The Ladies Man (1961)

This is a great Jerry Lewis comedy with a lot of heart. I am touched by how Herbert wants to be treated with understanding by the ladies in the boarding house. As he does each chore and delivers the mail to the ladies he wants them to at least say thanks one rehearsing a scene and others ignore him, he wants to be needed. My favorite scene is when Fay one of the boarders tell him that nice people are needed everywhere. I laughed at the funny moments like with Baby that first dog with a roar like a lion then a lion at the end.. also as he greets this gangster and breaks the string on his hat oh what a patient Stanley who was nervous.

As the reviewer said before me, this just wasn't funny. I had prepared a review of this film after seeing it last week on TCM, but I guess I was too harsh and they didn't post it, but I still want to share my thoughts, so if you all don't mind, I'll try to be kinder and gentler.I have always been (sort of) a Jerry Lewis fan, in fact when I was a small child, I really loved him, and I think that maybe, when I was maybe 10 or 12 years old, and saw a movie like this, I probably thought it was much funnier, than I do now, as a middle aged person. As I have stated in other reviews, I think that Jerry's films from this time frame where he was in complete control of the production suffered from that, because they focused too much on him, and his antics, and not the story per se. And as I stated, when you compare a film like this to one of the very good ones that were made back then (like the Nutty Professor), it just seems all the more a shame.Basically Jerry plays his "the little boy that never grew up" character, again, and here he finishes college I think but finds out his girl friend evidently found someone else, so he decides he hates girls now, and runs away west, looking for work, and wouldn't you know it the only job he can find is working at a (get ready for it) women's boarding house, that has, of course about 511 gorgeous girls running around. So for about 2 hours we have: Jerry making noises, Jerry making faces, Jerry destroying things, Jerrry making more faces, Jerry making more noises, etc. In fact, as far as "spoilers," I can't tell you how it ends, because I only made it halfway through.It was a shame how bad this movie was, truly truly awful.

I think it´s time we recognize something that should be said a long time ago: Jerry Lewis is a genius and "Ladies´Man" is his most amazing production. The enormous doll´s house he has created serves perfectly for the development of a succesion of hilarious gags that will make the audience fall from their chairs. Using cranes to shoot the scenes, Lewis obtains beautiful scenes and perfectly timed humor. A band playing lively, walls that move, the partition of the main character in four and lots of beautiful girls complete the picture. Believe me when i say: this man knows what he is doing and it´s about time we accept that he is not just a silly clown; he is a talented and creative filmmaker who took movie techniques to its extremes and gave us both a comic and tragic view of the world we live in. Jerry Lewis is what Godard was to french cinema: an innovator. Let´s adore him.

For good, clean, family laughs, I highly recommend this film. Skits and cameo appearances fill this delightful entry into the Jerry Lewis film library. An amazing set is the center piece for this film, with lavishly decorated rooms.