually Jerry's manager, Richard Erdman-previously the person Jerry passes himself off as in Jumping Jacks is Dean's previous performing partner here, and Mary Treen-previously the assistant of Corrine Calvet in SB is now the assistant of Jerry's boss before Jerry's teaming with Dean. In this one, Dean is an entertainer who's trying to make it as a single but his act sucks when he tries that so Jerry is picked to play a stooge for him. I'll stop there and just say that while I liked the way the actors switched from comedy to drama during the transitional scenes, sometimes I think the screenplay or maybe the direction didn't make them seamless enough to be believable to me. In fact, I found Jerry and sometimes Dean more funny offstage than when they did their act on-stage. And I think it was a mistake to make it seem like Jerry didn't know what he was doing the whole time he's on stage especially whenever it's obviously not the case-such as when he has to go on by himself after Dean drinks too much to do so and does a great parody of Maurice Chevalier. Nevertheless, this is another enjoyable Martin & Lewis picture that gets a recommendation from me. P.S. Frances Bavier, as Jerry's mom, was a nice surprise to me especially when she did his laugh. And what a coincidence that both her and Ms. Treen are in this picture since Ms. Bavier replaced Ms. Treen as the housekeeper in the first episode of "The Andy Griffith Show"!

This picture may have been so well placed to the truth and success of the Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis team of the 1950s. To begin with, even though it was made in 1951, Polly Bergen is totally unrecognizable. Her voice was as beautiful as ever but even that seemed different. Dino is the selfish song and dance man who decides to go it alone but soon takes Lewis as his partner to add to the act. Did I say add to the act? Lewis was the act. His zany antics with that childish voice were beyond comprehension and just fabulous. Dean's refusal to give any acknowledgment to Lewis in the act begins to alienate his manager and fan and in a rage, he throws Lewis out only to flat on stage with Lewis coming to the rescue. A film proving that it takes an act to make a success, not necessarily one individual.

The film opens with Bill Miller (Dean Martin) in bed with his love interest (a magazine with his face on the cover), but it isn't long before Bill becomes too sexed up from his magazine cover that he telephones his girlfriend Mary Turner (Polly Bergen) who also happens to be getting restless and squirrelly in bed with her own magazine cover. No, not the magazine with Bill on the cover, you see Mary also has a magazine with her own face gracing the cover. This is either a quick and effective way by the director (Norman Taurog) in letting the audience understand that these two people are either very talented singers on their way to stardom, or that they're incredibly narcissistic self lovers that only use the sounds of each other's voices to finish off before going to sleep. The film leads me to believe it's both. So, as narcissism raises its pretty face at the opening of the film, we see these two characters on equal footing. Before the end of the film each character will strip away their narcissistic tendencies, hers through self-sacrifice by becoming a scrapbook queen, his by turning to the bottle and nearly destroying his burgeoning performing career along with any relationship he's had with anyone female or idiot. The wild card in all of this mix is that of Ted Rogers (Jerry Lewis). Ted is the man who not only holds the fate of Bill in his hands, but who also has the wherewithal to help save Bill and Mary's relationship when Bill becomes too ambitious with his own career. Ted is such a great guy that he can be seen writing the finishing touches of a birthday note to Mary that Bill was too shortsighted to complete. Ted is also the guy who has the inspiration to write a love song to Mary so that Bill can get in Mary's good graces when Bill selfishly blew off her birthday party. In fact, the only time when Mary truly hears any meaning behind the words, "I love you" is when they are uttered from the drunken lips of Ted while both Mary and Bill are undressing Ted for bed. Mary gives Ted a kiss on the cheek while Bill takes off Ted's shoes. This is the closest thing to an Ménage a Trois that 1950's American cinema could approach. I'm glad that's as far as it could go; I don't want to know anything about anyone's little 'Whozis'. Seeing that this is a 1950's comedy/drama, everything has a tidy and happy ending; even Ted manages to land a hot little number in disguise. Affectionately referred to as 'Freckle Head' (Marion Marshall) by Ted throughout the movie, Ted's love interest practically steals the screen from Mary. 'Freckle Head' becomes infatuated with Ted from the moment they share a balcony at one of Bill's shows. She then employs the look of love damn near every second of the movie she's in. Her comic facial gestures hold their own against those of the extremely 'hamorific' Lewis. Somehow the two have a mild chemistry together and seem to make a fairly good couple. Leo Lyman (Eddie Mayehoff) plays Bill's agent. He plays a sort of unsung silent hero throughout the movie. Silent because most of his screen time shows him clapping in the front row at his two prized clients or walking out of a scene looking dejected at how Bill has misbehaved. He's another character who wants to stand up for a principle and by the end of the movie he gets to…what else would you expect? Even to the most casual movie fan, "The Stooge" cannot simply play itself out solely as a typical 'cash in movie vehicle' that draws upon the innocent caricatures of Martin & Lewis, the film's storyline takes on the feel of an unintentional premonitory guide book replete with glaring sign posts, warning of the duo's dissolving partnership that was only five years away. But really, try not to think about that. Just let "The Stooge" roll over you, take one for the team. It really is their best film. I wouldn't ask you to do this for "At War With The Army"; only an enemy would ask you to do something like that. Clark Richards 8/10.

