THE COURT JESTER FILM FULL

New York, NY, HarperCollins, 2011.Danny Kaye's mistaken identity comedy set on the medieval British court is nothing less than one of the funniest films of all times. Joy reveals faith.” ¹ If this is true, then this gut-busting Court Jester is one of the best films to visit if we want to be reminded that all will indeed be made well in the end.ġ Martin, James, SJ.

THE COURT JESTER FILM FULL

Even the famous “vessel with the pestle” moments (about knowing which cup is poisoned) boast comic wordplay that has a musical rhythm all its own.Ĭan a work of art be spiritually significant just because it is funny? Is humor holy in and of itself? This is not the right place to give full answer to that question, but it is relevant from an Arts and Faith perspective to note James Martin, SJ’s words on this subject in his book Between Heaven and Mirth : “For believers in general, humor shows your trust in God, who will ultimately make all things well.

Then there are the “snap-in, snap-out” scenes in which the timing of finger snaps subject Hawkins to a hilarious seesaw between boldness and bewilderment.

For example, my personal favorite of Hawkins being marched in and out of lines of soldiers as he is rushed into knighthood is made possible by the jittery percussion of the ceremonial musicians. Not stopping there, it is also fascinating to give attention to how music plays a role in other classic comic sequences that don’t resemble traditional film musical numbers.

Though he gets kicked by the king several times as payment for his songs, he just keeps the melodies coming. Music is again a key element here, culminating with Hawkins calming his nerves by doing musical repeats of words spoken by the characters around him. We as the audience are of course among the delighted. This is a high-wire act intended in equal parts to distract the court, to calm himself, and to delight whoever may be watching. Next, there is Hawkins’s performance before the king’s court as jester. The way Kaye varies that whistled melody to reflect his evolving fright and agitation is priceless. He is using this song both to introduce himself as the famous jester Giacomo and to whistle a signal to an accomplice within the palace walls. Despite the broad array of comedy on display, though, we can make the case that music stands right at the heart of the film’s most dearly funny sequences.įirst of all, we have Hawkins’ jester entering the walls of the castle to a tune of his own making. Here we have Hawkins entering the king’s castle in the guise of court jester to get the rightful (infant!) heir back on the throne. The Court Jester makes excellent use of comedy of all sorts to tell its story of Danny Kaye’s minstrel Hubert Hawkins and his extravagant exploits. When that artistic wonder comes in the rare form of perfect musical comedy as it does with The Court Jester, the wonder is somehow multiplied. Sometimes a film makes our Arts and Faith top 25 not because of its spiritual depth and profundity but rather because of its artistic wonder.

The court jester film