The Court Jester

The Court Jester

Danny Kaye
Director: Melvin Frank, Norman Panama Cast: Danny Kaye
Danny Kaye
, Glynis Johns
Glynis Johns
Melvin Frank, Norman Panama,

Overview

Danny Kaye spoofs medieval swashbucklers in this classic musical comedy. While the infant King of England awaits his rightful place as leader of the British Empire, his rule is usurped by Roderick (Cecil Parker), an evil pretender to the throne. Brave rebel leader The Black Fox (Edward Ashley) intends to remove Roderick from the palace and bring the crown back to its true owner, but in the meantime the baby king needs to be looked after, which is the job of a man named Hawkins (Kaye). The Black Fox travels with the little king and his rebels as they search for the key to a secret tunnel that will allow them passage into the castle. Maid Jean (Glynis Johns), one of the rebels, meets a man en route to the Castle who is to be Roderick's new jester. The rebels quickly hatch a plan: detain the jester and send Hawkins in his place; the king can then find the key and initiate the overthrow. Hawkins is able to persuade Roderick and his men that he is indeed a jester, but his espionage work gets complicated when Princess Gwendolyn (Angela Lansbury) falls in love with him, and he runs afoul of Sir Ravenhurst (Basil Rathbone), the evil genius behind Roderick. Court Jester features Kaye's famous "Pellet with the Poison" routine.

Product Details

Release Date: 01/26/2021
UPC: 0032429352200
Original Release: 1956
Source: Paramount
Sales rank: 10,460

Special Features

Celebrating its 65th Anniversary, Paramount's beloved madcap musical debuts on Blu-ray, beautifully remastered from a 6K film transfer of the original VistaVision negative. In this swashbuckling comic farce, star Danny Kaye is kind-hearted entertainer Hawkins who disguises himself as the legendary king of jesters, Giacomo. Hawkins infiltrates the court of an evil villain (Basil Rathbone), but when a sorceress hypnotizes him, royal chaos ensues. Alternating identities at the snap of a finger, between swordplay and wordplay, Kaye's comic genius shines through. The stellar supporting cast includes Glynis Johns, Angela Lansbury, Mildred Natwick, Cecil Parker, and John Carradine.

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits
Danny Kaye Hawkins
Glynis Johns Maid Jean
Basil Rathbone Sir Ravenhurst
Angela Lansbury Princess Gwendolyn
Cecil Parker King Roderick
Mildred Natwick Griselda
Robert Middleton Sir Griswold
Michael Pate Sir Locksley
Herbert Rudley Captain of the Guard
Noel Drayton Fergus
Edward Ashley Black Fox
John Carradine Giacomo
Alan Napier Sir Brockhurst
Lewis Martin Sir Finsdale
Patrick Aherne Sir Pertwee
Richard Kean Archbishop
Eric Alden Actor
Leo Britt Actor
Bill Cartledge Actor
Billy Curtis Actor
Frank Delfino Actor
Leslie Denison Actor
Irving Fulton Actor
Russell Gaige Actor
Len Hendry Actor
Robin Hughes Actor
Charles Irwin Actor
Ray Kellogg Actor
Michael Mahoney [uncredited]
Paul Newlan Actor
John O'Malley Actor
Tudor Owen Actor
William Pullen Actor
Robert Smith Actor
Trevor Ward Actor
Lloyd Nelson Actor
Joel Smith Actor
Harry Monty Actor
Phyllis Coughlan Actor
Larry Pennell Novice Knight
Vic Schoen Conductor

Technical Credits
Melvin Frank Director,Producer,Screenwriter
Norman Panama Director,Producer,Screenwriter
Roland Anderson Production Designer
Sammy Cahn Songwriter
Sam Comer Set Decoration/Design
John R. Coonan Asst. Director
Sylvia Fine Songwriter
John P. Fulton Special Effects
Edith Head Costumes/Costume Designer
Ray June Cinematographer
Arthur Krams Set Decoration/Design
Tom McAdoo Cinematographer,Editor
Hal Pereira Production Designer
Irmin Roberts Special Effects
Vic Schoen Score Composer
James Starbuck Choreography
Wally Westmore Makeup
Yvonne Wood Costumes/Costume Designer

Customer Reviews