Load of rubbish!!

a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

A film of deceptively outspoken contemporary relevance, this is cinema at its most alert, alarming and alive.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

In The Bellboy we get to see two Jerry Lewises. Jerry plays a bellboy at the famous Miami Beach Fountainbleu Hotel where a good deal of the film is shot. And he plays movie star Jerry Lewis who happens to be staying at the Fountainbleu with one very large entourage. That's one of the gags in a funny scene involving a limousine. Also staying there is Milton Berle in another gag involving an identical Milton as well as an identical Jerry.Jack Kruschen plays the head of Paramount Pictures in a prologue opening where he explains this film has no plot or story, it's just the day in the life of a singularly inept bellboy. He's the bane in the existence of hotel manager Alex Gerry and bell captain Bob Clayton. Jerry must be related to someone important otherwise he would have been canned years ago.That raucous Lewis laugh and voice you will not hear at all, still Jerry puts together a lovely series of sight gags without a sound coming from him. Usually that voice is so much a part of his comedy shtick you'd think he'd be lost without it, but he carries off his goal of making a film that is a tribute to the famous silent comedians of yore.One gag involves writer Bill Richmond doing an imitation of Stan Laurel. My guess is that Jerry tried to get the real Stan to do this film, but probably health reasons prevented it. It wasn't one of the better gags in the film, it could have used the real Stan to make it work.The Bellboy is a quieter, but not more gentle Jerry Lewis.

what always impresses me about 'The Bellboy' even more than it's considerable sense of humour, is what a outstanding work of cinema it is. personally i think jerry Lewis is actually a better filmmaker than he even is a comedian. and he's very funny.there is so much about Lewis that was ahead of his time. not only did he pre-date comics like Jim Carrey, Steve Martin, and Rowan Atkinson, his view of comedy as a cinematic art form is timelessly contemporary. at the time he made 'The Bellboy', really only the french thought of comedy in truly cinematic terms like with art-house films like 'Mr. Hulot's Holiday'. there is a lot in 'Bellboy' that is inspired by the french comedy and does it better and is better entertainment.Lewis's 'The Bellboy' really isn't all that commercial. it's actually very experimental and even consciously artsy in conception. it's low budget decision to film in in B&W only gives it the feeling of serious filmmaking.not only does Lewis toy and experiment with physical humour much the way Chaplin did, he also takes his photography very seriously and manages to elevate the film to a level of technical sophistication with numerous long and overhead shots.everything about 'The Bellboy' is taken to a higher level of sophistication and subtlety that goes far beyond it's appearance of silly goofiness. it's only seems dumb on the surface, what you really have is a film of great cleverness and intelligence. only you don't really have to think about it if you don't want to, which is part of the genius of it.comedy is rarely better than this. art-house cinema is rarely better than this. all brilliantly conceived under the guise of a "knuckle head" comedy. pure genius in action.

Jerry Lewis's directorial debut casts him as a none-too-bright bellhop in Miami Beach's Fontainebleau Hotel. The producer at the beginning explains the the movie has basically no plot, just a series of gags. That's basically true. "The Bellboy" is quite literally just an excuse to be funny, and Jerry Lewis definitely succeeds. It's the sort of flick that they truly must have had fun making. There is one scene in particular that must have been a little risqué to film - you'll know it when you see it - and some of the humor is certainly a little outdated, but in the grand scheme of things, this is a comedy classic! Also starring Alex Gerry, Bob Clayton and Milton Berle.HE WHAT?!!!!!!!!!!

'The Bellboy'is classic jerry lewis at his comic buffoonery, here he plays Stanley(a homage to one of his favorite comic idols Stan Laurel,) a clumsy bellboy, there is not much of a story line here really it's essentially a day in the life of a bellhop in Miami's luxury Fontainebleau hotel, the film is complete with sight gag's cameo appearances, the film is lensed in black and white, aspect ratio is Jerry Lewi's usual 1.85.1, this adds to the classic look of the film, it goes to show that you do not need toilet humor, four lettered words to make a comedy,The Bellboy, was the first film in cinema history, that utilized video playback which was then in it's infancy, now very much common place, The Bellboy, also represent's a era that has vanished the extravagance of luxury hotel's.