IMDb > The Court Jester (1955)
The Court Jester
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The Court Jester (1955) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
7.7/10   5,206 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 4% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Writers:
Norman Panama (written by) and
Melvin Frank (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Court Jester on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
27 January 1956 (USA) more
Genre:
Adventure | Comedy | Family | Musical more
Tagline:
SONGS! Where Walks My True Love -- Baby Let Me Take You Dreaming -- Life Could Not Better Be -- The Maladjusted Jester -- My Heart Knows A Lovely Song! -- Outfox The Fox more
Plot:
A hapless carnival performer masquerades as the court jester as part of a plot against an evil ruler who has overthrown the rightful king. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 1 win more
NewsDesk:
Film School 101: Protagonists
 (From Atomic Popcorn. 1 November 2009, 4:57 AM, PST)
User Comments:
It Could Not Possibly Better Be more (93 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Danny Kaye ... Hubert Hawkins
Glynis Johns ... Maid Jean
Basil Rathbone ... Sir Ravenhurst

Angela Lansbury ... Princess Gwendolyn
Cecil Parker ... King Roderick I
Mildred Natwick ... Griselda
Robert Middleton ... Sir Griswold
Michael Pate ... Sir Locksley
Herbert Rudley ... Captain of the Guard
Noel Drayton ... Fergus
John Carradine ... Giacomo
Edward Ashley ... Black Fox
Alan Napier ... Sir Brockhurst
Lewis Martin ... Sir Finsdale
Patrick Aherne ... Sir Pertwee
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Additional Details

Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parents
Runtime:
101 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Recording)
Certification:
UK:U | USA:Approved (PCA #17501) | New Zealand:G | Australia:G | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl
Company:
Dena Enterprises more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
In the famous "snapping" swordfight between Danny Kaye and Basil Rathbone, Kaye's sword movements were too fast for Rathbone, who was 63 at the time. The film's fight choreographer dressed up as Rathbone's character and was filmed from behind for the fast sections. If you look, you can see that most of the fight consists of "Rathbone" from the back, then shots of the real Rathbone standing "en garde". more
Goofs:
Continuity: When Sir Griswold and Hawkins walk to the table for the toast, their shadows cover the drinking vessels. When there is a close-up of the cups, the knights' shadows are gone and the shadows of the cups are now falling *towards* the knights. In the next shot, the knights' shadows are over the cups again. more
Quotes:
[sung during the opening credits]
Hawkins: Life could not better be, better be, better be. It could not possibly, no sirrah, sirrah, sirree. Songs could not gayer be. Sound your do-ray-o-me, ray-me-fa-so-la-see, fa la la la follow me. Why be gloomy, cut thy nose off to spite thy face? Listen to me: a nose is hard to replace. Skies could not bluer be; hearts in love truer be. I say for you or me: life couldn't possibly, not even probably, life couldn't possibly better be! Life could not better be on a medieval spree: knights full of chivalry...
[in the credits: "Basil Rathbone"]
Hawkins: Villains full of villainy!
[credits: "In Technicolor...”]
Hawkins: You see as you suspect, maidens fair in silks bedecked, each pride and true effect for the umpteenth time we resurrect.
[credits: "Art Direction...”]
Hawkins: We did research - authenticity was a must! Zooks! Did we search, and what did we find? Ah-choo! A lot of dust!
[credits: "Costumes...”]
Hawkins: After the dust had cleared, half the cast had a beard. And I'm the one, as you can see, for whom the bell tolls merrily.
[...]
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991) more
Soundtrack:
Life Could Not Better Be more

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User Comments

   (Comment on this title)
27 out of 27 people found the following comment useful.
It Could Not Possibly Better Be, 16 December 2001
10/10
Author: jhclues from Salem, Oregon

