The Bellboy
A nearly silent bellboy transforms routine hotel service into a parade of escalating slapstick disasters when Jerry Lewis arrives as a celebrity double.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- None
- witty
- breezy
- playful
- lazy afternoon
- classic comedy night
What critics said
Critics found genuine comic invention and several laughable sequences, but broadly agreed that the episodic gags were uneven and often predictable.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The film presents a succession of hotel mishaps and comic set pieces instead of a story-driven narrative.
Stanley performs his duties without speaking, relying on facial expressions and slapstick behavior.
Stanley is mistaken for or compared with the arriving Jerry Lewis, who also plays the celebrity version of himself.
Stanley's bellboy duties repeatedly become the source of mishaps throughout the Fountainbleau Hotel.
Films like The Bellboy, and why
Play Time
physical comedy, largely wordless performance, and a mischievous hotel-world setting
Modern Times
slapstick escalation, expressive comic acting, and a mostly gentle workplace environment
The General
deadpan visual comedy, eccentric everyday mishaps, and a restrained clown protagonist
Movie Details
- Director
- Jerry Lewis
- Release Date
- 1960-07-20
- Runtime
- 72 min
- Rating
- 6.2 / 10 (129)
Cast
- Jerry Lewis
- Alex Gerry
- Bob Clayton
- Sonnie Sands
- Eddie Shaeffer
- Herkie Styles
- David Landfield
- Bill Richmond
- Larry Best
- Cary Middlecoff
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Bellboy about?
- A nearly silent bellboy transforms routine hotel service into a parade of escalating slapstick disasters when Jerry Lewis arrives as a celebrity double.
- What is The Bellboy like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Bellboy as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as simple.
- Is The Bellboy violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in The Bellboy.
- What did critics think of The Bellboy?
- Critics found genuine comic invention and several laughable sequences, but broadly agreed that the episodic gags were uneven and often predictable.
- Which films are like The Bellboy?
- Films with a similar feel include Play Time, Modern Times, and The General.
- How long is The Bellboy?
- The Bellboy runs 72 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Bellboy?
- In United States, The Bellboy is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
