Watch The Errand Boy For Free
The Errand Boy
Paramutual Pictures wants to know where all the money is going so they hire Morty to be their spy. Morty works for Mr. Sneak and gets a job in the mail room so that he can have access to the lot. But all that Morty ever finds is that he can cause havoc no matter what he does.
Release : | 1961 |
Rating : | 6.4 |
Studio : | Paramount, Jerry Lewis Productions, |
Crew : | Art Direction, Art Direction, |
Cast : | Jerry Lewis Brian Donlevy Howard McNear Dick Wesson Kathleen Freeman |
Genre : | Comedy |
Watch Trailer
Cast List
Related Movies
Reviews
This movie is the proof that the world is becoming a sick and dumb place
It is both painfully honest and laugh-out-loud funny at the same time.
The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one
The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.
Somewhere along the line Jerry Lewis who directed as well as starred in The Errand Boy forgot to put a coherent plot together. Normally that's something I look for first and foremost. But with the very thin premise that someone would hire Jerry to be an efficiency expert because no one would think a schnook like him would be suspected, Lewis succeeded in putting together a wonderful series of gags most of them involving not a word of dialog. Because of that The Errand Boy rates right up there with the best of Jerry's work in film. Brian Donlevy plays the head of Paramutual Studios and he and the rest of the Paramutual clan hire this klutzy paperhanger to root out the inefficiency in operations at the studio which is costing them money. Again because no one would suspect Lewis of being any kind of a spy because no one would suspect of having any kind of brain. Pretty thin if you ask me.Still if it weren't for Donlevy's folly we wouldn't get this marvelous film. Some wonderful comedy bits are far too numerous to mention, but some of my favorites were him taking Kathleen Freeman through the car wash and getting her properly waxed, the drowning sequence in the pool, his appearance as an extra in Sig Ruman's film causing Ruman the director to have a nervous breakdown. Best of all at the birthday party for star Iris Adrian, Jerry opening a yard high magnum of champagne which comes out with the force of a fire hose.Because so little dialog is used, The Errand Boy is probably the film that critics most often cite when they say and I agree that Jerry Lewis could have been one of the classic silent screen star, right up there with Chaplin, Lloyd, and Keaton. The Errand Boy ranks up with one of the best of Jerry Lewis's solo films and a must for his fans.
Having seen this through much younger eyes a few decades ago, my faulty memory banks recall this as being: A) much funnier than I think it is now, and B) in glorious Technicolor, which it obviously wasn't.All great comedians steal from each other, and many of the sight gags here owe so much to the great Ernie Kovacs, (who himself owed everyone from Buster Keaton to Harold Lloyd to old Warners cartoons and comedic shorts). That said, Jerry puts his own unique stamp on every gag, in that way which is what only the most gifted comics can pull off.The recording studio sequence is much funnier than I remember it, and I would willingly sit through the first act just to get to it. There are a lot of dull spots, strange interludes that are compelling if somewhat jarring in the context of things, (his encounter with the 'live' puppets), and just a tad preachy, (the confrontation between T.P. Paramutual (Brian Donlevy) and his 'toadies' in the screening room.Overall, I don't know if I would hail it as a masterpiece, (I will leave that task to Parisian critics,) but it's one helluva lot funnier than a lot of the crap coming out of Hollyweird these days.I'd recommend it, but not over THE LADIES' MAN. Now THERE is a funny movie!
The Errand Boy (1961) was another writer-actor-director outing from Jerry Lewis. He stars as a dim-witted billboard worker who's turned into a spy for the head of Paramutual Studios. His job is to work as an errand boy and find out why the studio is spending so much money. Whilst on the job he learns about the inner workings of the movie industry and more about himself in the process. Can he survive working for such a demanding business?Love him or hate him, you can't say Jerry Lewis is unoriginal. After a slow start, the movie kicks into high gear when the gags begin. Besides being an entertaining film, you also get a good look at the actual inner workings of a movie studio. There's even a couple of funny cameos and surprises. Personally, I don't like Jerry Lewis' work with Dean Martin and his solo outings. But when he's the actor-writer-director, he's a real hoot!I have to highly recommend this movie. If you like comedies or strange films, then this one's for you!xxx
This is one of his most daring and creative ventures along with The Bellboy. Not much dialogue, just over the top sight gags and general hilarity. What do you people expect? This is Jerry Lewis in top form and it just doesn't get any better. The only thing funnier than his movies are the ridiculous criticisms of his films on this sight. Hello people...this is Jerry Lewis OK! It's too bad that his egocentric persona alienated several generations that didn't grow up looking forward to his next project. The Errand Boy stands alone as one of the most innovative comedies of all time and anyone that can muster some objectivity will appreciate his work for what it is. I personally think this is one of the funniest movies of all time and I rank it as Jerry's best work, although the Academy may disagree. 10/10