"The Stooge" though filmed in 1951, was not released until 1953 due to it's dramatic theme which made studio execs rather nervous. Bill Miller (Dean Martin) is a successful vaudeville performer along with his partner Ben Bailey (Richard Erdman). At his wedding to Mary Turner (Polly Bergen) Miller announces that he is going solo much to the chagrin of his manager Leo Lyman (Eddie Mayehoff). Miller bombs as a solo act. Lyman gets the idea to hire a stooge who will sit in the audience and trade barbs with Miller. Ted Rogers (Jerry Lewis) is hired for the role. The act is a huge success but Miller refuses to give Ted his proper recognition for the success. While sitting in the audience, Ted meets freckle faced "Frecklehead" Tait (Marion Marshall) who develops a crush on Ted. In spite of urgings from Lyman and Mary, Miller continues to deny Ted his proper recognition. When the act is booked into Sutherland's Revue things come to a head, Ted walks away and............................. Though there are some funny moments here, Martin as the egotisical self-centered Miller takes away from the humor. His on stage act, even with Lewis frankly stinks. He really is not a likeable character until the final Hollywood happy ending. However we are given a peak into Martin's dramatic talent which would serve him well following his breakup with Lewis in 1956. Lewis has his moments such as the scene in a diner with owner Donald MacBride and his clumsy exit from Percy Helton's office. Others in the cast include Frances Bavier ("Ain't" Bea in TV's "Andy Griffith Show") as Lewis' mother, Charles Evans as impresario Mr. Sutherland (i.e. Ziegfeld) and Don Haggerty as Mr. Wintson. Martin and Lewis would do much better when they stuck to their original formula of Martin as the suave nightclub performer and Lewis with his madcap comedy.

