Main Cast: Jerry Lewis, Darren McGavin, Martha Hyer, Robert Ivers, Horace McMahon
Release Year: 1956
Country: US
Run Time: 101 minutes
Plot
Jerry Lewis' first solo effort was also his first headlong plunge into pathos. The Delicate Delinquent stars Jerry as mixed-up teenaged janitor Sidney Pythias, a nice kid on the verge of throwing in with a not-so-nice street gang. Sensing potential in Sidney, police officer Mike Damon (Darren McGavin, in role originally intended for Lewis' ex-partner Dean Martin) takes the boy under his wing. To prove that Sidney can be weaned away from bad influences, Mike arranges for the boy to become a rookie cop, with fitfully hilarious results (the best scene, involving a monolingual Japanese gentleman, is also the most politically incorrect). Martha Hyer costars as an idealistic social worker with whom Mike (and briefly, Sidney) falls in love. The film's tenuous balance between juvenile-delinquent drama and slapstick comedy is never more pronounced than in the opening scene, wherein the clumsy Sidney, carrying a bulky garbage can, stumbles into the middle of a gang rumble. Though not Jerry Lewis' best film, Delicate Delinquent was a hit, proving he could carry a picture himself; as a bonus, Jerry gets to sing the significantly titled ditty "By Myself". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
The Delicate Delinquent indicated that maybe there was a reason that Jerry Lewis wanted to break off from his successful teaming with Dean Martin. Delinquent is quite different in tone from the typical Martin-Lewis vehicle; it's more serious and (comparably) weightier. Indeed, many of Lewis' post-partner films delved into somewhat darker territory. Unfortunately, they rarely delved successfully, and Delinquent is typical of the problems associated with many Lewis films. The marriage between serious and comic seems forced, and the satire of juvenile delinquency films peters out rather quickly. The "dramatic" portion of the film is clichéd and unconvincing, and the love story doesn't work. Lewis handles some of his serious moments rather well, but the character who talks about being lonely seems like a different person than the one who skyrockets off the screen during moments of slapstick silliness. Still, there are some worthwhile moments, such as the opening segment, which plays like a spin-off of West Side Story (although that film was not made until several years after Delinquent). Martha Hyer and Darren McGavin do well in the roles they're known for. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Sydney L. Pythias (Jerry Lewis), a 'juvenile delinquent' who is mistaken for a gang member. Mike Damon (Darren McGavin), a police officer who tries to straighten him out by putting him through police training. After a difficult training and a series of mishaps, Pythias finally proves his worth by graduating and become a police officer.
Production Notes
The Delicate Delinquent was filmed from September 5-October 12, 1956 and is based upon a script entitled Damon and Pythias. Darren McGavin stepped in to fill the role of a police officer that was originally written for Martin. Although the credits show a copyright date of 1956, the film was released the following year, a common practice in Hollywood.
Lewis, who also produced the film, played a 'juvenile', although he was 30 years old at the time.
The romantic interest in the film was provided mainly by actress Martha Hyer, who married Hal Wallis in 1966, the producer of the Dean Martin/Jerry Lewis films. Hyer's fancy dresses in the film were designed by longtime Paramount costumer designer Edith Head.
Comedian/impressionist Frank Gorshin made a rare dramatic appearance as a gang member in the film.
Business
The cost of the film was a little under $500,000, and it grossed about $6 million.[1]
Re-release
It was re-released in 1962 on a double bill with another Lewis film, The Sad Sack (1957).
