THE LADIES MAN

Director Jerry Lewis / 1961 / USA

"A bizarre, sexually ambiguous, cantankerously sceptical burlesque on the ascent of feminine independence and the resulting commodification of masculinity." – Slant

Spurned by his college girlfriend, an eccentric young man (Jerry Lewis, at his manic best) resolves to avoid all romantic associations with the opposite sex. He gets a job at a boarding house, but soon discovers to his horror that all of the residents are women – and that his clumsy antics seem to do little to curb their interest in him.

Shot on a giant, stunningly intricate doll's house set – which Godard famously paid homage to in Tout va bienThe Ladies Man is one of Lewis' most ambitious comedies, effortlessly combining delightfully surreal slapstick with undercurrents of Freudian sexual neurosis.

"An astonishingly visually impressive comedy … the set is a masterpiece in its own right." – 4:3

Back To Index