The Court Jester [DVD] [1956]

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.

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!!

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.