![]() Many Hollywood comedies from the same period have aged rather poorly. Capable of smoothly switching between romantic lead and comedic farce with the drop of a hat, it’s a wide-ranging role tailor-made for Kaye. He’s right at home playing the deprecating and friendly Hawkins. Originally a Broadway star, Danny Kaye was a multi-talented actor with impeccable timing and an excellent singing voice. An expensive movie for its day, the comedy feels like a gigantic stage musical with dazzling wardrobes and outrageous attention to detail. The Court Jester was a lavish production made with talented Hollywood filmmakers that had honed their craft during the 1940s. The swashbuckling aspect becomes more and more prominent as Hawkins is ensnared in the Royal Court’s high-stakes machinations behind the scenes. The wackiness only gets more complicated for Hawkins when the King’s spoiled daughter, played by a young Angela Lansbury, falls madly in love with him. The Court Jester remains a comedic delight with timeless laughs and effortless chemistry Hawkins is a happy-go-lucky entertainer thrust into the role of spy when he is forced to assume the identity of Giacomo, the royal jester. The Black Fox wants to restore the royal line with the real king, a young baby with a birthmark marking his royal lineage. A pretender sits on the throne of England. In a sly parody on the Robin Hood legend, Hawkins works for a hooded outlaw known as the Black Fox. Star Danny Kaye is Hawkins, a circus performer in medieval England. ![]() Danny Kaye guides a cast with Angela Lansbury, Basil Rathbone, and Glynis Johns through madcap frivolity. Directed by Melvin Frank and Norman Panama, experienced comedy writers who cut their teeth working for Bob Hope, singing and sword fighting have never gone so well together. The visually stunning musical farce is one of the most entertaining comedies from 1950s with its witty songs and silly gags. There may be no better vehicle for Danny Kaye’s remarkable comic talents than The Court Jester. ![]()
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