As the movie opens, three potential heroes are shown. All are played by Jerry Lewis, so naturally they will fall flat on their faces. One hero must be chosen, and since they are all standing, the chosen one does not stand up. He falls.
Jerome Littlefield wants to be a doctor. But he is very clumsy, and a hypochondriac (whatever symptoms he hears described, he gets). So he must settle for being an orderly. Dr. Howard, who runs the Whitestone Sanatarium where Jerome works, has faith in Jerome, but why anyone would is a mystery.
Jerome dates a nurse named Julie, but he falls for Susan, who attempted suicide. So which one will he choose in the end?
A highlight of this movie is a car chase near the end. Actually, car chase doesn't even begin to describe what happened. It's a wild ride full of physical comedy, and the grocery store has the best of that.
Lewis is wonderful as a clown, and he can even act when he's not being funny, making us care for the character. Kathleen Freeman is also good as a nurse who is almost as crazy as the patients. Everett Sloane makes a deliciously evil Mr. Tuffington, the president of the hospital board, who is only concerned about profits, believing the real money is in mental problems, especially those of rich celebrities. And one rich celebrity is Fat Jack, who is hilarious in one brief scene.
Some examples of physical comedy:
-Jerome tries to fix a TV set which has snow on screen. Opening it up, he finds real snow coming out of the TV. I think that particular gag was overdone.
-Jerome brushes a patient's teeth before realizing they were in a glass beside the bed.
-Jerome makes a mess in a supply room, a mess which migrates into the hall and causes what seems like every staff member in the place to fall down.
-One patient is wrapped up like a mummy. Jerome accidentally bumps the patient, who rolls downhill and breaks apart.
SPOILERS follow:
It was touching to see Jerome work extra hard to make sure Susan's bills were paid. I didn't like the romantic stuff all that much, and Susan wasn't that likeable a character, at least not to me.
Jerome dumps paint on Mr. Tuffington while he is working so hard, getting himself fired, and then Mr. Tuffington has an accident that leads to him needing to be taken to the hospital in an ambulance--which Jerome steals when he realizes he could lose the girl he wants, not knowing Mr. Tuffington is in back! And then the fun begins. At one point, the doors open and Mr. Tuffington starts rolling downhill! Eventually, the ambulance loses its driver and goes on a rampage.
Jerome Littlefield wants to be a doctor. But he is very clumsy, and a hypochondriac (whatever symptoms he hears described, he gets). So he must settle for being an orderly. Dr. Howard, who runs the Whitestone Sanatarium where Jerome works, has faith in Jerome, but why anyone would is a mystery.
Jerome dates a nurse named Julie, but he falls for Susan, who attempted suicide. So which one will he choose in the end?
A highlight of this movie is a car chase near the end. Actually, car chase doesn't even begin to describe what happened. It's a wild ride full of physical comedy, and the grocery store has the best of that.
Lewis is wonderful as a clown, and he can even act when he's not being funny, making us care for the character. Kathleen Freeman is also good as a nurse who is almost as crazy as the patients. Everett Sloane makes a deliciously evil Mr. Tuffington, the president of the hospital board, who is only concerned about profits, believing the real money is in mental problems, especially those of rich celebrities. And one rich celebrity is Fat Jack, who is hilarious in one brief scene.
Some examples of physical comedy:
-Jerome tries to fix a TV set which has snow on screen. Opening it up, he finds real snow coming out of the TV. I think that particular gag was overdone.
-Jerome brushes a patient's teeth before realizing they were in a glass beside the bed.
-Jerome makes a mess in a supply room, a mess which migrates into the hall and causes what seems like every staff member in the place to fall down.
-One patient is wrapped up like a mummy. Jerome accidentally bumps the patient, who rolls downhill and breaks apart.
SPOILERS follow:
It was touching to see Jerome work extra hard to make sure Susan's bills were paid. I didn't like the romantic stuff all that much, and Susan wasn't that likeable a character, at least not to me.
Jerome dumps paint on Mr. Tuffington while he is working so hard, getting himself fired, and then Mr. Tuffington has an accident that leads to him needing to be taken to the hospital in an ambulance--which Jerome steals when he realizes he could lose the girl he wants, not knowing Mr. Tuffington is in back! And then the fun begins. At one point, the doors open and Mr. Tuffington starts rolling downhill! Eventually, the ambulance loses its driver and goes on a rampage.