Product: The Court Jester [VHS] (1956)
Rating: 5.0
Danny Kaye at his best
While this is an old movie that lacks all the flair and special effects of modern movies, what this movie does have is talent that I believe is mostly lost in the contemporary cinema. This movie was a blockbuster when my mother was in elementary school, and it was well deserved. Most of us younger folk are not fond of musicals, and there are some that have definitely shaped this perspective in me. But the songs in this movie are hilarious, and the dancing is athletic and entertaining. Danny Kaye's animated acting is superbly comical.This movie is riotously humorous and fun. If there is a less spectacular part of the movie, I'd have to say the first song and dance (in the woods) was less impressive, that is until the punchline. After that, it seemed to be one hoot after another. One scene had tears rolling down my face as no other movie has.The supporting cast was also very good. The story was ridiculous, but it fit the genre (and it's not based on a John Grisham book anyway). The dialogue was witty. The scenes were well-timed and well-choreographed.All in all, it was one of the best movies I'd ever seen, and I enthusiatically recommend it to anyone who enjoys great old-fashioned talent and witty dialogue.