A Favorite Film: THE COURT JESTER (1955) starring Danny Kaye and Glynis Johns

It's time for another dose of the inimitable Danny Kaye. I've already talked about Walter Mitty and now it's THE COURT JESTER'S turn. What a delightful movie. What a funny movie. What a terrific cast! Listen to this: Danny Kaye, Glynis Johns, Basil Rathbone, Angela Lansbury, Mildred Natwick, Cecil Parker and John Carradine!

Remember this? ...the vessel with the pestle is the brew that is true...! I smile just thinking about the hilarious scene in which Mildred Natwick playing Griselda, a kind of witch, tries to explain to Danny Kaye playing Hubert Hawkins (mistaken for an assassin), which of the cups at the banquet holds the poison. It's all in rhyme and Hawkins is as confused as we are. Danny Kaye is a joy to watch in this as well as the other scenes in which he must assume the guise of a super confident, suave and practised assassin. SO funny. (As I've said a million times before: nobody does 'suave' like Danny Kaye.)

Back to the beginning: Hubert Hawkins is a carnival performer with a travelling band of acrobats and jugglers who are really part of a group of revolutionaries (of the Robin Hood variety) hanging out in the forest. They are led by a stalwart type known as The Black Arrow. Their aim is to overthrow the corrupt King Roderick I (Cecil Parker), by putting the rightful king - who happens to be an infant - on the throne.

To that end, Hawkins travels - disguised as Giacomo, a Court Jester (King of Jesters and Jester of Kings) - to the King's castle with Maid Jean (Glynis Johns), on an errand to pick up the baby (with the mark of the Purple Pimpernel) who is being hidden by loyalists within the castle's walls. On the short trip, Jean and Hawkins grow closer, though she is leery of his bumbling. Of course, this being a Danny Kaye film, nothing goes right in this great script written by the fabulous Norman Panama and Melvin Frank who also directed. The tongue-trippingly, saucy songs are once again written by Danny Kaye's wife, Sylvia Fine, and once again they require the dexterity of a genius to perform. Luckily, Kaye is one.

Once Hawkins and Maid Jean make their way by wagon into the grounds of the castle, Hawkins is mistaken not only for the Court Jester who is to perform at the night's banquet but also for a hired assassin in the employ of Sir Ravenhurst (Basil Rathbone). The assassin's job is to kill three knights who stand in the way of Rathbone's plans.

The plot is further complicated when the Princess Gwendolyn (the King's daughter, played by Angela Lansbury) falls for Hawkins almost immediately despite the fact that she is already betrothed to the odious Sir Griswold (Robert Middleton). In the meantime, her maid Griselda (Mildred Natwick) who is also a part time witch and hypnotist, overhears Ravenhurst and his two cohorts John Carradine and Michael Pate conspiring to use the Court Jester/Assassin to further their ends. Griselda then hypnotizes Hawkins into believing he is the assassin once she snaps her fingers. Unfortunately the same thing happens when anyone snaps their fingers. One snap: he's the assassin. Two snap: he's the timid Hawkins once again.

The results, especially when Hawkins has to meet with the co-conspirators after just having had an assignation with the Princess is laugh-out-loud funny and so beautifully done by Danny Kaye. He is brilliant in these scenes. Snapping fingers have never been responsible for so much confusion.

"Get it?"

"Got it."

"Good."

Okay, so the princess thinks she's eloping with Hawkins at midnight and the evil Ravenhurst thinks the three knights will be dead at the stroke of midnight and Hawkins is unaware of any of this since it all occurred while he was under hypnosis.

But later that night, Ravenhurst is convinced Hawkins is an assassin par excellence when the poison brews find their marks (thanks to Griselda) despite the Court Jester's ineptitude.

As part of his 'jesting' duties, Hawkins must sing a song for the King and his court. He performs a song about his 'work' as a jester, the last line of which is unforgettable: "...for a jester without employment is NOBODY'S FOOL...!!!" Sylvia Fine's lyrics have never been funnier or wittier.

In the meantime, Sir Griswold, the Princess's original betrothed, can't challenge Hawkins to a duel over the Princess' hand because Hawkins is a commoner. So the Princess cajoles the King into inducting Hawkins into the knighthood in one of the funniest and fastest knight rituals you will ever see. Caught up in the hands of a band of syncronized marching knights Hawkins is passed around like a bag of potatoes until he is finally made a gentleman and knight and must fight Sir Griswold to the death on the morrow.

Also in the meantime, The Black Arrow and his band of merry men plan to attack the castle once the baby is smuggled out.

Lots of hoopla in the end, mix-ups, romance (with Glynis Johns of course) and Hawkins proves the hero, The Black Arrow wins the day, the King is knocked from the throne and all's well that ends well.

If you're not familiar with this film or with Danny Kaye, I say: make yourself familiar asap. THE COURT JESTER is Danny Kaye at his riotous best.