Cinderfella is Jerry Lewis's Cinderella story with role reversal. Jerry is once again a poor schnook living on an estate with his stepmother Judith Anderson and stepbrothers Henry Silva and Robert Hutton. All of them treat the furniture better than they do Lewis. Anderson is hoping to make a match for Hutton with Ruritanian princess Anna Maria Alberghetti as the family fortune is dwindling.
A tale as universal as Cinderella need not be repeated. We all know what happens in the end. Lewis is under the careful guidance of Frank Tashlin who knew how to get the best performances from him, especially as a solo artist.
Harry Warren and Jack Brooks wrote some rather serviceable but forgettable songs for Lewis though why Alberghetti didn't have a number who knows. I'll bet she did and it was cut.
Standing out in the supporting cast are Ed Wynn also restrained for him as he was one of the zaniest performers ever as Jerry's fairy godfather. Imagine if after Francis Ford Coppola's epics Cinderfella was made what The Godfather might have looked like. And Judith Anderson was properly sinister as the stepmother.
Jerry's fans will appreciate this and it's not bad. But personally the Rodgers&Hammerstein television musical is still best.
A tale as universal as Cinderella need not be repeated. We all know what happens in the end. Lewis is under the careful guidance of Frank Tashlin who knew how to get the best performances from him, especially as a solo artist.
Harry Warren and Jack Brooks wrote some rather serviceable but forgettable songs for Lewis though why Alberghetti didn't have a number who knows. I'll bet she did and it was cut.
Standing out in the supporting cast are Ed Wynn also restrained for him as he was one of the zaniest performers ever as Jerry's fairy godfather. Imagine if after Francis Ford Coppola's epics Cinderfella was made what The Godfather might have looked like. And Judith Anderson was properly sinister as the stepmother.
Jerry's fans will appreciate this and it's not bad. But personally the Rodgers&Hammerstein television musical is still best.