The Delicate Delinquent

"JERRY LEWIS makes that blackboard jungle jump for joy. He's funnier than ever..."

1957 1h 41m EN

😐

6.4

MID

★6.4TMDB · 40

Comedy

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Sidney Pythias is a bumbling janitor picked up by cop Mike Damon as a teenage gang member worth saving from delinquency. With Damon's help, Sidney works his way through the Police Academy to become a cop too.

“JERRY LEWIS makes that blackboard jungle jump for joy. He's funnier than ever...”

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Cast

Jerry Lewis
Sidney L. Pythias
Darren McGavin
Mike Damon
Martha Hyer
Martha Henshaw
Robert Ivers
Monk
Horace McMahon
Capt. Riley
Richard Bakalyan
Artie
Joe Corey
Harry
Mary Webster
Patricia

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Don McGuire
Writers: Don McGuire
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

69 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Don McGuire, shot by Haskell B. Boggs. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Buddy Bregman. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Howard A. Smith shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Jerry Lewis and Darren McGavin and Martha Hyer carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "JERRY LEWIS makes that blackboard jungle jump for joy. He's funnier than ever...".

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0050301 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

Only 40 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Don McGuire directs. Haskell B. Boggs behind the camera. Buddy Bregman scores. Howard A. Smith cuts. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

169 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
2Directed by Don McGuire, shot by Haskell B. Boggs. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by Buddy Bregman. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor Howard A. Smith shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Jerry Lewis and Darren McGavin and Martha Hyer carry the top of the cast.
6Marketing tagline: "JERRY LEWIS makes that blackboard jungle jump for joy. He's funnier than ever...".
7IMDB entry: tt0050301 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Only 40 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

The technical file

Cinematography: Haskell B. Boggs
Original score: Buddy Bregman
Editing: Howard A. Smith
Costume design: Edith Head
Makeup / hair: Wally Westmore
Runtime: 101 min · 1h 41m
Status: Released
Original language: EN
Certification (US): NR
IMDB: The Delicate Delinquent (1957)

Also by

Don McGuire

Trailers & featurettes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

talisencrw2016-07-19
★ 8/10
With all of the American turmoil recently about police brutality, I thought watching this, Jerry Lewis' first solo venture after his misadventures with Dean Martin, would be an interesting experience. It was both touching, showing an older police officer showing compassion and trying to connect with a troubled but promising adolescent and help him out in life, and funny, giving one of the finest comedians of his time more space to strut his stuff. I'm glad I took the time and effort to check his comedies out. Happy 90th, Jerry Lewis! =)

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