Will we ever see Jerry Lewis's lost film?
01-15-03, 11:32 PM
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Its called the Day the Clown Cried and no we won't. It isn't coming oot for several reasons:
1. Legal Troubles
2. From what I've heard(people who saw it or read the script) it was not very good at all. Actually quite bad. He tried to hard to make it a comedy.
3. Lack of intrest. Even if there were no legal troubles what would be the point to release it. It would be a huge loss of money for whoever released it.
This is a shame because the basic story has a lot of potential. I've always wanted to see this remade with Steve from Blue's Clues in the Jerry Lewis role.
1. Legal Troubles
2. From what I've heard(people who saw it or read the script) it was not very good at all. Actually quite bad. He tried to hard to make it a comedy.
3. Lack of intrest. Even if there were no legal troubles what would be the point to release it. It would be a huge loss of money for whoever released it.
This is a shame because the basic story has a lot of potential. I've always wanted to see this remade with Steve from Blue's Clues in the Jerry Lewis role.
01-16-03, 12:22 AM
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Want to read the Script? As near as I can tell, this is the real thing. The link is a little down the page along with some reviews.
The Day the Clown Cried
The Day the Clown Cried
01-16-03, 09:28 AM
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howard stern covers this topic a lot. he has interviewed 1 or 2 people who have actually seen it (it sits in someone's vault in their beverly hills home). jerry lewis will never let it be released. it turned out to be the worst piece of sh*t, and alomst made a mockery of the holocaust. jerry lewis plays a clown in a concentration camp who entertains kids on there way to the showers to try and cheer them up in line. whoever gave this the green light should be ashamed. trust me, this is supposed to be NO life is beautiful.
01-16-03, 10:21 AM
#8
Originally posted by blackfog
howard stern covers this topic a lot. he has interviewed 1 or 2 people who have actually seen it (it sits in someone's vault in their beverly hills home). jerry lewis will never let it be released. it turned out to be the worst piece of sh*t, and alomst made a mockery of the holocaust. jerry lewis plays a clown in a concentration camp who entertains kids on there way to the showers to try and cheer them up in line. whoever gave this the green light should be ashamed. trust me, this is supposed to be NO life is beautiful.
howard stern covers this topic a lot. he has interviewed 1 or 2 people who have actually seen it (it sits in someone's vault in their beverly hills home). jerry lewis will never let it be released. it turned out to be the worst piece of sh*t, and alomst made a mockery of the holocaust. jerry lewis plays a clown in a concentration camp who entertains kids on there way to the showers to try and cheer them up in line. whoever gave this the green light should be ashamed. trust me, this is supposed to be NO life is beautiful.
Personally I have no interest in seeing this, it sounds horrible...
01-16-03, 11:43 AM
#9
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The page I linked to has a history of the production, too involved to get into here. It's the link that says,"SHIRLEY TEMPLE IN AUSCHWITZ ".
The Gist is that he re-wrote the script to make the clown more sympathetic and "Emmett Kelly-like" instead of the self-centered talentless clown of the script. He went over to Europe to film and the Producer flaked and never showed or secured financing and let the option lapse. Jerry used his own money to finish the film and went on despite not having the rights to make it. He was counting on the author being impressed with the work and letting him have the rights. She saw how he's changed everything and was horrified and refused to renew the rights. Also, the film company held onto the negatives for unpaid debts. Jerry kept the last three days of shooting (including the climactic scene of him leading the children into the gas chamber) to prevent them from releasing it without him. He also had dupes of most of their footage and has a rough cut on VHS that he's shown to a few people.
The Gist is that he re-wrote the script to make the clown more sympathetic and "Emmett Kelly-like" instead of the self-centered talentless clown of the script. He went over to Europe to film and the Producer flaked and never showed or secured financing and let the option lapse. Jerry used his own money to finish the film and went on despite not having the rights to make it. He was counting on the author being impressed with the work and letting him have the rights. She saw how he's changed everything and was horrified and refused to renew the rights. Also, the film company held onto the negatives for unpaid debts. Jerry kept the last three days of shooting (including the climactic scene of him leading the children into the gas chamber) to prevent them from releasing it without him. He also had dupes of most of their footage and has a rough cut on VHS that he's shown to a few people.
01-16-03, 12:17 PM
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I definitely want to see this film. It may be in bad taste, but it just sounds way too interesting to ignore. I wonder if Scorsese's seen it? I'm sure he at least asked Lewis while shooting The King of Comedy.
01-16-03, 01:06 PM
#11
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It definately looks... different. This is from http://www.filmthreat.com/Features.a...One.inc&Id=258
(I cut out a few paragraphs in the interest of brevity, click on the above link for the full review)
(I cut out a few paragraphs in the interest of brevity, click on the above link for the full review)
This comedic opus begins with a once great, now down and out clown by the name of Helmut Doork (played by Mr. Jerry Lewis) as he is fired from the circus where he is not appreciated. After being dropped, Doork heads to the local watering hole where he attempts to drown his sorrows. After a few pops, Doork begins to poke fun at Mr. Hitler, much to the chagrin of the Gestapo agents sitting in the bar. He is promptly arrested and sent off to a prison camp.
...
While Helmut is in solitary, the Nazis come upon a uniquely Nazi dilemma - they have to get the children to another camp, as they are no use in a work camp. They have the children rounded up in a boxcar awaiting the train that will take them away, however the cries of the children are an annoyance. Since they want to get rid of the children while drawing as little attention to themselves as possible, they decide to send Helmut to the boxcar to keep the children quiet. In exchange for his performance, they tell him that his appeal for release will be reviewed. Helmut agrees to perform for the children and does so, making them laugh and convincing them that they are going to a "better place." He is accidentally locked in with the children when the train arrives and arrives with the children the next day at Auschwitz.
