The Sad Sack

The Sad Sack

Original film poster
Directed by George Marshall
Produced by Hal B. Wallis
Written by George Baker
Edmund Beloin
Nate Monaster
Starring Jerry Lewis
David Wayne
Phyllis Kirk
Peter Lorre
Music by Walter Scharf
Cinematography Loyal Griggs
Edited by Archie Marshek
Distributed by Paramount Pictures
Release dates
  • November 27, 1957 (1957-11-27)
Running time
 95 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Box office $3.5 million (US rentals)[1]
1,878,519 admissions (France)[2]

The Sad Sack is a 1957 Paramount Pictures comedy film based on the Harvey Comics character of the same name, created by George Baker. The film stars Jerry Lewis and Peter Lorre.

Plot

Private Meredith Bixby (Lewis) simply cannot fall in line with army procedure, even though he has had 17 months of training. A psychologist (Phyllis Kirk), is assigned to turn him into a good soldier, so she enlists two fellow servicemen to help Bixby with his training. About the only thing that he can do right is remember things with his photographic memory.

Eventually they are assigned to a base in Morocco. One night they all head off to a bar where Bixby gets drunk on "Moroccan Delights", which he thinks are malteds. He gets involved with a femme fatale (Liliane Montevecchi) and is kidnapped by some Arabian renegades.

Abdul (Peter Lorre) guards Bixby and makes him assemble a stolen cannon, knowing that Bixby had already memorized the assembly instructions back at the base. Bixby is eventually rescued by his fellow soldiers and they are all presented with medals of honor.

Production

The film is based upon George Baker's comic book character. Hal Wallis purchased the movie rights with the intention of it starring the comedy team Martin and Lewis, but they split up before filming began. The Sad Sack was shot between March 18 and May 31, 1957 and released on November 27. It was re-released in 1962 as a double feature with another Jerry Lewis vehicle, The Delicate Delinquent, they being the first two movies Lewis made without Dean Martin.

Cast

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Top Grosses of 1957", Variety, 8 January 1958: 30
  2. ↑ Jerry Lewis films French box office information at Box Office Story


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