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      The Errand Boy

      Released Nov 23, 1961 1h 32m Comedy List
      50% 10 Reviews Tomatometer 72% 1,000+ Ratings Audience Score The miserly head (Brian Donlevy) of a Hollywood studio hires a goofy paperhanger (Jerry Lewis) to spy on his employees. Read More Read Less Watch on Fandango at Home Premiered Apr 05 Buy Now

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      Critics Reviews

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      Richard Brody New Yorker Lewis's antics bring out his radically democratic politics: when the yearnings for power, self-expression, and love are thwarted, the ordinary man becomes the great anarch. Oct 8, 2018 Full Review Eric Henderson Slant Magazine The self-reflectivity of The Errand Boy is so pervasive it truly becomes the content of the film. Rated: 3.5/4 Oct 13, 2004 Full Review Grace Montgomery Common Sense Media Jerry Lewis screwball comedy is tedious, lacks kid appeal. Rated: 2/5 Dec 16, 2014 Full Review Fernando F. Croce CinePassion The skeleton of Hollywood, half fakery and half magic Feb 5, 2010 Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews The film is a series of sight gags, with not too many hitting the mark. Rated: C+ Jul 22, 2007 Full Review Philip Martin Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Rated: 2/5 Nov 7, 2005 Full Review Read all reviews

      Audience Reviews

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      Audience Member Jerry Lewis' second film that he directed is called The Errand Boy. This film can be considered a satire of Hollywood as it tells the audience what really goes on behind the camera with many of its stars and how plenty of films are truly made. While the film did have some funny moments, the film is just like Mr. Lewis' previous film The Bellboy as it relies more on skits than the plot. Wasn't very fond of W. Wallace Kelley's cinematography and that's possibly because it looked like something from an typical B-movie than a mainstream Hollywood film. But what does deserve some praise is the music in the film. Overall, Jerry Lewis' The Errand Boy is better than The Bellboy but that still isn't saying much. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/18/23 Full Review Audience Member A hilarious, sweet classic! If you like it, your significant other better too (a good litmus test for relationships)! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/24/23 Full Review Audience Member Good Classic comedy that is watching to give you some laughs Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/02/23 Full Review Audience Member Genius scene with jazz music, made the move Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/21/23 Full Review Audience Member "The Nutty Professor" is Jerry's masterpiece, but this small comedy of his is one I like nearly as much. I think it's the Hollywood studio backlot setting that appeals to me, but there are also some really funny and clever bits that work awfully well. The bit in the elevator (the toothpick especially), Jerry at the board room table by himself, Jerry photo bombing a movie scene, peeking over extras shoulders, but especially one sequence involving Jerry and puppets, which to my mind really sums up Jerry's Kid character and whether the character will click with audience members or not. If the audience can be captivated by Jerry's innocent, childlike captivations with puppets he believes are alive, then you will "get" Jerry's sentimental comedic sensibility. If you find it unbelievably annoying, that is completely understandable, but it works for me and this is one of my favorite Lewis films. Brian Donlevy, Howard McNear and Kathleen Freeman co-star. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/31/23 Full Review Audience Member I just loved this Jerry Lewis film, in which he's hired, simply because he's considered an idiot that nobody knows, to find out why a film studio is losing money. Mayhem, as only Jerry Lewis can make it, rapidly ensues. I love this comedian/director, and wish he had made a lot more films. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/24/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

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      The Errand Boy

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      Movie Info

      Synopsis The miserly head (Brian Donlevy) of a Hollywood studio hires a goofy paperhanger (Jerry Lewis) to spy on his employees.
      Director
      Jerry Lewis
      Production Co
      Jerry Lewis Productions, Paramount Pictures
      Genre
      Comedy
      Original Language
      English
      Release Date (Theaters)
      Nov 23, 1961, Limited
      Release Date (Streaming)
      Jan 1, 2017
      Runtime
      1h 32m
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