This may be the best of the Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis comedy movie pairings. "Artists and Models" is fairly sophisticated with witty dialog along with the antics. And the antics in this one are very good, with some highly imaginative skits. On top of that, this film is a satire. It spoofs or pokes fun at many interests. Among these are superstitions that were very popular in the mid-20th century (astrology and numerology). It ravages comic books and hits quite hard on television. It spoofs the toy industry, government security and military top-secret plans. It has fun with spying during the Cold War - spoofing the CIA and Soviet KGB.
The cast includes some short appearances by top Hollywood glamour girls of the day; and the entire cast perform well. Dean is Rick Todd, Jerry is Eugene Fullstack, Shirley MacLaine is Bessie Sparrowbrush, and Dorothy Malone plays the other female lead as Abby Parker. Eddie Mayehoff is hilarious as Mr. Murdock and Kathleen Freeman as Mrs. Muldoon appears to have two roles. She is the apartment owner or manager and she reprises one of her Swedish massage roles for great laughter.
Several comedy skits that often have hijinks or antics are innovative and hilarious. The first is a one-bean dinner, with Jerry doing the carving that leads viewers to some healthy howling. There is a stairway scene that's a riot with Jerry and a young Shirley MacLaine in just her second movie. And, a chiropractic double skit is a riot. Jerry is maneuvered and mangled on a massage table with some very funny twists (literal), and then coerces Dean and three women onto the table for a very funny menagerie, which he then escapes.
One very funny scene doesn't involve either lead. Murdock is chewing out Abby for not delivering the right stuff for his comic books. "You're supposed to be an artist and a writer of children's stories," he says. "..62 pages of drawings, and no blood. Not even an itsy bitsy nosebleed. Suffering catfish, you call this a Murdock book for kiddies? With no stranglings? With no decapitations? Where are they? Look at the competition we're getting from television. Night before, I counted 13 murders - four stranglings, nine suffocations and six poisonings (sic) - on two channels in one hour. And another thing. Just you think of this, girl. When they're able to show that red blood gushing out of open wounds in spectacular color - and they'll get it free, right into the living rooms there sponsored by those friendly used car dealers."
In one scene, two men are in a far building spying on Murdock in his office. We can't see the face of one who's looking through binoculars. The other guy asks what they are doing down there. In a voice that sounds very much like that of Jimmy Stewart, the other guys says, "I can't see too well through this 'Rear Window.'" What a hoot. This film came out when Dwight Eisenhower was president. Ike like to golf and often was in the news around his golf outings. One of the CIA agents thanks Rick for helping them uproot the KGB spies. "Who knows, the President might invite you to the White House," he says. "I doubt that," Rick replies. "Why?" the agent asks. ""I shoot in the low 70s," Rick answered.
"Artists and Models" has four or five songs. There weren't any memorable tunes, and most just weren't that good. The film could easily have done without the musical numbers. Just a little rewrite would be needed.
Martin and Lewis made two films together in supporting roles before they became top billing and films were scripted for and around them. The first starring role for the duo was "At War with the Army" in 1950. They made 16 films together from 1949 to 1956, and all were box office successes.
Here are some favorite lines from this film.
Abigail 'Abby' Parke, "Listen, the man that a woman doesn't want doesn't exist."
Rick Todd, "I like the way your bone structure's structured."
Rick Todd, "Real nice, Murdock. Very nice. Couple more issues and you and I will make 'em forget Hitler." Mr. Murdock, "Now wait a minute. Don't get squeamish, Todd."
Bessie Sparrowbrush, "You know, numerology's a science. I take the numbers - the day, the month and the year that I was born. I add the day, the month and the year that Eugene was born, and that answer I divide with my street address. Then I add that to my social security number, and with that answer I divide with Eugene's social security number. Then I multiply that by the number of dancing lessons I take. And, the number of calories I eat in one day I subtract from that, and I multiply the whole thing by the time and that's the end of it." Abigail 'Abby' Parker, "How's it work out?" Bessie, "Zero -- Eugene again."
