Some things I liked some I did not.

A Masterpiece!

A Disappointing Continuation

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

Our narrator informs us at the start that our film takes place near the turn of the century, so we must assume it is 1998 or 1999. NASA is now NAWA and is in a pickle. Both the Americans and the Russians are maintaining weather stations on the moon. The Americans have 2 male astronauts while the Russians have a male and female. The problem is, one of the Americans keeps attacking the Russian female because he has gone mad. The head of NAWA sees a publicity coup by arranging for a married American team to replace the 2 men, but everything falls apart when the newly married couple starts fighting. Enter Lewis as Peter Mattemore, the oldest trainee who always finds a way out of actual space flight. Mattemore manages to convince Eileen Forbes (played by the lovable Connie Stevens) to marry him and go to the moon with him. Hilarity ensues after they arrive at their destination to find the 2 Russian cosmonauts (played by Dick Shawn and Anita Eckberg) and find Shawn's character is a sex crazed cossack.For most of the film Lewis is rather subdued in his acting, only letting some of his comic genius burst out for a few seconds at a time. It isn't until we are 2/3's through the film that the true slapstick that we recognize as Lewis trots out during the party scene with all 4 main characters. Stevens is her usual sexy yet girl next door type. She really makes those clear plastic couches and pillows look good. Eckberg, although more statuesque and built than Stevens, takes a back seat to Connie. Shawn is a zany lunatic that is about the only equal to Lewis when it comes to over the top acting.

Arguably despite having Jerry Lewis, Dick Shawn and Howard Morris (3 great comedic actors) in the cast this was the most unfunny Jerry Lewis movie I have ever seen. The cold war/space race humor is indeed dated but despite being an attempt at political satire it failed as comedy and probably didn't get lots of laughs even back in 1966. I'm used to Jerry Lewis as a great comedic actor but in this movie he was playing it straight and totally lacking the kind of outrageous antics and physical comedy that made his earlier movies great comedy. I'm inclined to believe that even in France this Jerry Lewis effort would have been a great disappointment. Not only was it lame comedy but it wasn't even good science fiction. Absolutely thumbs down.

The 1960's were known well for it's campy fun. The same year "Batman" and "Star Trek" debuted, Jerry Lewis comes out with this sci-fi comedy, "Way... Way Out". You got this bungling astronaut named Peter Lattimore (Jerry Lewis) and Eileen Forbes (Connie Stevens) who are assigned to replace two male astronauts because they are doing nothing but be at each other's throats.The longentivity up in the US Weather Station caused them to suffer "adult homesickness" . Peter and Eileen were the last chance of hope in space because the last couple split up. They go up into space, send the two male astronauts back home to Earth, and would later meet the Russian couple, who are not married. They visit the American couple, have a vodka party, and had the young girl sleep over after wards. After hearing a word from the General, Peter jumped the gun and takes out Igor (Dick Shawn). Realizing his error, he clears things with him. The competition seems to never end, my friend. A fun and simple movie, there are a few scenes that are not kid friendly, but not too bad though. 4 out of 5 stars

Way...Way Out is an interesting movie. It pokes fun at the cold war, the military, the Russians(Soviets)and the whole space race!!! Some may say that poking fun at these things is irreverant. But I say that you have to look at the context. In this case the irreverance is fair, completely fair. I say this because Way...Way Out, pokes fun at everyone involved. Way...Way Out is an excellent comedy.