Main Cast: Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Mona Freeman, Don DeFore, Robert Strauss
Release Year: 1952
Country: US
Run Time: 96 minutes
Plot
Although The Stooge had been filmed right after Martin and Lewis' Sailor Beware, the film was temporarily shelved so that the team could continue their winning streak of military comedies with Jumping Jacks. This time, Dean Martin plays Chick Allen, a paratrooper-in-training whose commanding officer intends to do away with all camp variety shows. In desperation, Chick sends for his old nightclub partner Hap Smith (Jerry Lewis) to change the CO's mind. In order to gain entry to the military base, Hap is forced to pose as a GI, and thus the plot proper gets under way. Most of the "awkward squad" gags are straight out of Abbott and Costello, with Lewis messing up at each and every turn while Martin lags behind for damage control. The film concludes with a routine from Abbot and Costello's Keep 'Em Flying, wherein Martin and Lewis bail out from a plane in flight, with one parachute between them. Robert Strauss repeats his Sailor Beware duties as Lewis' irascible topkick, while nominal leading lady Mona Freeman does practically nothing magnificently. Dean's songs include the deathless "Do the Parachute Jump". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
Jumping Jacks is arguably the best of the Dean Martin-Jerry Lewis films, but exactly why is hard to say. The basic plot is hardly original, the kind of mistaken identity, fish out of water nonsense that has been seen in countless films, often with wittier dialogue and fresher variations. Yet for some reason, Jacks' script comes across as "tried and true" rather than "tired and formulaic." Perhaps some credit must go to Norman Taurog, an old, experienced hand at taking familiar situations and milking them for all they're worth; Taurog certainly keeps things moving, and his direction has an air of freshness to it, as if he couldn't help but be amused by the goings-on and the cast that he's working with. Martin and Lewis, also mining familiar territory, really click in Jacks; the chemistry is in high gear, and they each have time to shine individually. Lewis overdoes as usual, but it's tolerable this time, and there are many moments when one sees why he had such incredible appeal for many moviegoers. Martin is in good voice, and has a lot of fun with the ridiculous "Parachute Jump." The supporting cast stays out of the way of the stars, but does what's asked of them. Whatever the reason, Jumping Jacks is a surprisingly good film. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Richard Erdman - Dogface Dolan; Ray Teal - Gen. Timmons; Marcy McGuire - Julia Loring; Danny Arnold - Pvt. Evans; Alex Gerry - Earl White; Edwin Max - Sam Gilmore; Charles Evans - Gen. Bond
Credit
Henry Bumstead - Art Director, Hal Pereira - Art Director, Robert Sidney - Choreography, Edith Head - Costume Designer, Norman Taurog - Director, Stanley E. Johnson - Editor, Mack David - Composer (Music Score), Jerry Livingston - Composer (Music Score), Joseph Lilley - Musical Direction/Supervision, Mack David - Songwriter, Jerry Livingston - Songwriter, Daniel L. Fapp - Cinematographer, Hal B. Wallis - Producer, Sam Comer - Set Designer, Emile Kuri - Set Designer, Brian Marlow - Screen Story, Harbert Baker - Screenwriter, Robert Lees - Screenwriter, Frederic I. Rinaldo - Screenwriter, Richard Weil - Screenwriter, James Allardice - Screenwriter
Chick Allen (Dean Martin) is a paratrooper. He invites his former partner, Hap Smith (Jerry Lewis), to help out with a show that he and the other soldiers are preparing. However, the general is unhappy with the quality of past shows and is threatening to eliminate them unless the quality improves, which is why Chick has invited Hap to help.
Hap, who has continued the nightclub act with a new partner, Betty Carter (Mona Freeman), poses as a soldier so that he can do one performance for Chick with the general in the audience. However, the show impresses the general so much that he arranges for the show (including Hap) to tour other camps. Fearing a court-martial, Chick and the rest of the performers pass Hap off as Private "Dogface" Dolan, while the real "Dogface" (Dick Erdman) goes into hiding.
Hap undergoes paratrooper training to keep up the ruse, but he is very accident prone. However, it works to his benefit as everything he does inadvertently is the 'correct military conduct'. The top sergeant (Robert Strauss) takes notice and praises him.
Understandably, Hap wants to return to civilian life and tries to sneak away at any chance he can get, but Chick always manages to stop him. During one of his escape attempts, during some war maneuvers, Hap destroys a key bridge and captures an enemy general. His is eventually exposed as a civilian, but is sworn in as a paratrooper and becomes a hero.
Production
Jumping Jacks was filmed from December 3, 1951 through January 23, 1952. The original story was written during World War II by Robert Lees and Fred Rinaldo and acquired by Paramount Pictures. It was offered first to Bob Hope, then to Danny Kaye who both turned it down because they had already done army comedies. Paramount made arrangements to bring Cantinflas up from Mexico for the film but the war ended making army comedies obsolete.[1] The screenplay was updated for Martin and Lewis by Herbert Baker who would write several other films for the team as well as write for Martin on The Dean Martin Show and three of the Matt Helm films.