The Stooge was Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis's 7th Movie together (8th if you include the blink and you'll miss it cameo in Hope/Crosby's Road to Bali), and it's one of their best. Dean plays Bill Miller a Broadway star and part of a successful musical comedy double act, who decides that he could be just a big a star doing a single act. despite all around him advising him that he couldn't. As predicted, his solo act goes down like a lead balloon and he lays egg after egg in all the houses he plays, thanks to his poor and well travelled jokes. His agent Leo Lyman, (Eddie Mayehoff), convinces him to get a 'Stooge' to sit in the audience and heckle him as he performs in the hopes of adding life to his stagnant act. Enter ex stock room boy Ted Rogers,(Jerry), as the klutzy kid hired for the role. The new and revived act brings the house down with audience convulsed with laughter at the way they played off each other. Bill & Ted tour the country to rave reviews but Bill has delusions of grandeur by thinking he's still a single act. Even though most of newspapers are praising Ted, he receives no formal billing, a fact that either doesn't bother Ted, or he's content to see his friend happy by not mentioning it. In Bill's defence, there is no conscious malice towards Ted as he does genuinely care for Ted as a person, but sees him as nothing more than an essential prop in HIS act. Ted is naive in every single way and will not have a bad word said about his 'partner', especially when his girlfriend, Genevieve 'Frecklehead' Tait, (Marion Marshall), Leo, and even Bill's wife Mary, (Polly Bergen), try to stick up for him by telling him that he's being made out a stooge in more ways than one. Bill's failure to realise that he is actually part of a mega successful double act finally threatens to alienate everyone close to him and even end his marriage. The Stooge is in many ways a mirror of Dean & Jerry's own rise to fame and also a precursor of the demise of their partnership in 1956. When they were both booked to play the 500 club as single acts in 1946 both acts were not very successful until Jerry started heckling Dean during his act smashing plates and causing mayhem. The act quickly took off until by the end of their first week it was standing room only. When they split up 10 years to the day later, critics were convinced that Dean Martin would disappear from the scene and wouldn't be able to make it without Jerry who would no doubt become the clown prince of Hollywood. Thus the entire film is an undisputed case of life imitating art. The support cast is brilliant, the songs superb and you can never EVER get sick and tired of listening to Dino sing. Jerry has couple of great scenes. One see's him singing a song in his own squeaky voice but turns into Maurice Chevalier whenever he puts on a hat, the other is in his very first scene in the diner where he shares the laughs with that brilliant character actor Donald MacBride. Drama, Comedy, and Dino singing, this movie's got the lot. Enjoy!!!!

I would LOVE to know more about the background for this film. After all, so many elements are reminiscent of the real team of Martin & Lewis that it's hard to know how much is fiction and how much is autobiographical. I do know, however, why Jerry Lewis loved this film. And, you could probably assume that Dean Martin didn't, as it really made him look like an awful person. In many ways, this film is not really a comedy--making it unique for the team. And, in many ways, the act on screen looked a lot like Martin & Lewis' real stage act--something that people particularly loved on television where they made a HUGE splash. Dean plays a straight man who croons and Jerry an obnoxious guy in the crowd who disrupts the act and acts really goofy. However, unlike the real team, Jerry plays a really dumb guy--a guy who is successful just being himself. The problem in the film is that Dean's character is totally selfish and exploits Jerry. They are less a partnership and more Dean having hired help. But, as the act becomes more and more popular, it's more and more obvious that Jerry is an important part of the act--something Dean just doesn't want to admit. And, because Jerry is no nice and guileless, people around Dean grow to hate him. As I said, the film makes Dean look like a horrible person and Jerry a poor victim. It's very entertaining and dramatic....but as I said above, you wonder how close this is to fact. On the plus side, Jerry's performance isn't quite as broad and obnoxious as many of his other films. Dean is just fine but I would give $100000 to have been able to read his mind when this film was being made. You also wonder if, perhaps, this film may have laid some of the groundwork for the team's break up several years later. Because of this, it's a bit uncomfortable to watch--is it a case of art imitating life (or vice-versa)? Compelling and very interesting.

Martin & Lewis were everywhere in the 1950s. Movies. TV. I remember the duo very well and watching them as a child, I thought Jerry Lewis was hilarious. I haven't seen them together since those days. When I saw "The Stooge" recently on TCM, my memories took a big jolt. This is a really is an unpleasant, uncomfortable movie. Lewis plays a pathetic nitwit who should be kept on a leash for his own good; instead he is exploited by show biz types. Dean is Dean, a competent crooner with a pleasant, easy going manner. Dean Martin never reached his stride until he cut the umbilical cord from Jerry and took up with the Sinatra Rat Pack. There's nothing funny about "The Stooge." The movie is a curio, an example of what the public applauded as comedic entertainment 60 years ago: the eccentric combo of Martin & Lewis.