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The Court Jester [DVD] [1956]
 
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The Court Jester [DVD] [1956]

DVD ~ Danny Kaye
4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)

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The Court Jester [DVD] [1956] 4.7 out of 5 stars (13)
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Product details

  • Actors: Danny Kaye, Glynis Johns, Basil Rathbone, Angela Lansbury, Cecil Parker
  • Directors: Melvin Frank, Norman Panama
  • Writers: Melvin Frank, Norman Panama
  • Producers: Melvin Frank, Norman Panama
  • Format: PAL
  • Language English
  • Region: Region 2 (This DVD may not be viewable outside Europe. Read more about DVD formats.)
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Classification: U
  • Studio: Paramount Home Entertainment
  • DVD Release Date: 12 Mar 2007
  • Run Time: 97 minutes
  • Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
  • ASIN: B000KRNN16
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 10,057 in DVD (See Bestsellers in DVD)

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Reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review
Danny Kaye spoofs Robin Hood and Scaramouche in this inventive slapstick swashbuckler. Portraying the clownish but good-hearted entertainer Hawkins, he infiltrates the court of the corrupt Basil Rathbone (up to his usual brand of cruel villainy) disguised as the legendary king of jesters, Giacomo. After a court sorceress hypnotises Hawkins into believing he is also a legendary assassin, Hawkins has more identities than he can keep straight, and Kaye zips back and forth between them at, literally, a snap of the fingers. Comic highlights include a wonderful sword fight with Rathbone in which he constantly switches identities, and the classic "chalice from the palace/vessel with pestle" wordplay as Hawkins plays "hide the poison" and forgets where it is. With comely Glynis Johns as his spy-in-arms love interest, Angela Lansbury as the scheming princess, and Mildred Natwick as the dotty spellcaster, this is Danny Kaye at his comic best. --Sean Axmaker, Amazon.com

Synopsis
Damsels in distress, duelling swordsmen, jousting and clowning accompanied by singing and dancing. Danny Kaye stars as a court jester who becomes involved in a plot to overthrow the king. Music and lyrics by Sylvia Fine and Sammy Cahn.

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Customer Reviews

13 Reviews
5 star:
 (9)
4 star:
 (4)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.7 out of 5 stars (13 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Jest Wonderful, 7 Feb 2004
By Peter Reeve (Thousand Oaks, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)      
This review is from: The Court Jester [DVD] [1956] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC] (DVD)
Possibly the funniest musical comedy ever made. Even if you are not a Danny Kaye fan, you should try this film. Don't be put off by the opening sequence, which looks rather dated now. The film contains some excruciatingly funny scenes, including the classic "Flagon with the dragon" routine. This is Kaye at his brilliant best.

The story (set in a mediaeval England which cheerfully makes no attempt at historical accuracy) is remarkably solid and complex, which helps maintain the film's brisk pace.

So when you are in the mood for some good old-fashioned fun, put your feet up and summon "The Court Jester".

Update: I saw this DVD again recently and I think I was too mean with my original 4 stars. This is a 5-star classic.
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23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars The Brew that is True!!, 17 Feb 2007
This is one of those films that stays in your psyche as nothing more than pure fun and entertainment and when seen again does not disappoint. Anyone who recalls the phrases "the pellet with the poison/the vessel with the pestle/flagon with the dragon/chalice from the palace" will remember how funny this delightful Danny Kaye vehicle can be.
Yes, Kaye at his least annoying and most endearing in a colourful period comedy with lots of memorable scenes and a typically wonderful villainous performance from the inimitable Basil Rathbone. So throw away those old grainy VHS copies taped from analogue tv and bask in sumptuous digitally restored (we hope!) technicolor and enjoy what Leonard Maltin called "one of the best comedies ever made"! A classic - Enjoy!!
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16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars The Vessel with the pestle has the brew that is true!, 29 Sep 2007
By Mr. Stephen Kennedy "skenn1701a" (Doha, Qatar) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)      
One of Danny Kaye's finer hours, this farce stands the test of time pretty well. Kaye was the Jim Carrey of his time - if you don't like his pratfalling style of physical comedy once, you won't ever like it - but even if not a fan of his particular brand of tomfoolery, the verbal patter alone is worth the price of admission.
The plot should be brushed over - it's intricate and daft as a good farce should be, revolving around mistaken identities and wooing the girl, and multiple characters up to nefarious deeds. Complications arise when Kaye tries to pretend he is the Jester, and is then hypnotised to believe he is a great swordsman and lover, and changes between identities at the snap of a finger. It is the wonderful script that makes the difference, particularly in Kaye's verbally dextrous moments. This is the movie that first did the `The vessel with the pestle has the brew that is true, the chalice from the palace has the pellet with the poison' sketch, which is still classic these many years later. However, there are plenty of other classic scenes such as `When the Doge did his duty and the Duke didn't, that's when the Duchess did the dirt to the Duke with the Doge.' speech, and any scenes with the incomparable Basil Rathbone - still the dashing figure and fencer even at 63.
Support from the brilliant Cecil Parker as the King and even Angela Lansbury as the King's daughter elevate proceedings to make this worth watching, as all of the cast are faultless in their comic timing.
In vivid Technicolour, and with a clean print and clear sound, this is a great buy - shame it is presented as a vanilla disc (no extras) but even so, worth acquiring for repeated viewing. This is the quintessential light hearted and high spirited swashbuckler spoof, with appeal to both kids and adults.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Court Jester
Excellent quality of sound and vision and subtitles included so my Mum could enjoy the film too!! This is a great feature as many older films do not have this facility on them.
Published 1 month ago by Mrs. J. R. Bissett

5.0 out of 5 stars Danny Kayes finest
Probably Danny Kayes finest film. Brilliantly written and performed, fantastic songs and jokes, it stands the test of time perfectly. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Adrian Lambert

4.0 out of 5 stars Funny
I have always enjoyed Danny Kayes performances but this one is funny well worth watching.
Published 1 month ago by Lcparker

5.0 out of 5 stars D. Kaye at his best
I always enjoy watching this film, from the first time many years ago to this dvd version. Great fun!
Published 2 months ago by Jaime Diez Guerra

4.0 out of 5 stars The Court Jester
A classic, if a little dated. Rather a long run up to the real fun, but the super - talented Danny Kaye hilarious once it gets going. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Mrs. Frances Deacon

5.0 out of 5 stars Danny Kaye's sublime "Court jester."
This 1956 classic is widely considered to be Kaye's most
inventive and sustained feature. The Robin Hood type parody
of the swashbuckling genre is tailor-made for Kaye's... Read more
Published on 29 Jan 2005 by Isolde Jane Holland

5.0 out of 5 stars King of Jesters, and Jester to the King...
I can't say enough about this film. Danny Kaye was a comic genius and this, by no means, is not just another one of those channel 4 films they put on at Christmas to fill the... Read more
Published on 23 Jan 2003 by naryafire

5.0 out of 5 stars The pellet with the poison is in the chalice from the palace
I had fond memories of this movie from a TV showing when I was a kid - the "flagon with the dragon" dialogue, the "get in, get on with it, get it over with, get out - get it? Read more
Published on 29 Dec 2002 by P. Price

5.0 out of 5 stars Just Wonderful
This film is a must, for young and old alike. I saw this film when it first came out, and loved it so much, I have watched it eversince. Read more
Published on 2 Jun 2001

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderfully funny, charming historic comedy with Danny Kaye
A lovely comedy set in the Medieval Age. Full of heroism, romance and intrigue, this film with delight children and adults alike. Read more
Published on 29 Jun 2000

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