The Nutty Professor

"What does he become? What kind of monster?"

1963 1h 47m EN

👍

6.5

SOLID

🍅

83%

FRESH

⭐

6.6

IMDB

★6.5TMDB · 487🍅83%Rotten Tomatoes★6.6IMDB · 20,527

ComedyScience Fiction

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A timid, nearsighted chemistry teacher discovers a magical potion that can transform him into a suave and handsome Romeo. The Jekyll and Hyde game works well enough until the concoction starts to wear off at the most embarrassing times.

“What does he become? What kind of monster?”

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Cast

Jerry Lewis
Professor Julius F. Kelp / Buddy Love / Baby Kelp
Stella Stevens
Stella Purdy
Del Moore
Dr. Hamius R. Warfield
Henry Gibson
Gibson, College Student
Kathleen Freeman
Millie Lemmon
Richard Kiel
Man in Gym (uncredited)
Norman Alden
Football Player
Howard Morris
Mr. Elmer Kelp

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Jerry Lewis
Writers: Jerry Lewis, Bill Richmond, Robert Louis Stevenson
Languages: English, Italian, French
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

63 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 3 languages: English, Italian, French.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Jerry Lewis, shot by W. Wallace Kelley. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Jerry Lewis and Stella Stevens and Del Moore carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "What does he become? What kind of monster?".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0057372 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Jerry Lewis directs. W. Wallace Kelley behind the camera. Walter Scharf scores. John Woodcock cuts. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English, Italian, French.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

163 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
2Dialogue crosses 3 languages: English, Italian, French.
3Directed by Jerry Lewis, shot by W. Wallace Kelley. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Walter Scharf. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor John Woodcock shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Jerry Lewis and Stella Stevens and Del Moore carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "What does he become? What kind of monster?".
8IMDB entry: tt0057372 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Classified under 13 themes, including "professor", "chemistry", "nerd", "alter ego".

The technical file

Cinematography: W. Wallace Kelley
Original score: Walter Scharf
Editing: John Woodcock
Costume design: Edith Head
Makeup / hair: Jack Stone
Runtime: 107 min · 1h 47m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: EN
IMDB: The Nutty Professor (1963)
Rotten Tomatoes: 83% 🍅 Fresh
IMDB rating: 6.6/10 · 20,527 votes
MPAA: Approved
US box office: $7,630,000

Awards

1 win & 1 nomination total

Also by

Jerry Lewis

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

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Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

John Chard2020-04-22
★ 9/10
Robert Louis Stevenson's story stripped bare. Jerry Lewis stars, directs, produces and co-writes (with Bill Richmond) this comedy take on Robert Louis Stevenson's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The Nutty Professor is a film I adored as a child, and truth be told most of Jerry Lewis' films made a humorous mark in my spotty youth, but not many can now be viewed in adulthood and still tickle the rib cage with the same mirthful impact. The Nutty Professor still does to me now what it first did many many years ago. Reading some of the reviews around the internet you can see some people going a bit deeper than is really necessary, yes there are some interesting things to delve into if you so wish, (beauty skin deep, the meek rising, be yourself, social acceptance issues etc etc) but ultimately it's a comedy spin on the Dr. Jekyll & Mr Hyde story with Jerry Lewis in sublime pratfall mode. Lewis' reading of the "good & bad" side of one man is basically he expressing he himself, and he has great fun with both sides of the character. There's some very funny sequences along the way, reference Kelp's attempt at bulking up at the gym and jitterbugging at the dance, and all things build to the climax where common sense prevails as the heart strings get tugged and the smile lands firmly on the face. Joining Lewis in the froth broth as the love interest is Stella Stevens, who is not only socko sexy and gorgeous - splendidly attired in Edith Head's figure hugging costumes - she also proves to be great foil for both of Lewis' characterisations. Awash with Technicolor and comic vibrancy, The Nutty Professor is a classic case of comedic film making done with invention and a sheer willingness to entertain. 9/10

Production companies