The Prolific, Near-Genius, Self-Indulgent, and as Always Self-Referential Jerry Lewis is at it Again. Pushing Film Conventions just a Nudge, not Over the Edge, Never Wanting to be Totally Dismissed and Forever Seeking Approval, He Managed to be Creative as well as, Like Most Comedians, Inconsistent.Jerry's Fans Rate this One Pretty HIgh, some Considering it His Best along with The Nutty Professor (1963). It is Deeper than His Other Movies and Lewis, who was a Constant Thinker, seemed to be Thinking Overtime on this One.Like All Jerry Lewis Movies this has some Very Funny Bits and His Comic Timing is in Evident Here with a Scene Involving Voice Lessons and Antiques. The Sight Gags in Jerry's Movies are Consistently Innovative and Succeed without Fail, One after Another. Armed with an All-Star Supporting Cast and a Number of Cameos, the Perennial Clown just might have Reached too Far on this One because in this Film when it is Embarrassing (most Jerry Lewis Films include cringe-inducements) it is Really Embarrassing, like in the Nightclub Scene.Overall, this is One of Jerry's more Ambitious Movies and Probably One of HIs Best, although that's Debatable. Still if You are one of those that can Only take a Smattering of the Jerry Lewis Charm, this is Probably one You should Check Out. It's got it All.

An extremely funny Jerry Lewis movie in which Lewis plays a bellhop who happens to be the lookalike of a famous (very Jerry Lewis-like) celebrity. When the celebrity dies, the bellhop steps in...of course. In no time he's made into a superstar by handlers Peter Lorre, Phil Harris, etc. Not in a league with THE DISORDERLY ORDERLY or THE NUTTY PROFESSOR, but still a very worthy piece of work from the prolific Lewis (he co-wrote the script and directed as well). Lewis is hysterical and he's surrounded himself with a lot of great talent, none of whom gets short shrift in the mix...a very funny Hans Conried, a bizarre Nancy Kulp, and Richard Deacon pop up and Lewis's leading lady is the effervescent Ina Balin. With a really clever ending proving why Lewis was such an innovative film-maker. George Raft makes one his many '60s cameos playing himself along with Ed Wynn, Mel Torme and, of course, Hedda Hopper.

Jerry's best work, he is hilarious in this one, and he plays the character that made me a Jerry fan, the guy who says, "Hey laaady", not the freak he played in Nutty Professor... Anyone who doesn't like this movie is not a fan of comedy, they're fans of Paulie Shore... Love Jerry, Love the Patsy, thats what it's all about, home alone!Woody Allen has even commented on how Jerry's direction in this film is Superb...The whole ice dropping bellboy scene near the beginning, still makes me laugh like a wild man!Jerry is the King of Comedy and this is his crown jewel!

An office boy is turned into the great new sensation - a 'patsy' of a committee of old timers. Jerry Lewis is Stanley Belt, a clumsy, dumb kind of a man who seems the perfect fall guy to generate income for those pulling the strings.A strong supporting cast - Everett Sloane, Peter Lorre, Keenan Wynn, Phil Harris, John Carradine - shine in support of Lewis; while Ina Balin provides decoration and a love interest.'The Patsy' is slightly self-indulgent and presents both the best and the worst of Jerry Lewis, although when it is funny, it is well worth watching - the piece where Lewis sings on television is hilarious.If you're a Lewis fan, don't miss. If you're not, perhaps this isn't the one to start with. If you have no feelings either way, it is a pleasant way to spend an afternoon, with some general interest for film buffs.