Tacticalin An absolute waste of money

Odelecol Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

Chirphymium It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

Guillelmina The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

moonspinner55 Somewhat strenuous farce has Jerry Lewis exhausting himself both on-screen and off, portraying seven different characters while also serving as producer, director and co-writer (with Bill Richmond) of an extremely thin screenplay about a 10-year-old heiress and her search for a daddy. The tyke, worth $30,000,000 after being left orphaned, must choose one of her five uncles to act as her legal guardian--though she gets along best with her accident-prone chauffeur. Lewis is best in his 'straight' role opposite unassuming little Donna Butterworth, but the other acting opportunities are a bust due to Lewis' penchant for self-adoration (also the fault of the editor, who doesn't know when to cut off a scene). The plot is so slim, Lewis has to throw in added unrelated episodes (such as the chauffeur having to briefly manage a busy gas station) just to pad the running time to 99 minutes. Pete King's bouncy score adds a touch of fun, but the plugs for Gary Lewis (Jerry's musician son) are unnecessary and the constant hamming and mugging is often painful to witness. *1/2 from ****

thejcowboy22 Got home from school late missed Dark Shadows but caught the ABC Channel 7 4:30 movie already in progress and I see what looks like Commissioner Gordon (Neil Hamilton) Attorney talking to a young lady Donna Peyton (Donna Butterworth) no relation to the Maple Syrup Company, anyway, Donna has a dilemma, she has to choose which of her eccentric Uncles to live with. All of these Uncles portrayed by Jerry Lewis. A collection of six the strangest characters in the Jerry Lewis genre. Donna closest companion and temporary guardian is the chauffeur Willard Woodward also played by Jerry Lewis. From a ship's Captain to bumbling photographer into the air with Captain Eddie and down to earth being abducted by Nubbley Uncle Buggs and pursued buy his brother the clumsy detective Shylock Peyton.Along side in tow with Uncle Shylock is his rational sidekick Dr. Matson played by the bearded portly (Sebastian Cabot)notable TV character the gentlemen's gentlemen Mr French on Family Affair. Willard and Donna had a special bond.Willard was Jerry playing it straight for the most part as he would drive Donna to each of the Uncles for a visit except for the evil Uncle Circus Clown Everett who loathes children. Some notable performances by Captain Eddie and his beat up airplane. Cameo appearance by Son Gary and his Playboys in the closet. This movie is not to be taken seriously but an attempt to see Jerry Lewis show his range of Characters. Uncle Julius for example was taken from his earlier movie THE NUTTY PROFESSOR except this time no more professorship with wife Stella Purdy who is not present in this film but replaced by sexy models in a photography studio. The scene was awful and dull. A side splitting scene is when Uncle Detective Shylock warms up his pool stick at the pool hall.Meanwhile Uncle Buggs is teaching Math problems to his Niece Donna as she repeats the math answer verbatim in Bugg's voice. All Donna wants to do is live with Willard her personal Driver. Jerry is an acquired taste. Either you love him or hate him. This movie did at times tickle my funny bone. This movie was sort of a farewell to his silly movies from there after. A few years later Jerry did the attempt of multiple roles in Three on a Couch with close friend Janet Leigh and Kathleen Freeman.

directoroffantasies I finally figured out why the French love Jerry Lewis. They have this idea that one guy should be the "author" of a film: director, scenarist, star performer, the whole bit. Fernandel was like that. For their transAtlantic tastes, this standup jokester turned movie mogul is just the ticket.I saw "The Family Jewels" in the theater as a little boy and loved it; Lewis had reached the point where he could make kids laugh. But are Vegas audiences of adults still buying his act?This story probably would have been more believable as a stage presentation, as Lewis's mugging certainly works better before a live audience. It's OK on film, and continues to appear on cable from time to time. For someone who figured out how to entertain the little ones, Jerry Lewis here pulls off the very considerable feat of not being upstaged by a child actor.

allan davidson And now I would like to write an objective review of the movie for you--but I don't have time. Just watch it. I thought it was fascinating and funny. I hadn't seen it since 1965 when it was at the theaters, maybe it was kept off tv because experts didn't like it. But make up your own mind, one that isn't closed from the beginning because of analysis or psychoanalysis by someone else. There are two great pool shots that you definitely need to see, and the part where Jerry Lewis was talking like Pee Wee Herman way back in 1965 was also interesting. I think there's a lot more to the movie than these two things though.