![]() Īccording to a Paramount breakdown of the film's expenses, The Court Jester's total cost to that point was $3,702,103, having used seventy-six actual days for filming, eighteen days of rehearsal, and another eighteen days for second unit work, including location shooting in Palos Verdes, CA. The production was reopened and closed for a single day-for additional cuts and retakes.Īccording to a Paramount breakdown of the film's expenses, The Court Jester's total cost to that point was. After filming for nearly three months, The Court Jester temporarily shut down production on, then resumed on and finished its initial shooting on. After the first week of filming, cinematographer Ray Rennahan was dismissed from the production and replaced by the credited director of photography, Ray June. At that time, NYT reported that the picture's budget had been set at $3,000,000, with its two main sets-the castle interior and its courtyard-having been built on two separate Paramount sound stages at the cost of over $200,000.Īccording to the file on the film in the Paramount Collection at the AMPAS Library, The Court Jester was originally given a production budget of $2,487,000, with a forty-eight day shooting schedule. Though HR news items report a production starting date of Jul 1954, The Court Jester did not begin filming until late Nov 1954. In partnership with writer-producer-directors Melvin Frank and Norman Panama, Dena Productions had previously filmed another Danny Kaye comedy, Knock on Wood, a 1954 Paramount release (See Entry). The Court Jester was the second film by Dena Enterprises, a film production company owned by actor Danny Kaye and his wife, songwriter Sylvia Fine. The Court Jester is available on Blu-Ray now from Paramount Presents.During the opening credits, while singing "Life Could Not Better Be", Danny Kaye constantly pushes Basil Rathbone's re-appearing credit off the screen. The colors seem fuzzy on the poster art, but it’s nothing that should prevent fans from picking up this release. The packaging is a little underwhelming, in terms of the cardboard sleeve. It’s packed with information but it’s a shame Maltin couldn’t have had more time to discuss the movie in depth. Paramount’s new Blu-Ray comes with a short bonus feature from film critic, Leonard Maltin, where he provides some background on the cast and crew. Because a lot of the comedy in this film comes from repetition (whether it’s the repeated gag of seeing Hawkins go in and out of a trance or seeing how a knighthood is supposed to go before it’s Hawkins turn), the punchlines are often predictable, but that doesn’t make them any less funny. As promising as that sounds, though (and as much as it seems like a good sign that no one ever reacts when Hawkins tries to make out like Jean should be the one babysitting), there’s still a deflection towards traditional gender roles.Īngela Lansbury plays Princess Gwendolyn, who spends most of the movie trying to avoid an arranged marriage or threatening to kill her companion, Griselda ( Mildred Natwick). The same can be said of Maid Jean, who is first introduced as a captain in Black Fox’s band of outlaws. ![]() ![]() The Court Jester falls right in the middle and overrates how much Hawkins needs to be the romantic lead. In terms of Kaye’s career, his roles tend to range from really silly ( The Kid from Brooklyn) to more serious ( The Secret Life of Walter Mitty). Every character has their own agenda, and, like The Princess Bride, the film’s most successful gag involves wordplay, as Hawkins tries to remember which glass the poison is in but keeps forgetting the rhyme that’s supposed to help him. From hypnotism to mistaken identities to music, The Court Jester has a little of everything and in many ways feels like a precursor to Robert Reiner’s The Princess Bride. Initially they’re supposed to be transporting the baby to safety but when an opportunity to disguise Hawkins as the court jester falls into their laps, they take it without hesitation.Īs much as their plan lacks preparation, it wouldn’t be a comedy without hijinks. Luckily, the rightful heir is a quiet baby because a lot of the scenes in this movie wouldn’t work if he made a noise, but considering he is so quiet, a lot still goes wrong for Hawkins ( Danny Kaye) and Maid Jean ( Glynis Johns).
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