The Big Mouth Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.0

The Big Mouth Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov March 9, 2022

Jerry Lewis' "The Big Mouth" (1967) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Via Vision Entertainment. The supplemental features on the disc include exclusive new audio commentary with film historian and curator Justin Humphreys; vintage promotional materials for the film; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

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The Big Mouth should have been one of Jerry Lewis’ best films, possibly even his masterpiece. Lewis wrote and directed it, plus he had total control in the editing room. So, in its current form, it turned out exactly as Lewis supposedly envisioned it.

But there is a lot of very awkward material in this film, and the closer one examines it, the clearer it becomes that Lewis’ direction is responsible for it. For example, virtually the entire supporting cast appears to have been left to operate on autopilot, which is why so much of what happens around Lewis looks like semi-amateurish improvising. There are a couple of sequences with the lovely Susan Bay Nimoy where her struggle to properly react while Lewis’ character switches personalities is impossible to ignore. So, how did Lewis miss it? The only logical answer seems to be that he did not, and for some very important reason he concluded that these sequences worked as intended. But what could this important reason be, then? The only logical answer to this question seems to be that it had everything to do with his performance, not Nimoy’s. Could it be that Lewis was so pleased with his work that he was willing to overlook what did not work as well as it could have?

The glue that is supposed to hold the traditional slapstick and the romantic material is pretty weak, too. Lewis plays an overworked newspaper reporter whose life spins out of control when he visits his favorite fishing spot in San Diego and pulls out of the ocean a mobster who has been shot by his associates. While dying in his hands, the mobster then reveals that he has stolen precious diamonds that could change his life forever. Soon after, the cheated associates begin tracking down the reporter but only because for some very, very odd reason he looks like the long-lost twin brother of the dead mobster. While the chase is on, the reporter becomes a brilliant chameleon and bumps into a hopelessly romantic and emotionally available stewardess (Nimoy) ready to have the greatest adventure of her life.

The bulk of what Lewis does while trying to figure out where the diamonds are and stay alive will easily meet the expectations of his greatest fans. The goofy high-roller, in particular, borrows plenty from Lewis’ classic early character transformations. However, it routinely feels like Lewis is simply going through a string of individual acts, so when he begins transitioning to the romantic material where Nimoy has to be involved as well the continuity becomes very problematic. Add to this the troubles with the supporting cast and suddenly there is a permanent feeling that instead of an ensemble piece the final product is a choppy one-man play garnished with underwhelming, often even quite random contributions.

One more interesting question that needs to be asked is whether this film would have turned out better if someone else was allowed to operate the camera. The most likely answer is probably not. Because it was conceived by Lewis, it seems logical to assume that once it ended up in the editing room, he still would have shaped it up in a way he liked. It also seems logical to assume that his performance still would have been the catalyst of everything meaningful that happens in the film, which is precisely why so much of it looks so unconvincing.

Lewis worked with cinematographer W. Wallace Kelly, who also lensed arguably his greatest hits, The Ladies Man, The Errand Boy, and The Nutty Professor.

The Big Mouth Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, The Big Mouth arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Via Vision Entertainment.

The master that was used to source this release is older and comes from Sony Pictures' vaults. It has a couple of obvious limitations, but I like it quite a lot. For example, delineation and depth usually range from good to very good, while clarity is always pleasing. There are no traces of problematic digital corrections either, which is always good news. I like the color balance too, though this is an area that could see some meaningful improvements if a few nuances are properly expanded. I noticed a couple of white specks, but there are no large cuts, debris, warped or torn frames. So, what are the limitations? There are a few areas where bright light produces mild halo-like effect. You can see a very obvious example in screencapture #17, and a less obvious example in screencaptures #5 and 12. This isn't conventional edge-enhancement, which is why during normal playback its presence is either dramatically diminished or almost completely eliminated. It is an inherited limitation exacerbated by old technology, and as you could see from our screencaptures elsewhere in the film, including during bright daylight footage, the effect is missing. So, once you sit down to view the film these visuals will still have fine organic qualities. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location).

The Big Mouth Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

Clarity and sharpness were as good as I expected them to be. However, I did notice some mild unevenness in a couple of segments that can probably be eliminated with contemporary digital tools. Dynamic intensity is good, but as usual I have to remind that the film's original sound design isn't too impressive. On the other hand, Harry Betts' score does plenty to enhance the film's atmosphere, so you should still expect to hear some quite good dynamic contrasts.

The Big Mouth Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary - an exclusive new commentary recorded by film historian and curator Justin Humphreys.

• Super 8 Version - presented here is an archival Super 8 Version of The Big Mouth. In English, not subtitled. (20 min).

• Trailer - a vintage U.S. trailer for The Big Mouth. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

• TV Spots - a couple of vintage U.S. TV spots for The Big Mouth. In English, not subtitled. (2 min).

• Textless Opening/Closing - in English, not subtitled. (4 min).

• Photo Gallery - a collection of vintage promotional materials. for The Big Mouth from around the world.

The Big Mouth Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Big Mouth if a very, very difficult film to critique. There is some quality material with Jerry Lewis in it and arguing the opposite is just silly. On the other hand, it does not work particularly well as an ensemble piece because virtually all of the contributions from the supporting cast are quite disappointing. I find it extremely odd that Lewis did not intervene to have a better final product, but I have to admit that I can also think of a couple of regrettable reasons why the film looks exactly as it does. Ultimately, it is irrelevant what took place because Lewis made the film he wanted, and as it is, it is clearly not one of his best. Via Vision Entertainment's release is sourced from an older but nice organic master that was supplied by Sony Pictures. It is included in Jerry Lewis at Columbia, a two-disc box set, together with Hook, Line and Sinker.