Fandango’s Flashback Friday — April 7th
A Friday flashback and a very happy 81st birthday to Garry!
It’s might be in the chalice from the palace or possibly in the vessel with the pestle. On the other hand, it might be in the flagon with the dragon. One of them has the brew that is true, but if you drink the wrong one? You’ve consumed the pellet with the poison. And your goose is, so to speak, cooked.
The movie is old. It was funny when I was a kid, but I actually think it’s funnier now.
The Court Jester, 1955: Directed by Melvin Frank & Norman Panama. With Danny Kaye, Glynis Johns, Basil Rathbone, Angela Lansbury.
It contains some of the wittiest movie dialog ever. We own a copy of it and when we need cheering up — which these day is pretty often — we watch it. If that doesn’t do it, it’s time for a bit of Mel Brooks and maybe Best In Show which is a great funny movie for dog lovers.
I defy you to memorize the words of that short segment and keep them in order. I’ve been trying to remember them in order for decades. I always lose track after the first few lines. Maybe you’ll have better luck, but I doubt it!
SERENDIPITY: SEEKING INTELLIGENT LIFE ON EARTH 
A great favorite, and if you don’t have it, beg, borrow or steal a copy of Noises Off, With Carol Burnett and a wonderful hilarious cast that is a barrel of laughs. These two are my top funniest movie EVAH!
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So funny!
Now going off to take an aspirin for the headache from keeping up…
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Just trying to figure out how to say that stuff … I can’t but I love trying.
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Happy Birthday Garry!
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Thank you!
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This is so funny.
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The entire movie is a hoot. I loved it when I was a kid. I still love it. It has aged very well.
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I just saw the scene you’ve posted. Haven’t seen the entire movie.
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Happy Birthday Garry! Welcome to the 81 Club.
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Hi, Don. I’m late catching up with this. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! I hope all is well with you.
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Thank you, thank you. Back in my working days, old friend and iconic videographer JACK CROWLEY used to do the Kaye “puzzle” song. He ALWAYS knew the right lyrics. Me? Not so. I’m from that school of ‘know the first few lyrics and then repeat them or hum the melody.’ Hopefully, we will run “Jester” tonight to top off the old man’s birthday.
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I’ve never gotten it right either. I can get through the first couple of lines, but after that? I lose it. While laughing.
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I’d better not try that – I have a slight stutter anyway. Loved that movie. As I remember Basil Rathbone (a favorite of mine) is also quite good.
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JT — I think Rathbone had a lot of fun with this one. I recently read a piece that said Rathbone had problems finding decent work in his latter years. Most producers wanted him to replicate his villain from the old Errol Flynn movies. Danny Kaye and company gave Rathbone the chance to do it with a comic touch while keeping a straight face. What a pro!
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I loved Rathbone and Nigel Bruce as Holmes and Watson, I have admittedly an odd sense of humor but I always got a few giggles out of their adventures.
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I watch this a time or two every year. Brilliant.
Rathbone? He was great also. Always.
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I think this was Basil’s only shot at doing comedy — at which he was surprisingly good, especially when he was imitating himself 😀
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Imitation: The greatest form of flattery.
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