...
[The Commandant at Auschwitz] goes on to tell Helmut that as he has lead the children this far and that he now has a special bond with them, almost as if he is "one of them," he should lead them for the remainder of their journey. It is then, in the last ten pages of the screenplay, that the true dementia of the film truly takes hold. Helmut replies "No... no! I'm not one of them. I'm not! I'm a German. A loyal German. You can't kill me, I'm not one of them. I swear it. I'm not." The Commandant explains that he doesn't have to die, "I'm just asking you to lead them." Helmut looks unwilling to comply. "Not... even to save your own life?" Helmut gives in. "I'm glad to see you're not a self-appointed martyr. Just think! Now you're really one of us."
Helmut asks for some time with the children and they grant him a half hour. He joins the children in the room where they are being kept. "Now I want everyone to put on a big smile and sit down, because we're going to have more fun than we've ever had." Once more Helmut Doork clowns with the children. The guards come to get the children. The children want to know what is going on. Helmut tells them "They... want us to move to another building... where we'll have more room... to play. Tell you what. Let's make it a big circus parade. Everybody get in line behind..." With that, Helmut marches the children through the prison yard, all the while hoping for some miracle, and to the open doorway of the gas chamber. He stops outside the door and reluctantly steers the children through. A little girl stops beside Helmut and puts out her hand for him to take. At first he hesitates and the child pulls away, but he then takes her hand and walks through the door with her. The guards lock the door behind them and Helmut gathers the children around him. They all begin to laugh "until the chamber resounds with gentle laughter."
CUT TO: INSERT: "IF ANOTHER MAN'S CHILD IS THREATENED AND YOU MOVE NOT TO PROTECT IT, THE CHILDREN OF ALL MEN ARE IN JEOPARDY AND YOU STAND AS GUILTY AS THOSE WHO THREATEN."
FADE OUT: THE END
...
While Helmut is in solitary, the Nazis come upon a uniquely Nazi dilemma - they have to get the children to another camp, as they are no use in a work camp. They have the children rounded up in a boxcar awaiting the train that will take them away, however the cries of the children are an annoyance. Since they want to get rid of the children while drawing as little attention to themselves as possible, they decide to send Helmut to the boxcar to keep the children quiet. In exchange for his performance, they tell him that his appeal for release will be reviewed. Helmut agrees to perform for the children and does so, making them laugh and convincing them that they are going to a "better place." He is accidentally locked in with the children when the train arrives and arrives with the children the next day at Auschwitz.
...
[The Commandant at Auschwitz] goes on to tell Helmut that as he has lead the children this far and that he now has a special bond with them, almost as if he is "one of them," he should lead them for the remainder of their journey. It is then, in the last ten pages of the screenplay, that the true dementia of the film truly takes hold. Helmut replies "No... no! I'm not one of them. I'm not! I'm a German. A loyal German. You can't kill me, I'm not one of them. I swear it. I'm not." The Commandant explains that he doesn't have to die, "I'm just asking you to lead them." Helmut looks unwilling to comply. "Not... even to save your own life?" Helmut gives in. "I'm glad to see you're not a self-appointed martyr. Just think! Now you're really one of us."
Helmut asks for some time with the children and they grant him a half hour. He joins the children in the room where they are being kept. "Now I want everyone to put on a big smile and sit down, because we're going to have more fun than we've ever had." Once more Helmut Doork clowns with the children. The guards come to get the children. The children want to know what is going on. Helmut tells them "They... want us to move to another building... where we'll have more room... to play. Tell you what. Let's make it a big circus parade. Everybody get in line behind..." With that, Helmut marches the children through the prison yard, all the while hoping for some miracle, and to the open doorway of the gas chamber. He stops outside the door and reluctantly steers the children through. A little girl stops beside Helmut and puts out her hand for him to take. At first he hesitates and the child pulls away, but he then takes her hand and walks through the door with her. The guards lock the door behind them and Helmut gathers the children around him. They all begin to laugh "until the chamber resounds with gentle laughter."
CUT TO: INSERT: "IF ANOTHER MAN'S CHILD IS THREATENED AND YOU MOVE NOT TO PROTECT IT, THE CHILDREN OF ALL MEN ARE IN JEOPARDY AND YOU STAND AS GUILTY AS THOSE WHO THREATEN."
FADE OUT: THE END
Last edited by Heat; 01-16-03 at 01:12 PM.
01-16-03, 01:34 PM
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Marge, If I may play "The Devil's Advocate" for a moment.
In all fairness this material sounds like it could make a scathing alegorical indictment of the treachery that made the holocaust possible. Of course this would only be possible if it were handled with the right tone. A true artist might have been able to pull it off, but I have a feeling that in Jerry Lewis' hands it turned into a horrible mess. I think Life Is Beautiful, love it or hate it, proved that clownish antics in a consentration camp is possible (believe it or not) if done right.
In all fairness this material sounds like it could make a scathing alegorical indictment of the treachery that made the holocaust possible. Of course this would only be possible if it were handled with the right tone. A true artist might have been able to pull it off, but I have a feeling that in Jerry Lewis' hands it turned into a horrible mess. I think Life Is Beautiful, love it or hate it, proved that clownish antics in a consentration camp is possible (believe it or not) if done right.
01-16-03, 04:10 PM
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On the surface, the idea sounds hideous, but the story outlined above has some unique possibilities. It would be very, very difficult to do right, but there wouldn't be a dry eye in the house at the end. Jerry Lewis could never pull this off, and I really have no idea who could.
It would have to be played completely seriously, and they would have to loose that stupid title.
It would have to be played completely seriously, and they would have to loose that stupid title.
