The Bellboy (1960)
Stanley is a bellboy at the Fountainbleau Hotel in Miami Beach. It is there that he performs his duties quietly and without a word to anyone. All that he displays are facial expressions and a comedic slapstick style. And anything that can go wrong - does go wrong when Stanley is involved. Then one day, Jerry Lewis, big star, arrives at the hotel and some of the staff notice the striking resemblance. Stanley continues to do what he was hired to do while star Lewis has more trouble with his entourage than the hotel accommodations.
It's a Series of Silly Sequences and One of Jerry's All-Time Great Comedy Performances!
Mr. Novak, Hotel Manager: Stop shaking your head! What's a matter with you, can't you talk?
Stanley: Certainly, I can talk. I suspect I can talk as well as any other man, Mr. Novak.
Mr. Novak, Hotel Manager: In that case, how is it we never heard you talk before?
Stanley: Because no one ever asked me.
Fontainebleau Hilton Resort - 4441 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, Florida, USA
The cast of this film is comprised largely of nightclub performers who were appearing in or near the Fontainbleau Hotel in Miami, FL, during the time of filming. Jerry Lewis was under tremendous pressure to finish the film quickly in order for it to be released in time for the summer season. Despite writing a 165-page script (enough for a film of roughly 2-1/2 hours), Lewis' final cut ran 71 minutes.
Jerry Lewis is credited with having created the video-assist technique for this film. At the time it was called "Closed Circuit Television Applied to Motion Pictures," for which he was awarded a patent.
Cinderfella (1960) was ready to be released that summer, but Jerry Lewis wanted it to wait until Christmas, being a family-oriented film. Regardless, Paramount demanded a summer film, so Lewis shot this film in four weeks, directing himself because nobody else could do it as quickly as needed.
Jerry Lewis wrote the script in eight days.
Lewis offered the job of director to Billy Wilder who suggested that he should direct it himself.
Continuity
When Stanley is taking a break and goes to sit down at the bar, a napkin suddenly appears during the cutaway.
Stanley takes Mr Carter to Room 625, they walk down a passageway and turn the corner. Room 626 is next to it on the right. When Stanley exits, Room 626 is not there. In fact he comes out of the last room on the left of the passageway.
During the film's introduction sequence Jerry Lewis is seen writing his name using his finger on a white glass surface. When the camera zooms in it's clear the penmanship is different and was obviously written by two different people.
Factual errors
Several hand-lettered signs have obvious spelling errors. In the room where the bellboy steams pants, there is a notice about "tennants"; soon after, on the card warning non-guests not to watch the TV, there is a misplaced apostrophe in "yo'ure".
Crew or equipment visible
The camera's shadow is visible on several occasions.
Boom mic visible
When the staff helps the overweight Mrs. Hartung up the stairs you see the reflection of the boom mic raising up in the window
Character error
When Stanley is trying to call for the elevator and keeps missing the button the bell captain is giving him the evil eye. When the elevator door opens and Stanley falls in you can see Bob the bell captain break character and start laughing.