Jerry Lewis: The Man Behind the Clown is a documentary about the remarkable life and work of one of the most iconic clowns and filmmakers of our time.
Jerry Lewis: The Man Behind the Clown is an interesting documentary. I don’t necessarily agree with all of its’ conclusions, but that doesn’t mean it’s not enjoyable. It doesn’t go into detail on his private life. Despite the title, that’s not what the documentary is about. It’s about his professional life, his film career, and how he became the driving force behind the camera as well as in front of it. There’s also a lot of psychoanalysis by different people about why they thought Jerry Lewis was the man he was. On the positive side, there’s also a lot of interviews interspersed by clowns, comedians, and friends of Jerry that provide genuine insight.
Editorial review of Jerry Lewis: The Man Behind the Clown courtesy of Amazon.com
Since the early days, Jerry Lewis – in the line of Chaplin, Keaton and Laurel – had the masses laughing with his visual gags, pantomime sketches and signature slapstick humor. Yet Lewis was far more than just a clown. He was also a groundbreaking filmmaker whose unquenchable curiosity led him to write, produce, stage and direct many of the films he appeared in, resulting in such adored classics as The Bellboy, The Ladies Man, The Errand Boy, and The Nutty Professor. By becoming a ‘total filmmaker,’ Lewis surpassed expectations as a comic performer and emerged as a driving force in Hollywood.
He broke boundaries with his technical innovations, unique voice and keen visual eye, even garnering respect and praise overseas. However, American critics and the cultural elite tended to reject his abrasive art. While they viewed Lewis as nothing more than just a clown, others like the French recognized him as a true auteur, giving rise to questions that have perplexed American pop culture for over 50 years: Why do Europeans love Jerry Lewis? What is this inexplicable aversion Americans have towards him? Is he just a brash, anything-for-yuk buffoon? Or is he a creative genius? Who is the man behind the clown? …Jerry Lewis, The Man Behind the Clown ( Jerry Lewis, clown rebelle )