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The Court Jester Overview:

The Court Jester (1956) was a Adventure - Comedy Film directed by Melvin Frank and Norman Panama and produced by Melvin Frank, Norman Panama, Danny Kaye and Sylvia Fine.

SYNOPSIS

A 12th-century court jester in England becomes involved with a desperate band of outlaws who are attempting to overthrow the king.

(Source: available at Amazon AMC Classic Movie Companion).

The Court Jester was inducted into the National Film Registry in 2004.

The Court Jester BlogHub Articles:

Silver Screen Standards: The Court Jester (1955)

By Jennifer Garlen on Jan 14, 2020 From Classic Movie Hub Blog

Silver Screen Standards: The Court Jester (1955) I turn to colorful, upbeat musicals whenever I feel sick or depressed, especially in the winter, when I most need a bright escape from dark, dreary days stuck indoors. Recently I found myself revisiting one of my very favorite examples of the genre... Read full article

The Court Jester (1956): The Brew That Is True

By 4 Star Film Fan on Jul 10, 2019 From 4 Star Films

Maybe I’m simply partial to Medieval forms of entertainment but it’s hard to imagine a finer vehicle for Danny Kaye than The Court Jester. It needs to be lithe enough to accommodate his goofy even acrobatic brand of song-and-dance buffoonery. What better arena for Kaye than the king&#821... Read full article

The Court Jester (1955): The Brew That Is True

By 4 Star Film Fan on Jul 10, 2019 From 4 Star Films

Maybe I’m simply partial to Medieval forms of entertainment but it’s hard to imagine a finer vehicle for Danny Kaye than The Court Jester. It needs to be lithe enough to accommodate his goofy even acrobatic brand of song-and-dance buffoonery. What better arena for Kaye than the king&#821... Read full article

Is "The Court Jester" the Best Classic Movie Comedy?

By Rick29 on Feb 15, 2019 From Classic Film & TV Cafe

I recently watched The Court Jester (1955) for perhaps the tenth time--and laughed just as much as the first time. I realize comedy is very subjective as some folks prefer broad laughs and others opt for dark humor. But I'm hard pressed to think of a classic film comedy that's as nearly perfect as T... Read full article

NATIONAL CLASSIC MOVIE DAY, THE CLASSIC COMFORT MOVIE BLOGATHON: The Court Jester (1955)

on May 16, 2018 From Caftan Woman

For the fourth consecutive year, the Classic Film and TV Cafe is celebrating National Classic Movie Day on May 16th by hosting a blogathon. This year the spotlight shines on those movies that we can reliably turn to for comfort. The Classic Comfort Movie Blogathon contributions can be found HERE. ... Read full article

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The Court Jester Quotes:

Princess Gwendolyn: Marry Griswold? Never!
King Roderick: What was that?
Princess Gwendolyn: He's a brute and a lout.
King Roderick: Brute or not, lout or not, if it pleases me you will marry Griswold.
Princess Gwendolyn: If it pleases you so much, you marry Griswold.
Hubert Hawkins: [disguised as an old man] Have you seen a group in the forest?
[Jean, pretending to be a deaf mute, makes a lot of hand gestures in response]
Hubert Hawkins: She says, "No."
Captain of the Guard: What took her so long?
Hubert Hawkins: Stutters.
Hubert Hawkins: Why be gloomy, cut off thy nose to spite thy face? Listen to me. A nose is hard to replace.
[picking his weapon for the joust against Griswold]
Hubert Hawkins: I'll take one of those, one of those, ooh, a couple of those.
[he pauses and glances over at Griswold]
Hubert Hawkins: I'd better take them all.
Griselda: I bring you a message from the princess.
Hubert Hawkins: The royal princess?
Griselda: Yes, she finds you most attractive and would like to meet you.
Hubert Hawkins: Me?
Griselda: She finds you passing fair, passing gracefully.
Hubert Hawkins: Tell her, "Thank you very much, but I'm just passing through."
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The Court Jester Facts
"The American Legion Zouaves of Richard F. Smith Post No. 29, Jackson, Michigan" were a U.S. Civil War reenactment group. They performed the intricate high speed marching maneuvers during the knighting ceremony. The United States Army adopted the Model 1863 Zouave rifle, a percussion or "cap-and-ball" muzzle-loader, which was manufactured by Remington. Obviously the marching knights could not be armed with Civil War-era rifles in the movie. The original Zouave units were North African regiments of the French Army, beginning earlier in the 1800s and serving through both World Wars.
Danny Kaye's daughter, Dena Kaye, said for the rest of his life, when people recognized Danny in a restaurant, they would walk up and spout the entire "brew that is true" speech.
The "Now I can shoot and toot" speech during "The Maladjusted Jester" was previously said by Danny Kaye in his first feature role in Up in Arms
Some songs that were written but not heard in the film are "I Live To Love" (sung by Danny Kaye to Angela Lansbury when he swings into her bedroom) and an extended "Pass the Basket" number when Kaye appears before the King (just prior to the famous "Maladjusted Jester"). Both songs were, however, recorded and released on the film's companion record.
Basil Rathbone was a world-class fencer and it was due to his efforts that the hilarious fencing scene was filmed without injury. He later admitted that several times he was almost skewered by Danny Kaye's sword.
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