Danny Kaye is a comic genius, and I think “The Court Jester” is his finest film ever. His rare talent for fast talking, double-paced action, and outrageous facial expressions make this movie a must see, and dare I say, a must have, for any family library.
Kaye plays Hawkins, a former circus performer who now belongs to a band of other outlaws led by the Black Fox, whose mission is to overthrow the wicked King Roderick and place the rightful king on the throne. That rightful king will be recognized by the purple pimpernel birthmark on his buttock, and a child has been born that bears the mark. The Black Fox has taken the baby into hiding and the time has come to sneak the child into the castle, duel to the death with the present king, and restore order to the kingdom. Hawkins is given the task of smuggling the baby inside while the Fox rounds up more men to fight on their side. Along with Hawkins goes the beautiful maid Jean, Lieutenant in the Fox’s army, and on their journey to the castle, they fall in love.
A rainstorm overtakes them one night and they seek shelter in a shack. Along comes Giacomo, the king of jesters and jester of kings. He’s on his way to the castle and seeks respite from the storm. Hawkins and Jean realize that this man is their key to gaining entrance to the castle, and they overtake him, stealing his clothes and wagon Hawkins sets out for the castle the next morning, impersonating Giacomo. What he does not realize is that Giacomo is an assassin, paid by Sir Ravenhurst, to commit a murder. He’s too busy trying to locate the court’s inside man, who is working for the Fox and will help hide the baby. When Sir Ravenhurst contacts him to discuss the murder, Hawkins assumes that he’s the man who will help hide the baby, and completely ignores every attempt from the real inside man to catch his eye.
It’s impossible for me to put into words the sheer hilarity that follows. Princess Gwendolyn falls in love with Hawkins and asks her witch to go fetch him. The witch puts a spell on him to make him brave and daring, madly in love with the Princess and ready to do anything it takes to win her heart. Whenever he hears the snapping of fingers, he will dash into action. Of course, there’s an inordinate amount of fingersnapping in the movie, but that only makes it funnier.
The best scene of all is when Hawkins must fight a duel. He is told that there is a poison placed inside one of the ceremonial flagons that the combatants will drink from before they fight, and he is told which flagon holds the poison. You see, the flagon with the dragon holds the pellet with the poison but the chalice with the palace has the brew that is true. Hawkins tries valiantly to remember this simple rhyme, but that gets all mixed up too.
In the end, good prevails and the evil king is ousted. Life couldn’t better be, and this movie really couldn’t have been any better either. Except maybe it could have lasted a little longer.
Side Note: You will recognize Maid Jean as Glynis Johns, who later starred as the mother in “Mary Poppins.”
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