Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		5.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		1.0
Overall		4.0

The Court Jester Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman January 20, 2021

The Court Jester was neither favorably reviewed nor well attended upon its initial release in 1956, but the film has deservedly developed a following in the decades since. A lavishly produced, smartly scripted, and perfectly played picture, Director Melvin Frank's film is a fine example of a costume comedy, thanks largely to Danny Kaye's legendary performance. Filled with unforgettable dialogue, memorable moments, and humor in abundance, it's lighthearted cinema escapism at its finest.

The evil King Roderick (Cecil Parker) has violently seized control of the throne and hunts the last remaining heir, the baby with the purple pimpernel birthmark. Hubert Hawkins (Danny Kaye) is part of a band of rebels protecting the royal baby, but his job isn't to fight but rather to entertain. He wishes to fight and poses as the rebellion leader, The Black Fox (Edward Ashley), but is denied the opportunity, anyway. His fortunes change when the baby falls into danger once again. Hawkins and the lovely Jean (Glynis Johns) are tasked with transporting the baby to safety. But when they stumble across a man named Giacomo (John Carradine), an Italian jester on his way to serve in the king's court, Jean renders him unconscious and tasks Hawkins with taking his place in order to gain inside access to the castle. The identity theft and incursion prove successful, but his arrival complicates the king's plans. Roderick wishes for his daughter Gwendolyn (Angela Lansbury) to marry Sir Griswold (Robert Middleton) not for love but rather for political expediency and alliance. Gwendolyn, however, wishes to marry on her terms, and Hawkins, as Giacomo, may just be the man she seeks.

From there, the film enters into a series of misadventures with Hawkins in the middle of a nasty feud. His fate is essentially tied to the kingdom's now, and he's ultimately forced into a fight for survival against the much bigger, meaner, gruffer, and battle hardened Griswold. But, of course, the movie's light tone and approachable comedy render much in the way of drama moot. The movie's real joy is not in the story but rather in the Kaye's performance, a practically legendary work that mashes together slapstick humor and dry wit. The verbal and physical performances are both terrific, particularly as the actor (and several of his co-stars) maneuver through some difficult tongue twisters that ultimately come to define much of the movie's verbal cadence. The picture is packed with unforgettable lines and scenes and several catchy songs, all rendering the story not so much moot but clearly secondary to the superficial qualities and support elements which really make the movie.

That's also apparent in the lavish production design. The Court Jester is quite the looker (supported, now, by an incredible Blu-ray transfer) and the ornate complexities only serve to enhance the film, even if they're just elaborate frameworks in which the actors operate. But with the actors front-and-center, the backgrounds melt into the movie, anyway, much like the story, maintaining focus on what the audience has come to see. Costumes are a bit more vital, particularly as Hawkins begins his impersonation and, later, when he's thrust into a suit of armor that becomes one of the film's most memorable costumes and props. Kaye's work in the suit is nothing short of terrific, taking full advantage of every comical opportunity both prior to and during battle, milking the scenes for all they're worth, and then some.

The Court Jester Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

There's no funny business with The Court Jester's 1080p Blu-ray transfer. Paramount's presentation is exquisite, simply stated. The VistaVision film has been restored from a 6K scan of the original negative, as well as a "separation master" to ensure the best possible image for textural and color accuracy alike. By the looks of it, Paramount could not have done any better. The picture is meticulously presented with not a hint of deterioration or color fading in sight. Grain is supple and fine, naturally occurring in appearance and light in density yet critical to the overall feel and quality. Details delight. The picture's sharpness never relents, revealing incredible detail in faces but perhaps more apropos to this particular image it's the ornate costumes -- ranging from regal dresses to dense suits of armor, from the Robin Hood rip-off "Black Fox" costume to the Jester attire -- where the picture truly shines, allowing the viewer ample opportunity to explore fine fabric texture and get a true feel for the weight, the density, and the detail inherent to each costume. Likewise, the restoration and the resolution bring out the best of the various set pieces and props. It's easy to spot the seams in the demarcations between real, practical sets and matte paintings, or to find the various "hidden" strings in use to make Hawkins' suit of armor magnetic. But even as the Blu-ray reveals some of the production design limits it's still a gorgeous example of Blu-ray textural delights at their very finest.

Color reproduction is magnificent, too. The film is home to a bold and diverse selection of colors that leap off the screen. Various dresses of blue and pink and red, plenty of examples of regal purples, and other color splashes are extraordinarily well saturated, enjoying rich depth and flawless color accuracy. These tones are only amplified as they stand out against the stony castle grays that are so prevalent throughout the film as the main background color, particularly indoors. There's not a color left anything less that bold and true. That extends to blacks and whites on both extremes as well. Flesh tones are excellent, too. As splendid as this looks, one can only imagine a UHD version that could further accentuate color and bring out even more detail, but truly fans of the film, vintage cinema, or just that classic film-like look couldn't be any happier with Paramount's work on this one. It's a very early contender for placement on 2021's "best of" Blu-ray list.

The Court Jester Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Court Jester's DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono soundtrack delivers a capable listen within the film's meager and limited original parameters. There's certainly some obvious crunchiness – the end of the Fox song towards film's start or a loud series of marching effects when Hawkins is presented before the king's court for the fraudulent knighting ceremony – to several effects and key moments but the net effect of the entire track is positive, delivering capable cues and detailed (enough) dealings in the aggregate. The two-channel mono track does push to either end with some sense of space. Dialogue hovers around the middle but is not so grounded as to fool the listener into believing there's an active center channel in play. A mild underlying hiss accompanies much of the track, too. Perhaps the written review sounds a little more harsh than the track deserves. There's a capable fundamental listen here, one held back by inherent flaws but in sum the track is effective, particularly in its conveyance of all of the songs and music and fun tongue twisters so prevalent throughout the film.

The Court Jester Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The Court Jester includes a critic blurb and a trailer. This release is the 13th in the "Paramount Presents" line and includes the slipcover with fold-open poster artwork. A digital copy code is included with purchase.

• Filmmaker Focus: Leonard Maltin on The Court Jester (1080p, 7:03): The noted critic covers the film's origins, the film's cinematography, inspirations and homages, budget, casting and Danny Kaye's performance, and his own love for the film.
• Theatrical Trailer (480i, 1.78:1, 2:24).

The Court Jester Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Court Jester is frivolous fun and a highly enjoyable, and highly regarded, classic of yore. The film holds up today for its simple charms, unforgettable wit, and Danny Kaye's legendary performance. Paramount's Blu-ray is a must-own. The picture quality is exquisite, the audio is fine, and while the extras are on the thin side, the Maltin interview is great and the packaging, as part of the "Paramount Presents" line, is very good. This release comes very highly recommended.