A hapless carnival performer masquerades as the court jester as part of a plot against an evil ruler who has overthrown the rightful King.A hapless carnival performer masquerades as the court jester as part of a plot against an evil ruler who has overthrown the rightful King.A hapless carnival performer masquerades as the court jester as part of a plot against an evil ruler who has overthrown the rightful King.
- Awards
- 1 win & 1 nomination
- Marching Knights - Knighthood Ceremony
- (as The American Legion Zouaves Of Richard F. Smith Post No. 29 Jackson Michigan)
- Directors
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaFeatures Basil Rathbone's final sword fight on film.
- GoofsWhen Hubert and Maid Jean are nearing King Roderick's castle, Sir Ravenhurst and Sir Locksley watch their arrival through telescopes, an invention of the 17th century.
- Quotes
Hawkins: I've got it! I've got it! The pellet with the poison's in the vessel with the pestle; the chalice from the palace has the brew that is true! Right?
Griselda: Right. But there's been a change: they broke the chalice from the palace!
Hawkins: They *broke* the chalice from the palace?
Griselda: And replaced it with a flagon.
Hawkins: A flagon...?
Griselda: With the figure of a dragon.
Hawkins: Flagon with a dragon.
Griselda: Right.
Hawkins: But did you put the pellet with the poison in the vessel with the pestle?
Griselda: No! The pellet with the poison's in the flagon with the dragon! The vessel with the pestle has the brew that is true!
Hawkins: The pellet with the poison's in the flagon with the dragon; the vessel with the pestle has the brew that is true.
Griselda: Just remember that.
- Crazy creditsThe opening credits are a musical number where Hawkins dances around the credits as they appear. This is also the manner of a medieval theatre where an actor serves as a prologue to introduce the story.
- ConnectionsFeatured in The Dick Cavett Show: Danny Kaye (1971)
There are so many high points in the film that listing them would put me over quota. A close relative who's nearly humorless to this day says, "Get it? Got it. Good," when she wants to underscore a point she's made. Once in a while, I'll mutter "The vessel with the pestle..." when things seem to be getting a tad complicated. The film has impacted me significantly.
The lyrics of some of the sings are really good. "The Malajusted Jester" seems like something out of a Gilbert & Sullivan operetta.
This is doubtless Danny Kaye's comedic magnum opus. It isn't a "must see" (what is?) but if you haven't seen it, you're missing a lot.
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Details
Box office
- Budget
- $4,000,000 (estimated)
- Runtime1 hour 41 minutes
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1