The Sad Sack
Encyclopedia
The Sad Sack is a 1957 Paramount Pictures
comedy film
starring Jerry Lewis
and Peter Lorre
.
), is assigned to make him into a good soldier, and she enlists two fellow servicemen to help Bixby with his training. About the only thing that he can do right is remember things with his photographic memory.
Eventually they are assigned to a base in Morocco
. One night they all head off to a bar and Bixby gets drunk on "Moroccan Delights", which he thinks are malteds
. He gets involved with a femme fatale
(Liliane Montevecchi
) and is kidnapped by some Arabian renegades. Adbul (Peter Lorre
) guards Bixby and makes him assemble a stolen cannon, which Bixby had already memorized the instructions to back at the base. Eventually Bixby is rescued by his fellow soldiers and they are all presented with medals of honor.
's comic book character. Hal Wallis purchased the movie rights with the intention of it starring the comedy team Martin and Lewis
, but they split up before filming began. The film was shot between March 18 and May 31, 1957 and released on November 27. The film was re-released in 1962 as a double feature with another Jerry Lewis film, The Delicate Delinquent
.
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...
comedy film
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
starring 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...
and Peter Lorre
Peter Lorre
Peter Lorre was an Austrian-American actor frequently typecast as a sinister foreigner.He caused an international sensation in 1931 with his portrayal of a serial killer who preys on little girls in the German film M...
.
Plot
Lewis plays Private Meredith Bixby, who cannot fall in line with army procedure, even though he has had 17 months of training. A psychologist (Phyllis KirkPhyllis Kirk
-Early life and career:Born Phyllis Kirkegaard in Syracuse, New York , she contracted polio as a child which resulted in health problems for the rest of her life. As a teen, she moved to New York City to study acting and changed her last name to "Kirk"...
), is assigned to make him into a good soldier, and she enlists two fellow servicemen to help Bixby with his training. About the only thing that he can do right is remember things with his photographic memory.
Eventually they are assigned to a base in Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
. One night they all head off to a bar and Bixby gets drunk on "Moroccan Delights", which he thinks are malteds
Malted milk
Malted milk is a powdered food product made from a mixture of malted barley, wheat flour, and whole milk, which is evaporated until it forms a powder....
. He gets involved with a femme fatale
Femme fatale
A femme fatale is a mysterious and seductive woman whose charms ensnare her lovers in bonds of irresistible desire, often leading them into compromising, dangerous, and deadly situations. She is an archetype of literature and art...
(Liliane Montevecchi
Liliane Montevecchi
Liliane Montevecchi is a French actress, dancer, and singer.Montevecchi began her career as a prima ballerina in Roland Petit's dance company...
) and is kidnapped by some Arabian renegades. Adbul (Peter Lorre
Peter Lorre
Peter Lorre was an Austrian-American actor frequently typecast as a sinister foreigner.He caused an international sensation in 1931 with his portrayal of a serial killer who preys on little girls in the German film M...
) guards Bixby and makes him assemble a stolen cannon, which Bixby had already memorized the instructions to back at the base. Eventually Bixby is rescued by his fellow soldiers and they are all presented with medals of honor.
Production
The film is based upon George BakerGeorge Baker (cartoonist)
George Baker was a cartoonist who became prominent during World War II as the creator of the popular comic strip, The Sad Sack.-Early life and education:...
's comic book character. Hal Wallis purchased the movie rights with the intention of it starring the comedy team Martin and Lewis
Martin and Lewis
Martin and Lewis were an American comedy team, comprising singer Dean Martin and comedian Jerry Lewis as the comedic "foil". The pair first met in 1945; their debut as a duo occurred at Atlantic City's 500 Club on July 24/25, 1946....
, but they split up before filming began. The film was shot between March 18 and May 31, 1957 and released on November 27. The film was re-released in 1962 as a double feature with another Jerry Lewis film, The Delicate Delinquent
The Delicate Delinquent
The Delicate Delinquent is a 1957 American black-and-white film starring Jerry Lewis. It was filmed in 1956 and released on June 6, 1957 by Paramount Pictures and is notable as the first film that Lewis made without his longtime partner Dean Martin....
.