The Geisha Boy
| The Geisha Boy | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Directed by | Frank Tashlin |
| Produced by | Jerry Lewis |
| Written by |
Frank Tashlin Rudy Makoul |
| Starring |
Jerry Lewis Marie McDonald Suzanne Pleshette |
| Music by | Walter Scharf |
| Cinematography | Loyal Griggs |
| Edited by | Alma Macrorie |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
|
Release date
|
December 19, 1958 |
|
Running time
|
99 minutes |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $3.2 million (est. US/ Canada rentals) 1,329,398 admissions (France) |
The Geisha Boy is a 1958 American comedy film starring Jerry Lewis, distributed by Paramount Pictures. Filmed from June 16 to August 7, 1958, it had its first screening in New York City on December 19, 1958. This film marked the film debut of Suzanne Pleshette.
The Great Wooley (Jerry Lewis) is a magician who is entertaining GIs in Japan. Upon their arrival, he causes a series of unfortunate mishaps for the headliner, actress Lola Livingston (Marie McDonald), including tearing her dress, knocking her down a flight of stairs, and rolling her up in the red carpet. An orphan, Mitsuo Watanabe (Robert Hirano) witnesses the spectacle and laughs for the first time since his parents died. When his aunt Kimi Sikita (Nobu McCarthy) brings the boy to Wooley to thank him, he and the boy become close, which irritates the aunt's boyfriend, a Japanese baseball player, as well as a USO liaison (Suzanne Pleshette) who has fallen for Wooley.
Wooley doesn't want to disappoint the boy by letting him find out that he has been a total flop, so he tries to sneak away when it is time for him to return to America. The boy follows him, and Wooley must pretend that he no longer cares for the boy, which makes him cry. However, he still follows him to America by stowing away on the plane. Once in America, they are reunited and Wooley is accused of kidnapping "Mitzi" who is then returned to Japan. Wooley follows in the same way that "Mitzi" did but is "smarter" by hiding in a specially marked trunk but must be rescued after it falls off the baggage train after which Mr. Wooley decides to stay and become a successful performer of magic in Japan along with his pet, friend and co-star, Harry the rabbit (later named Harriet, after she gave birth to a litter of baby rabbits during a performance).
At one point in the film, the boy and Wooley look at Mount Fuji in the distance. When the arc of stars as seen in the logo for Paramount Pictures (producers of the film) flashes momentarily, Wooley does a shocked double-take.
...
Wikipedia