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  • Topic: Production footage for "The Day The Clown Cried" surfa

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    • August 12, 2013 11:31 PM CDT
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      "The Day The Clown Cried" , the unreleased 1972 Jerry Lewis production , in which he playes a washed - up German or Polish (?) hasbeen circus clown in The 30's , who's overheard by a Member of the SS , drunkenly running down Hitler and his regime. He's arrested , thrown in a prison camp , and forced to entertain the children , in an effort to get their minds off their own impending doom.  Does'nt sound like a terrible epremise for a film , but , by all accounts (The pitiful few who've seen it), IT WAS.   Lewis said that he believed so strongly in the project , he went so far as to say it was the film we was born to make. A handful of critics saw the film , and all agreed it was tasteless , and that Lewis' ego kept it from showing any credibility , even if , possibly , he really believed he should shed aside his comic image (Itself bordering on washed up status , by then. I  guess I'm just being kind.) to do a serious picture to give the public an idea of what his people went through , what would have been only some 35 YEARS EARLIER. Even if the movie had to be about a clown. The clown in question is forced to lead the children into the ovens , then follow them to his own death. How many movies , up to that point , dealt with the Holocaust so directly? Even in such an unlikely manner?

      It just had to be Jerry Lewis who'd make that early attempt .

       

      About 8 minutes of production footage (From Flemish TV) just turned up on You Tube. It's largely of Lewis directing himself in his celebrated psuedo - Emmet Kelley Bum makeup. But , Lewis owns the only known existing copy of the entire film , and has sworn he will not let it be seen in , or after , his time. The dialogue from the documentary footage is in French , with German subtitles , but Jerry Lewis , of course , speaks in English (He mutters "Shit"at 6:00! ).Sorry I could'nt post it here , myself , but your brief search will pay off , particularly with a brief appearances by Serge Gainsbourgh and Jane Birkin , visitors to teh set. This , and another brief behind the scenes clip , just under one minute long , are all we're likely to ever see. 

      This post was edited by John Battles at August 12, 2013 11:33 PM CDT
    • August 15, 2013 4:55 PM CDT
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      ......Lewis , of course , DID prove himself as a serious actor in "King of Comedy".

      "There are only TWO Kings of Comedy. Redd Foxx and me." Rudy Ray Moore.

      "Lenny Bruce , Jackie Mason , Jack Benny , Phil Silvers, Joe E.Ross .....and Jerry Lewis , not so much." me.

      This post was edited by John Battles at August 15, 2013 4:56 PM CDT
    • September 17, 2014 2:58 AM CDT
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      I should'nt be so hard on Lewis. But ,  I only liked a few of his films , particularly when he was still with Dean Martin. I JUST WAS NEVER A BIG FAN. i SAW HIM ON THE Jimmy Kimmel show this evening. Don Rickles , Ed Asner , Mickey Rooney , Bob Newhart , Jerry Lewis , BAD MOTHERFUCKERS !  Betty White kicks ALL their asses , tho'.

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