Product: The Court Jester [VHS] (1956)
Rating: 5.0
Life Could Not Better Be...
Mediaeval England: The country suffers under the yolk of King Roderick (Cecil Parker), a tyrannical nobleman who has ascended to the throne through the means of a coup d'état which has eradicated all but a single member of the legitimate royal lineage. The heir apparent, an infant who sports a royal birthmark in the shape of a purple pumpernickel on his plump posterior, resides in the forest under the aegis and protection of the heroic outlaw, "The Black Fox" (Edward Ashley), and his group of merry men who have sworn to overthrow the dastardly Roderick and his weaseling subordinate, Sir Ravenhurst (Basil Rathbone). A complicated turn of events sees Hubert Hawkins (Danny Kaye), the infant's ward, infiltrate Roderick's castle disguised as a court jester and become embroiled in a fine farrago of dastardly doings and hilarity...Though no shrinking violet, the older I get, the more disenchanted I become with a cinema which increasingly seems to revere the values of selfishness, vulgarity, pessimism and nihilism. Thank the stars then for films like "The Court Jester".I grew up with Danny Kaye. His films were regularly broadcast during the school holidays in the UK and Australia, and it's for this reason that a goodly number of poms and skips in the late-twenty to mid thirty-something age group (the latter being my generation) will inform you that 'the pellet with the poison is in the vessel with the pestle, but that the chalice with the palace holds the brew that is true' should you mention this particular film to them. And it's easy to see why. It's an absolute joy to watch and marries a hilariously convoluted plot with a stellar cast featuring likes of Angela Lansbury, Glynis Johns and John Carradine, and an absolutely superlative turn from Kaye in what must be one of the best showcases of his talents as a comedian, singer and dancer. The scenes in which he satirises the swashbuckling heroes of the day are absolutely hysterical. Likewise, the formation marching choreography of the guard who sweep up Kaye during his 'knighthood' is absolutely breath-taking.If you're looking for an antidote to the blues, today's increasingly self-obsessed culture or the seemingly endless media coverage of the global financial downturn, pick this film up. I guarantee that it will send you on your way with a smile on your face and a jaunty refrain of the film's brilliant opening credit song, "Life Could Not Better Be" on your lips.And I have no doubt that if we produced more films like this and my other Kaye favourites,Wonder Man [Danny Kaye and Virginia Mayo],The Secret Life of Walter Mitty [Danny Kaye and Virginia Mayo] andHans Christian Andersentoday, we'd be a far happier society.