I came to this because Jerry Seinfeld spoke so admiringly of it in his CCC with Jerry Lewis. I can't accuse him of under-selling it.I can see why the French thought Lewis was a super genius. They saw "The Bellboy" and thought, "well, it's not as bad as Italian neo-realism and that's supposed to be genius stuff..."I imagine audiences of the time got a kick out of this. It's a bunch of silly sketches connected into one film without a significant story. It's a bit of a precursor to a film like Monty Python's "The Holy Grail" but without the strong writing, the strong comedy timing and the strong editing. After watching this film one understands a bit why Monty Python was such a shock a decade later... "The Bell Boy" is what passed for film comedy in the 60s.I understand that he patched this thing together in record time. It's a feat in just that regard but would say that Lewis has over-estimated his ability to carry a scene by himself and underestimated the need for strong supporting players.The opening scene with the "executive" is a cop out. Did the studio make him add that? I don't know, but it is typical of this movie's habit of pre-telegraphing the joke so it's not funny when it finally arrives.

There are the ones who think he's a legendary comic genius from the 50's on. These are the folks who suffered through every bad self-directed movie and endless labor day telethon (let's welcome tony orlando and dawn!).And then there those who think his single greatest moment was playing jerry langford in the king of comedy. as the years have gone by, i have found i'm in the latter group.i have found that jerry lewis, and other comedians of his time like bob hope, terribly unfunny, especially in their movies. while the bellboy is an amazing piece of art (if you consider what he did to create it), it just isn't funny. it's a story-free tale, gag after gag, starring a largely silent jerry lewis, mugging at the camera like a chimp and creating strangely penalty-free chaos. like he always does. because i love the story of how he made it, i almost never turn it off if i come across it.i do have to put this film in the same category as the ladies man, which i always watch also, but because of that amazing multi-level set.

Jerry Lewis's directorial debut casts him as a none-too-bright bellhop in Miami Beach's Fontainebleau Hotel. The producer at the beginning explains the the movie has basically no plot, just a series of gags. That's basically true. "The Bellboy" is quite literally just an excuse to be funny, and Jerry Lewis definitely succeeds. It's the sort of flick that they truly must have had fun making. There is one scene in particular that must have been a little risqué to film - you'll know it when you see it - and some of the humor is certainly a little outdated, but in the grand scheme of things, this is a comedy classic! Also starring Alex Gerry, Bob Clayton and Milton Berle.HE WHAT?!!!!!!!!!!

Jerry Lewis wrote, produced, directed, and stars in this collection of skits centering around a put-upon bellhop at a Miami Beach hotel. Having just completed "Cinderfella" for a mid-year release, Lewis suggested to Paramount Pictures they hold off showing that film until Christmas and gave them this one in its place (put together in near-record time). Short and relatively painless, the film benefits from Haskell Boggs' sharp black-and-white cinematography, Walter Scharf's bright score, and of course the snazzy locale. Lewis, making his directorial debut, smoothly segues from one sight-gag to the next, and his low-key performance is actually one of his best. **1/2 from ****