The Bellboy
Jerry Lewis was at the height of his popularity when he took his first directing credit, onThe Bellboy, which turned out to be a huge hit and one of his funniest movies. But it wasn't business as usual:The Bellboyhas no storyline, and the central character (a bellhop at the fantastically ornate Fountainebleau Hotel in Miami) executes his role essentially without speaking. Some of the gags are duds or dated, but the good ones are great:  Jerry's anxious stroll across a cavernous, empty ballroom, and a small masterpiece involving four telephones at a reception desk. There's also a hilarious sequence in which the movie star "Jerry Lewis" comes to the hotel, which gives Lewis a chance to speak ("Stop with the brushing!").The Bellboyis very short at 71 minutes, but contains essential proof of Lewis's gifts as comedian and director.--Robert Horton