The Family Jewels (film)
Encyclopedia
The Family Jewels is a 1965 American comedy film. It was filmed from January 18-April 2, 1965 and was released by Paramount Pictures
on July 1, 1965. The film was co-written, directed, and produced by Jerry Lewis
who also played seven roles in the film. Lewis' co-star, Donna Butterworth
, made only one other film, Paradise, Hawaiian Style
, with Elvis Presley
.
) is a ten-year-old girl who inherits a $30,000,000 fortune when her millionaire industrialist father passes away. Per terms of his will, Donna must choose between her six uncles (all played by Jerry Lewis
) to become her new "father." Lewis also plays Willard Woodward, the family chauffeur
who takes Donna to all of her uncles to stay with them for two weeks. Donna's Uncles are-
The more time she spends with her uncles, Donna realizes that Willard should really be her father and that he was a father towards her even when her real father was still alive and was too busy to spend time with her.
Unfortunately the lawyers will not allow her to choose Willard, insisting that she must choose from one of her uncles. At the last minute, Everett, who is really Willard in disguise, comes to ask her to choose him. She does and the two live happily ever after.
. It was reused by Lewis a second time in Hardly Working
.
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
on July 1, 1965. The film was co-written, directed, and produced by Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis is an American comedian, actor, singer, film producer, screenwriter and film director. He is best known for his slapstick humor in film, television, stage and radio. He was originally paired up with Dean Martin in 1946, forming the famed comedy team of Martin and Lewis...
who also played seven roles in the film. Lewis' co-star, Donna Butterworth
Donna Butterworth
Donna Butterworth is an American motion picture performer who acted in The Family Jewels with Jerry Lewis and Paradise, Hawaiian Style with Elvis Presley, as well as a television movie, A Boy Called Nuthin with Ron Howard...
, made only one other film, Paradise, Hawaiian Style
Paradise, Hawaiian Style
Paradise, Hawaiian Style is a 1966 musical comedy film starring Elvis Presley. It was the third and final motion picture that Presley filmed in Hawaii. The film reached #40 on the Variety weekly box office chart, earning $2.5 million in theaters....
, with Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
.
Plot
Donna Peyton (Donna ButterworthDonna Butterworth
Donna Butterworth is an American motion picture performer who acted in The Family Jewels with Jerry Lewis and Paradise, Hawaiian Style with Elvis Presley, as well as a television movie, A Boy Called Nuthin with Ron Howard...
) is a ten-year-old girl who inherits a $30,000,000 fortune when her millionaire industrialist father passes away. Per terms of his will, Donna must choose between her six uncles (all played by Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis is an American comedian, actor, singer, film producer, screenwriter and film director. He is best known for his slapstick humor in film, television, stage and radio. He was originally paired up with Dean Martin in 1946, forming the famed comedy team of Martin and Lewis...
) to become her new "father." Lewis also plays Willard Woodward, the family chauffeur
Chauffeur
A chauffeur is a person employed to drive a passenger motor vehicle, especially a luxury vehicle such as a large sedan or limousine.Originally such drivers were always personal servants of the vehicle owner, but now in many cases specialist chauffeur service companies, or individual drivers provide...
who takes Donna to all of her uncles to stay with them for two weeks. Donna's Uncles are-
- James Peyton, a ferryboat captain; her father's oldest brother who served in the U.S. Navy during World War II.
- Everett Peyton, a famous circus clown who hates kids and moves to SwitzerlandSwitzerlandSwitzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
where he saved his money to avoid taxes.
- Julius Peyton, a professional photographer who photographs female models.
- Captain Edward "Eddie" Peyton, a pilot based out of Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
who owns his own airline ("Eddie's Airways, the Airline for the Birds") consisting of one plane, a Ford TrimotorFord TrimotorThe Ford Trimotor was an American three-engined transport plane that was first produced in 1925 by the companies of Henry Ford and that continued to be produced until June 7, 1933. Throughout its time in production, a total of 199 Ford Trimotors were produced...
.
- Skylark Peyton, a Sherlock HolmesSherlock HolmesSherlock Holmes is a fictional detective created by Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The fantastic London-based "consulting detective", Holmes is famous for his astute logical reasoning, his ability to take almost any disguise, and his use of forensic science skills to solve...
