Discover
Since the early days, Jerry Lewis – in the line of Chaplin, Keaton and Laurel – had the masses laughing with his visual gags, pantomime sketches and signature slapstick humor. Yet Lewis was far more than just a clown. He was also a groundbreaking filmmaker whose unquenchable curiosity led him to write, produce, stage and direct many of the films he appeared in, resulting in such adored classics as The Bellboy, The Ladies Man, The Errand Boy, and The Nutty Professor. By becoming a “total filmmaker,” Lewis surpassed expectations as a comic performer and emerged as a driving force in Hollywood. He broke boundaries with his technical innovations, unique voice and keen visual eye, even garnering respect and praise overseas. However, American critics and the cultural elite tended to reject his abrasive art. While they viewed Lewis as nothing more than just a clown, others like the French recognized him as a true auteur, giving rise to questions that have perplexed American pop culture for over 50 years: Why do Europeans love Jerry Lewis? What is this inexplicable aversion Americans have towards him? Is he just a brash, anything-for-yuk buffoon? Or is he a creative genius? Who is the man behind the clown?
Original Release
06/18/2017
Links
Cast
Name | Character |
---|
Jerry Lewis | Self / Self (archive footage) |
Frank Krutnik | Self - Film Critic & Lecturer, 'Inventing Jerry Lewis' |
Tony Lewis Comedian | Self - Jerry Lewis Impersonator |
Ted Okuda | Self - Film Historian, 'The Jerry Lewis Films' |
Pierre Étaix | Self / Self - Filmmaker & Friend of Jerry Lewis' |
Shaun Micallef | Self - Comedian |
Jonathan Rosenbaum | Self / Self - Film Critic |
Rae Beth Gordon | Self - Professor of Cultural Studies, 'Why the French Love Jerry Lewis' |
Martin Scorsese | Self / Self - Filmmaker |
Sean Hayes | Self / Self - Actor, 'Martin & Lewis' |
Directors
Writers
Cast
Name | Character |
---|
Jerry Lewis | Self / Self (archive footage) |
Frank Krutnik | Self - Film Critic & Lecturer, 'Inventing Jerry Lewis' |
Tony Lewis Comedian | Self - Jerry Lewis Impersonator |
Ted Okuda | Self - Film Historian, 'The Jerry Lewis Films' |
Pierre Étaix | Self / Self - Filmmaker & Friend of Jerry Lewis' |
Shaun Micallef | Self - Comedian |
Jonathan Rosenbaum | Self / Self - Film Critic |
Rae Beth Gordon | Self - Professor of Cultural Studies, 'Why the French Love Jerry Lewis' |
Martin Scorsese | Self / Self - Filmmaker |
Sean Hayes | Self / Self - Actor, 'Martin & Lewis' |
Ina Balin | (archive footage) |
Robert Benayoun | Self - Writer & Film Critic |
Mike Brant | Self |
Dick Cavett | Self |
Charles Chaplin | Self |
Sammy Davis Jr. | Self |
Brian Donlevy | (archive footage) |
Milton Frome | (archive footage) |
Jean-Luc Godard | Self - Filmmaker |
Irving Kaye | Self |
Producers
Name | Role |
---|
Ian Ayres | Producer |
Fabrice Blancho | Producer |
Emelie de Jong | Producer |
Pierre de Vaulx | Producer |
Robert de Young | Producer |
Ali Delici | Producer |
Eric Ellena | Producer |
Christiane Graziani | Producer |
Stephan Wellink | Producer |