Yea, verily, yea; in days of old when knights were bold, and intrigue was a staple of the Royal Court, there were Utopias usurped, kings killed, querulous queens, knights knighted, dukes daily doing whatever it is dukes do and ladies forever in waiting. And in every court there was also a fool; a merrymaker, an entertainer, one with access to the royal ear and often a doer of different kinds of deeds, such as the one portrayed in `The Court Jester,' directed by Norman Panama and Melvin Frank. Danny Kaye stars as Hubert Hawkins, an entertainer by trade, who due to circumstances within his control becomes jester to the court of King Roderick I (Cecil Parker). Roderick, however, is a false king, sitting upon the throne in the stead of the real heir to the throne, still a baby, who bears the undisputable truth of his birthright in a birthmark of a scarlet pimpernel upon his backside. And yea, verily, yea, the intrigue mounts as Sir Ravenhurst (Basil Rathbone) jostles for position within the court, while a rebel known as the `Black Fox' (Edward Ashley), along with his beautiful daughter, the Maid Jean (Glynis Johns), and his band of merry men attempt to install the true king to the throne. While in the midst of it all, there is Hawkins, now known as `Giacomo, king of jesters, and jester of kings,' proving beyond the shadow of a doubt that in the end, it is laughter that is, indeed, the Ruler of any court.

Co-directors Frank and Panama deliver a real gem with this delightful comedy, bringing the story to life with humor, music and song, and creating some truly memorable moments along the way. From the `Initiation of Knighthood' sequence, to the famous tongue-twisting `The vessel with the pestle has the pellet with the poison, the chalice from the palace has the brew that is true' scene, to Kaye crooning a lullaby to a baby, this film is rich with humor and song that has an innocence and purity about it that makes it readily accessible to any audience. This is humor that runs deep; humor with a heart and soul you'll want to embrace. Simply put, this is terrific stuff; the timing-- especially by Kaye-- is impeccable, the delivery is perfect and the jokes work.

The real key to the success of this movie is, of course, the multi-talented Danny Kaye, who sings, dances, jokes and mugs his way through one of his best performances ever. And what makes Kaye so good, and so special, is the `spirit' of his performance, the sense of joy he emanates while proffering his talents. He gives so completely of himself, so entirely and so honestly, that he's just an absolute joy to watch. You'll never find a false moment in his performance either, and that's something that is discernible in his eyes; it's that twinkle of laughter and love in his eyes that separates and elevates him from so many other performers, in whom you will often find a pretentiousness upon close scrutiny. That's something you will never find in Danny Kaye, a consummate entertainer who obviously loved what he was doing, and was able to successfully convey it to his audience. He was unquestionably unique; a true one-of-a-kind.

The lovely Glynis Johns brings beauty and vitality to her role of Jean, acquitting herself quite nicely alongside Kaye's abundant antics. Though not a part that stretched the limits of her considerable talents, she creates a credible character and most importantly, she makes a nice fit with her co-star and lends a beguiling presence to the film. A nice bit of work by Johns, who some eight years later would create one of her most memorable roles, that of Mrs. Banks in `Mary Poppins.'

Basil Rathbone is a delight, as well, in a role that is essentially a parody of others he's played, specifically his Sir Guy of Gisbourne in `The Adventures of Robin Hood,' opposite Errol Flynn. The success of his Ravenhurst, however, lies in the fact that he plays him straight, without a hint of the humor or parody inherent in the character as presented within the context of this story. It goes without saying that he is perfectly cast here, and his swashbuckling duel with a bewitched Giacomo is a lark.

Also turning in a notable performance, in a role that is minor, yet integral to the story, is Angela Lansbury, as the king's daughter, Princess Gwendolyn. It's a part that demands little more of her than being beautiful and charming, and she succeeds on both accounts. Her screen time is fairly limited, but it's enough to leave an impression, and a good one at that.

The supporting cast includes Mildred Natwick (Griselda), Robert Middleton (Sir Griswold), Michael Pate (Sir Locksley), Herbert Rudley (Captain of the Guard), Noel Drayton (Fergus), John Carradine (Giacomo), Alan Napier (Sir Brockhurst), Lewis Martin (Sir Finsdale) and Patrick Aherne (Sir Pertwee). A fun, feel-good film, `The Court Jester' is a virtual showcase for the versatile Danny Kaye, and he responds with an unforgettable performance. This is true comedy at it's best, and proves overwhelmingly that a movie doesn't have to be hip, crude, rude or vulgar to inspire real laughter. Most of the `comedies' produced in the past decade or so wouldn't even make it to the bottom of the chart this one tops. For some real laughs, just call for a Kaye comedy: Completely conducive to contemporary conviviality. Get it? Got it. Good. Yea, verily, yea. It's the magic of the movies. I rate this one 10/10

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