-esque detective who loves tea and lived in England until he lost his passport and decided to move back to the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He is accompanied by his faithful companion, Dr. Matson (Sebastian CabotSebastian CabotSebastian Cabot may refer to:*Sebastian Cabot , Italian explorer*Sebastian Cabot , British actor...
) but Skylark pays more attention to a pool game in Robert StraussRobert Strauss (actor)Robert Strauss was a gravel-voiced American actor.-Career:Strauss began his career as a classical actor, appearing in The Tempest and Macbeth on Broadway in 1930...
's pool parlour than to Donna.
- Bugsy Peyton, a gangster who everyone thought was killed by the mob. Only interested in Donna's inheritance, he kidnaps her. Using the assets of a political campaign promotion for a politician named Abner Theft that is near their hideout, Willard attempts to rescue Donna by comandeering the sound truckSound truckA sound truck is a vehicle equipped with loudspeakers, typically used to play loud political or commercial messages, but are also used in evacuations. The use of sound trucks for advertising is illegal in many jurisdictions....
and impersonating the leader of a military drill teamDrill teamA drill team can be one of four different entities:# A Military Drill Team is marching unit that performs routines based on military drill. Military drill teams perform either armed or unarmed....
participating in the campaign. This frightens the kidnappers into believing they are facing a platoonPlatoonA platoon is a military unit typically composed of two to four sections or squads and containing 16 to 50 soldiers. Platoons are organized into a company, which typically consists of three, four or five platoons. A platoon is typically the smallest military unit led by a commissioned officer—the...
of armed soldiers.
The more time she spends with her uncles, Donna realizes that Willard should really be her father and that he was a father towards her even when her real father was still alive and was too busy to spend time with her.
Unfortunately the lawyers will not allow her to choose Willard, insisting that she must choose from one of her uncles. At the last minute, Everett, who is really Willard in disguise, comes to ask her to choose him. She does and the two live happily ever after.
Film notes
- In the film Lewis listens to his son Gary Lewis and the Playboys singing This Diamond RingThis Diamond Ring"This Diamond Ring" is a 1965 pop song written by Al Kooper, Bob Brass, and Irwin Levine. The song's first appearance on the Billboard Hot 100 chart was a bubbling-under single by Sammy Ambrose that reached #117 on January 9, 1965...
. In a later scene, the group appear as the in-fight entertainment on Eddie Peyton's Ford Tri-motor. - The in flight movie on the Ford Tri-motor features Gerald MohrGerald MohrGerald Mohr was an American radio, film and television character actor who appeared in over 4,000 radio plays, 73 films and over 100 television shows....
and Anne BaxterAnne BaxterAnne Baxter was an American actress known for her performances in films such as The Magnificent Ambersons , The Razor's Edge , All About Eve and The Ten Commandments .-Early life:...
. - The character of Julius Peyton is virtually a carbon copy of Professor Julius Kelp from The Nutty ProfessorThe Nutty ProfessorThe Nutty Professor is a 1963 Paramount Pictures science fiction comedy feature film produced, directed, co-written and starring Jerry Lewis...
. Similar characters appeared in Rock-A-Bye Baby and The Big MouthThe Big MouthThe Big Mouth is a 1967 comedy film produced, directed, co-written by and starring Jerry Lewis released on July 12, 1967 by Columbia Pictures. It was filmed in San Diego and features Frank De Vol as an onscreen narrator.-Plot:...
.
Connections to other Jerry Lewis films
The clown makeup used by one of Lewis' characters was devised by Jerry Lewis for 3 Ring Circus3 Ring Circus
3 Ring Circus is a 1954 film comedy starring Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. It was shot from February 17 to March 31, 1954 and released on December 25 by Paramount Pictures.The film was the first starring Martin and Lewis to be shot in VistaVision...
. It was reused by Lewis a second time in Hardly Working
Hardly Working
Hardly Working is a comedy film directed by and starring Jerry Lewis. It was filmed in 1979, and was released in Europe in 1980 and in the United States on April 3, 1981 through 20th Century Fox.-Plot:...
.