The Patsy Summary
Director: Jerry Lewis
Genres: Comedy
Rating:
Toward the end of Jerry_Lewis's Paramount studio period, Lewis slapped together this bitter comedy about Hollywood phoniness and fame that has to be the most rancid portrait of the Hollywood star system in the Rat Pack era this side of Clifford_Odets. When a famous entertainer suddenly is killed in an airplane crash, his team of flunkies -- producer Caryl Fergusson (Everett_Sloane), writer Chic Wymore (Phil_Harris), press agent Harry Silver (Keenan_Wynn), director Morgan Heywood (Peter_Lorre in his final film role), valet Bruce Alden (John_Carradine), and secretary Ellen Betz (Ina_Balin) -- decide to continue their life style by finding a complete unknown and manufacturing him into a Hollywood star. That unknown turns out to be the nervous and inept bellboy Stanley Belt (Jerry_Lewis). They train Stanley to become an over-night singing sensation, and despite a disastrous recording session and a failed nightclub performance, the public relations blitz makes Stanley's recording of "I Lost My Heart in a Drive-In Movie" a smash single. So much so that Stanley is given a shot at appearing on "The_Ed_Sullivan_Show." Expecting the worst, Stanley's management team abandons him right before his performance. But Stanley musters up enough confidence to go on the live program alone and manages to surprise his pessimistic ex-staff. A collection of Hollywood celebrities circa 1964 --George_Raft, Ed_Wynn, Ed_Sullivan, Mel_Torme, Rhonda_Fleming and Hedda_Hopper -- make cameo appearances. High spots include an apocalyptic music lesson with voice teacher Dr. Mule-rrr (Hans_Conried), Ed_Sullivan performing a bizarre impersonation of himself, and an ending that would make even Jean-Luc Godard blush. Paul Brenner, Rovi
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