''Jumping Jacks'' is a 1952 American semi- musical

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...

starring the comedy team of

Martin and Lewis Martin and Lewis were an American comedy duo, comprising singer Dean Martin and comedian Jerry Lewis. They met in 1945 and debuted at Atlantic City's 500 Club on July 25, 1946; the team lasted ten years to the day. Before they teamed up, Martin ...

. The film was directed by

Norman Taurog Norman Rae Taurog (February 23, 1899 – April 7, 1981) was an American film director and screenwriter. From 1920 to 1968, Taurog directed 180 films. At the age of 32, he received the Academy Award for Best Director for '' Skippy'' (1931). He i ...

, and released by Paramount Pictures. It was one of the military comedies that marked the duo's early career. Brigadier General Frank Dern, Deputy Chief of the US Army's Information Office praised ''Jumping Jacks'' as something that would "contribute to troop morale within the Army."

Plot

United States Army Corporal Chick Allen is a paratrooper preparing a show with other soldiers. The general, however, was unhappy with the quality of past shows and is threatening to eliminate them unless the quality improves, which is why Chick has invited his former partner, Hap Smith, to help out. Hap, who has continued their nightclub act with a new partner, Betsy Carter, poses as a soldier so that he can do one performance with the general in the audience. The show impresses the general so much that he arranges for the show (including Hap) to tour other camps. Fearing a court-martial, Chick and the rest of the performers pass Hap off as Private "Dogface" Dolan, while the real "Dogface" goes into hiding. Hap undergoes paratrooper training to keep up the ruse, but he is very accident prone. However, it works to his benefit as everything he does inadvertently is the "correct military conduct". The top sergeant takes notice and praises him. Understandably, Hap wants to return to civilian life and tries to sneak away at any chance he can get, but Chick always manages to stop him. During one of his escape attempts, during some war maneuvers, Hap destroys a key bridge and captures an enemy general. Hap is eventually exposed as a civilian, but is sworn in as a paratrooper and becomes a hero.

Cast

* Dean Martin as Corporal Chick Allen * Jerry Lewis as Hap Smith *

Mona Freeman Monica Elizabeth "Mona" Freeman (June 9, 1926 – May 23, 2014) was an American actress and painter. Early years Freeman was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and grew up in Pelham, New York. A lumberman's daughter, she was a model while in hig ...

as Betsy Carter *

Don DeFore Donald John DeFore (August 25, 1913 – December 22, 1993) was an American actor. He is best known for his roles in the sitcom ''The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet'' from 1952 to 1957 and the sitcom ''Hazel'' from 1961 to 1965, the former of w ...

as Lieutenant Kelsey * Robert Strauss as Sergeant McClusky *

Richard Erdman Richard Erdman ( John Richard Erdmann; June 1, 1925 – March 16, 2019) was an American character actor and occasional film and television director. He appeared in more than 160 films and television productions between 1944 and 2017, mostly i ...

as Private "Dogface" Dolan (billed as Dick Erdman) *

Ray Teal Ray Elgin Teal (January 12, 1902 – April 2, 1976) was an American actor.The book ''Celebrities in Los Angeles Cemeteries: A Directory'' gives Teal's birth date as January 12, 1908. His most famous role was as Sheriff Roy Coffee on the televis ...

as Brigadier General W.W. Timmons * Marcy McGuire as Julia Loring * Danny Arnold as Private Evans

Production

''Jumping Jacks'' was filmed from December 3, 1951 through January 23, 1952. The original story (''Ready, Willing and Four F'') was written during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

by Robert Lees and Fred Rinaldo and acquired by Paramount Pictures. It was offered first to

Bob Hope Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was a British-American comedian, vaudevillian, actor, singer and dancer. With a career that spanned nearly 80 years, Hope appeared in Bob Hope filmography, more than 70 short and ...

, then to Danny Kaye, but both turned it down because they had already done army comedies. Paramount made arrangements to bring

Cantinflas Mario Fortino Alfonso Moreno Reyes (12 August 1911 – 20 April 1993), known by the stage name Cantinflas (), was a Mexican comedian, actor, and filmmaker. He is considered to have been the most widely-accomplished Mexican comedian and is cel ...

up from Mexico for the film, but the war ended, making army comedies obsolete. The screenplay was updated for Martin and Lewis by

Herbert Baker Sir Herbert Baker (9 June 1862 – 4 February 1946) was an English architect remembered as the dominant force in South African architecture for two decades, and a major designer of some of New Delhi's most notable government structures. He wa ...

, who would write several other films for the team as well as write for Martin on ''

The Dean Martin Show ''The Dean Martin Show'', not to be confused with the ''Dean Martin Variety Show'' (1959–1960), is a TV variety-comedy series that ran from 1965 to 1974 for 264 episodes. It was broadcast by NBC and hosted by Dean Martin. The theme song to the ...

'' TV series and three of Martin's

Matt Helm Matt Helm is a fictional character created by American author Donald Hamilton (1916-2006). Helm is a U.S. government counter-agent, a man whose primary job is to kill or nullify enemy agents—not a spy or secret agent in the ordinary sense of t ...

films. Principal photography took place at the Airborne Department of the Infantry School, assisted by United States Air Force units stationed at Fort Benning,

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

."Notes: 'Jumping Jacks'."
''Turner Classic Movies''. Retrieved: November 14, 2015.

Reception

In his review of ''Jumping Jacks'' for ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

'',

Bosley Crowther Francis Bosley Crowther Jr. (July 13, 1905 – March 7, 1981) was an American journalist, writer, and film critic for ''The New York Times'' for 27 years. His work helped shape the careers of many actors, directors and screenwriters, though his ...

, noted that the film appealed to Martin and Lewis fans. He said, "The Ripping and Roaring Society of Jerry Lewis Fans — or, at least, as many members of it as the Paramount Theatre can hold — was rolling in the aisles and generally acting in its customarily warm, responsive way at the opening performance of their hero's new picture, 'Jumping Jacks,' in that theatre yesterday. And the worst that a non-subscriber to that society and its sentiments can say is that the rabid behavior of the members seemed a bit on the over-wrought side." Reviewer and film historian

Leonard Maltin Leonard Michael Maltin (born December 18, 1950) is an American film critic and film historian, as well as an author of several mainstream books on cinema, focusing on nostalgic, celebratory narratives. He is perhaps best known for his book of fi ...

considered it, "(a) good opportunity for plenty of sight gags when they join a military paratroop squad."Maltin, Leonard
"Leonard Maltin Ratings & Reviews: 'Jumping Jacks'."
''Turner Classic Movies''. Retrieved: November 14, 2015.

Re-releases

''Jumping Jacks'' was re-released on a double bill with another

film, '' Sailor Beware'' in 1957 and on another double bill with '' Scared Stiff'' in 1958.

Home media

The film was included on an eight-film DVD set, the ''Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis Collection: Volume One'', released on October 31, 2006.

References

Bibliography

* , James L. and Ted Okuda. ''The Jerry Lewis Films: An Analytical Filmography of the Innovative Comic''. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, 1994. .

External links

* * * {{Martin and Lewis 1952 films 1952 comedy films American aviation films American black-and-white films American buddy comedy films 1950s English-language films Films directed by Norman Taurog Films produced by Hal B. Wallis Military humor in film Paramount Pictures films Films about the United States Army 1950s American films