Customer Reviews

The Ladies Man

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

A big doll-house is the spectacular set of this stylished comedy, the second movie of Lewis as filmmaker, with the cartoon-style, sarcastic comicity, oniric visual imagination, calculated gag timing and technical curiosity characteristic in Lewis' cinematographic creations. The day of his college graduation, Herbert Heebert ( Jerry Lewis ) discovers that is being dumped by his childhood sweetheart. Heartbreaked and bored of women he decides to abandon his town and takes a job as servant in Miss Wellonmellon's house, a retired opera star, cheated by this and her housekeeper, only to discover the next morning he has been hired at an all-female boarding house. Creative direction, George Raft and Buddy Lester's funny cameos, patiently cooked sight-gags that frequently deepens into cartoon imaginary and a musical surreal sequence with Harry James and his band makes " The ladies man " one of Lewis' best films.

Widescreen edition. Extras: deleted scenes; theatrical trailer and commentaries by Lewis and Steve Lawrence.

I am a fan of Jerry Lewis, and usually enjoy his movies. However, this one is my very favorite. I laughed all the way through on this one, and the laughs were not just giggles, they were side splitting, lose your breath kind of laughs! A great movie that I highly recommend.

"The Ladies Man" (1961) survives as a dazzling vehicle for Jerry Lewis' filmmaking virtuosity. A decidedly thin premise (girl-shy Jerry unknowingly takes a job at an all-female boarding house) becomes a showcase for some of Lewis' most audacious camera work. The lavish interior set is a stunning creation and Jerry's sight gags are among his best. Transferred from an excellent 35mm print, the DVD edition includes plenty of extras and a commentary track by Lewis and Steve Lawrence.

This is Jerry's best work...watch his banter with the maid..half a wellon,not enough to bolt me...i was once in botany..his exchange with the mobster(hat scene)is a movie classic..that's my eyebrow..my hat!!!! This is art..

"The Ladies' Man" is an outstanding film, every dumped guy in
any generation can relate to it! It is a film filled with humor and sex--which still sell! :) However, it is family friendly enough to be enjoyed by Mom, Pop, and the tykes! Purchase the video and then ask them to release it--along with Jerry's other treasures--on DVD!

I loved Jerry Lewis movies as a kid, but naturally lost interest as I grew older and it seemed the movies simultaneously declined in quality while Jerry became increasingly annoying as a pontificating pseudo-intellectual. However his early work was interesting as he tried different things (silence in The Bellboy for example) and he made a couple of fine comedies early on. I have always found parts of It's Only Money and The Ladies Man hilarious. Many feel The Nutty Professor to be his best, and it has some good stuff, but I have always been partial to the all-out, anything-goes assault of gags in The Ladies Man, one of his best efforts. Also the shmaltz and sentimentality that marred so much of his later films is, for the most part, thankfully absent here.

Comedy, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder, and you cannot fake a laugh. You either find a non-sequiter throw-away joke like the bit with the door cited above funny, or you don't. Likewise many of the non-stop gag setups and deliveries here will crack you up or they won't. Of course it's silly. It was meant to be silly. Silly done well, is just fine.

There are some great bits here: the opening "heartbreak" scene (hilariously exaggerated); the butterflies; the other "pain" jokes (the toaster); "baby"; the dance with George Raft; the surreal encounter with Miss Cartilage; the "sound test" with Doodles Weaver; the intrusions into Mrs. Wellonmellon's TV show and so on. And if none of the above make you laugh, there is the one certified classic routine of the "hat bit" with Jerry Lester doing his patented "slow-burn".

Jerry made good use of the elaborate set and his direction here is as concise and appropriate as possible. As to the DVD, unfortunately, on the Commentary Jerry offers a few useful insights, but Steve Lawrence seems to be there just to say "Great Jer" after every bit. Egregious, but I suppose they don't watch many DVD's, and fail to understand what a Commentary is about. Take the 5 stars in context.

I got this film because I thought that the recent Tim Meadow's Ladies Man was a remake (like Eddie Murphy remade the Klumps), but it was completely different, and even better! No dis to Tim, but Jerry Lewis is HYSTERICAL!

I can't describe the story, as it is manic and goes all over the place. It is basically a vehicle for Jerry to do his thing, and boy does he ever!

There is a scene where he sits on a gangster's hat that is SO FUNNY- it made me laugh!

I am glad that Jerry is getting better (remember how bloated he had been?) and I hope he will make more movies soon, like this one. You know he was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize? His gift of laughter is a precious legacy. And I can't wait to read his soon to be published book about Dean Martin.

Do yourself a favor and see the Ladies Man.

Jerry Lewis plays Herbert Heebert, and he does it perfectly. A recent college graduate coming from a jilted romance looks for work and ends up working in a girl boarding house of Miss Wellonmellon, the opera star. There are many funny scenes- especially hat and the butterfly/botany scene. Will Herbert shake his fear and be able to face women again? See for yourself, and be ready to laugh loud!

Here is another Jerry Lewis production that i have'nt seen for
a while, and it was another pleasant surprise....maybe not as
good as some but very viewable....hey what can i say...its Jerry!

Jerry Lewis, is a top performer that worked hard to make people
laugh. He was one of my heroes when i was young cause he put a
smile on everybody 's face... from the drive-ins and theatres
that i attended in the 60's....
I cant understand the portion of the population that really hates Jerry and dont think he's funny and cant act.....
But we all know, that most of us loves him, and we thank him
for his tremendous efforts through his life to make the kids
in us retain our youth and laugh.........

Jerry Lewis is at his outrageous best in this comedy from 1961 as he resides at a home with some beautiful Hollywood hopefuls. The chaos and the comedy reign supreme in this movie! George Raft also delivers a good performance. You won't be dissappointed in another of Jerry Lewis' fine efforts!