Cinderfella

Jerry Lewis, John Carpenter and The Three Stooges are but three American icons that seem to be underappreciated in their native land. When I was growing up, I would watch his annual telethons to raise money to fight Muscular Dystrophy, loving the times he was on-screen and going to the washroom, going for food or taking catnaps when the program cut to crappy local station coverage during the times he needed some rest and respite from his hectic hosting duties. I watched many of his films, back in the day (though it's hard, three-to-four decades later, figuring out which ones I saw), and loved his work, so I've made a point of getting many of his films from his classic period and checking them out.

I loved his take on the Cinderella fairy tale, and thought it was both hilarious and well-made. It was great seeing two of my favourite character actors, Judith Anderson and an intriguingly-cast Henry Silva, here as well, and seeing the much-and-rightly-lauded 'staircase scene', it was incredible that he did that, since he had suffered so much from back pain at that time (from falling during a show in Las Vegas), and suffered his first heart attack in trying to do it all in one take.

This would also be great to see in a double bill with 'Blazing Saddles'--two comedies with The Count Basie Orchestra involved.