The Delicate Delinquent (1957)
Movie Info
Jerry Lewis' first solo effort was also his first headlong plunge into pathos. The Delicate Delinquent stars Jerry as mixed-up teenaged janitor Sidney Pythias, a nice kid on the verge of throwing in with a not-so-nice street gang. Sensing potential in Sidney, police officer Mike Damon (Darren McGavin, in role originally intended for Lewis' ex-partner Dean Martin) takes the boy under his wing. To prove that Sidney can be weaned away from bad influences, Mike arranges for the boy to become a rookie cop, with fitfully hilarious results (the best scene, involving a monolingual Japanese gentleman, is also the most politically incorrect). Martha Hyer costars as an idealistic social worker with whom Mike (and briefly, Sidney) falls in love. The film's tenuous balance between juvenile-delinquent drama and slapstick comedy is never more pronounced than in the opening scene, wherein the clumsy Sidney, carrying a bulky garbage can, stumbles into the middle of a gang rumble. Though not Jerry Lewis' best film, Delicate Delinquent was a hit, proving he could carry a picture himself; as a bonus, Jerry gets to sing the significantly titled ditty "By Myself".
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Cast
Jerry Lewis
as Sidney L. Pythias
as Sidney L. Pythias
Darren McGavin
as Mike Damon
as Mike Damon
Martha Hyer
as Martha Henshaw
as Martha Henshaw
Robert Ivers
as Monk
as Monk
Horace MacMahon
as Capt. Riley
as Capt. Riley
Richard Bakalyan
as Artie
as Artie
Joseph Corey III
as Harry
as Harry
Mary Webster
as Patricia
as Patricia
Milton Frome
as Mr. Herman
as Mr. Herman
Jefferson Dudley Searles
as Mr. Crow
as Mr. Crow
Rocky Marciano
as Himself
as Himself
Emory Parnell
as Sgt. Levitch
as Sgt. Levitch
Emile G. Meyer
as Kelly
as Kelly
Dave Willock
as Cadet Goerner
as Cadet Goerner
Michael Ross
as Police Sergeant
as Police Sergeant
Don Megowan
as Policeman
as Policeman
Irene Winston
as Pregnant Woman
as Pregnant Woman
Teru Shimada
as Togo's Japanese Interpreter
as Togo's Japanese Interpreter
Kazuo Togo
as Lt. Hiko
as Lt. Hiko
Don McGuire
as Policeman
as Policeman
Taggart Casey
as Casey
as Casey
Horace McMahon
as Capt. Riley
as Capt. Riley
Critic Reviews for The Delicate Delinquent
All Critics (3) | Fresh (1) | Rotten (2) | DVD (1)
Goes into the tank when it sinks into pathos.
July 21, 2007 | Rating: C+ | Full Review…
Em seu primeiro filme solo após o fim da parceria com Martin, Lewis mostra-se mais contido e procura conferir toques dramáticos à sua caracterização, com resultados curiosos.
January 4, 2004 | Rating: 3/5
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