Wow! What contrasting views. I must admit to having a very soft spot for this movie. As a child growing up in Auckland in the 1950's,I first saw "The Caddy" at a children's matinée,at our local cinema,in 1954. Perhaps in light of the fact that I became obsessed with the movies from the tender age of seven and was easy to please,I loved Martin and Lewis from the outset. On purchasing the DVD so many years later,I discovered that my enjoyment of the movie was genuine and not just nostalgic. The songs are great .Dean does a smooth job of 'That's Amore' and 'You're The Right One' and his duets with Jerry are among their best. I just can't be critical of Jerry Lewis when he still makes me laugh out loud,especially while being chased around the store by Fred Clark or when he hands over a tray of cocktails to an indignant guest. His 'Gay Continental' turn is priceless too. ''The Caddy" and "Living It Up" are my pick of the Martin and Lewis vehicles,probably because they contain their very best songs and feature Donna Reed and Janet Leigh.

I am not a Martin and Lewis fan, but to my surprise I enjoyed watching the Paramount DVD of this entry. One of the fascinating things I noticed is that you can actually see why Martin decided to split up the super-successful partnership. Jerry does his best to upstage Dean not only at every opportunity, but you get the impression that he is actually making some of these opportunities himself, and knowing director Norman Taurog as well as I do, I would definitely say that Taurog would have certainly encouraged Lewis in this endeavor so long as it didn't delay production! And even if you don't agree with this assertion, it's quite obvious that Norman did nothing to discourage Jerry's antics. No wonder Dean decided that a little Jerry goes more than a long way. All the same, Dean has not much to actually complain about. He has plenty of scenes without Jerry, but he still acts as if he had a chip on his shoulder. It's the lovely Donna Reed who receives the short end of the stick, and as for the equally lovely Barbara Bates, blink and you'll miss her! Of course, if you're a golf fan you'll enjoy seeing some of the greats on the screen. So, all told, the movie is definitely a mixed blessing, but it has dated rather well.

It May be Hard to Believe Revisiting Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis Today, as a Musical-Comedy Team They were Once Considered the Cream of 1950's Entertainment. Immensely Popular and Rolling Along with the Highest of Salaries these Two Mediocre Talents were what Passed for Genius in the World of Light Entertainment in the Eisenhower Era.They weren't Bad but Great is not an Adjective that comes Immediately to Mind. Popular is More Like it, and Popular They Were. They Must have had Something because the Box-Office Cash Registers Rung and the Duo were in Demand on TV, Nightclubs, and in the Movies.This Movie is just One More of the Mediocrities that the Team Produced that was Formulaic to the Extreme and Hardly a Stretch for the Performers. Jerry can get Laughs but the Ego Never Fails to get Involved. For Example, He couldn't let Dino be the Crooner, Lewis had to Sing and Sing a lot. He even had to Weasel in on "That's Amore" with His Obnoxious Whine. It is Possible that if Lewis could have just let Things Unfold Naturally with the Strengths of the Two, They could have been even More Respected Critically, Better Remembered, and Possibly the Act would have Stayed Together Much Longer.But Jerry Lewis could Not Help Himself. So in this OK Movie He Warbles Songs and does Everything He can to Upstage not Only Dean but the Whole Movie. Even Donna Reed is Wasted in a Pitifully Bland Role, Fresh off an Oscar. The Fat Man Yucking it Up at Jerry in Every Turn is a Prime Example of the Self Congratulatory Lewis.

this was the first film of the famed martin and lewis team that i've seen. in fact so far it's the only one i've seen. and right now i'm wondering how in the hell did thse two guys build a franchise with this junk? i love the marx bros, the honeymooners, chaplin, keaton, abbott and costello even the stooges, so it's not like i don't like screball antics it's just that 'the caddy' is a really bad film thats even more poorly directed and produced. i hope the next film of theirs i see makes me want to watch a third but right now these two have swung and missed.