Jerry Lewis: The Man Behind the Clown

Filmmaker Gregory Monro's documentary offers a scattershot overview of the late Jerry Lewis's (1926-2017) life and career, with a heavy emphasis on the funnyman's peaks and general avoidance of controversies and failures. Lewis was the son of entertainers who put their careers before his childhood needs; an emotional low point came when Lewis's parents missed his bar mitzvah because of stage engagements. The film notes that Lewis's meteoric success in the late 1940s—when he was barely out of his 20s—created friction with his father Danny Lewis, a singer who never achieved stardom. Lewis, of course, gained huge fame in partnership with Dean Martin, but while the documentary rightly plays up the duo's film and TV triumphs, it also downplays the tension that ultimately ended their act. Monro places the blame on interference by outsiders, ignoring Martin's well-documented frustration over Lewis's ego and hunger for control. The film does highlight Lewis's classic efforts as director-producer-writer in films including The Bellboy, The Ladies Man and The Nutty Professor, as well as his rarely-seen appearances on French television, where he playfully overcomes the language barrier through mime and nonsense behavior. But Lewis's notable career nadirs are omitted, including a failed TV variety show and his mysterious unfinished debacle The Day the Clown Cried. Nor is there much attention paid to the tumult in his private life. Although too skimpy and deferential, this should still be considered a strong optional purchase, due to Lewis's recent passing. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)