Product: The Court Jester [VHS] (1956)
Rating: 5.0
A spoof of kings, and the King Of All Spoofs!
Even if you haven't seen (or heard of) "The Court Jester", I'll bet you've seen at least one of its clones..."Start The Revolution Without Me", "Love And Death", "The Princess Bride","The Corsican Brothers", "Robin Hood: Men In Tights" and countless others owe at least part of thier inspiration to this masterpiece. A veritable one-man version of the Marx Brothers, star Danny Kaye glides effortlessly through song, dance, rapid-fire elocution and swashbuckling physical stunts, all delivered with flawless comedic timing. Basil Rathbone is perfectly cast as a scheming member of the King's court, and a very young Angela Lansbury displays quite a knack for physical comedy (especially when she's repeatedly kicking Kaye in the shins while looking "casual" during a memorable song number). Credit must also go to the screenwriter and director for assembling a textbook-perfect blend of comedy, music, adventure and romance. I envy you if you're watching this one for the first time!