The Day The Clown Cried

tim · #1 (**permalink**) 05-14-2008, 10:35 PM

I just finished reading the script from The Day The Clown Cried:

The Day the Clown Cried - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Day the Clown Cried

I was wondering if anyone else is familiar with it and what your thoughts are.

Finito · #2 (**permalink**) 05-14-2008, 10:43 PM

:O(

So sad.

tim · #3 (**permalink**) 05-14-2008, 10:59 PM

Yes, sad in some sense. But a tribute to unquenchable joy overcoming fear and evil, it seems.

Also, it says something about the clown as victim who joins in with the sufferings of humanity in order to bring out something better.

Finito · #4 (**permalink**) 05-14-2008, 11:14 PM

I didn't read your post well enough, Tim... I thought you were talking about the Hartford Circus fire.

I do remember reading about the Jerry Lewis picture and from what I understand of it, it's probably the most unwatchable picture ever. Disturbing, depressing... Who wants to watch a movie about kids getting gassed or imprisoned? This man is known for rediculous comedy, so he does a serious picture about clowns in a nazi death camp?! I think the financiers probably wised up at the beginning of shooting, the producer walked and Jerry took over, sinking millions into this albatross.

Pickles · #5 (**permalink**) 05-15-2008, 12:03 AM

This movie must not be in great demand. I thought I'd add it to my Netflix queue, and they don't have it!

tim · #6 (**permalink**) 05-15-2008, 01:18 AM

The film has never been released. Jerry Lewis has a rough copy, perhaps no one else does. He has screened it for a few people and it generally got trashed. But it seems, from reading the script, that the largest problem perhaps was in the reality that it was Jerry Lewis trying to be serious. That just doesn't cut it now, does it? The story isn't ideal, but it seems genuine, quite real, and touching. There are some hefty themes and nuances within. It's human and takes us through genuine struggle like all good tales should. With some work, I could see this being quite an effective film or stage play. It ought not be dismissed too simplistically, IMHO. At least not without first reading the script and allowing it to take up your imagination.

Vii · #7 (**permalink**) 05-22-2008, 08:29 AM

i'm wondering how difficult it would be for jerry lewis to find someone to act as helmut....

he has some really funny passages, but most of the time they are sad!

i cant imagine who could play a character like him...

Smacky · #8 (**permalink**) 05-22-2008, 03:20 PM

Sounds interesting.

This is the other day the clowns cried. The RBBB fire in Hartford. The picture below is Emmett Kelly Sr, carrying water tp help put out the ashes.

tim · #9 (**permalink**) 05-22-2008, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vii

i'm wondering how difficult it would be for jerry lewis to find someone to act as helmut....

he has some really funny passages, but most of the time they are sad!

i cant imagine who could play a character like him...

I'm thinking an older man. Washed up, but still agile enough. Someone 60ish. The problem would seem to be that thing early on where his wife is pleading for him with the guards. I think of her as young and beautiful. I guess she could be a 20 year younger (so in her late 30s, perhaps) trapeze artist or something. The way I see it, Helmut has to be someone who has "lost it", no longer believes in himself, may be alcoholic, speaks with heavy accent (if the film is to be done in English), is kind of coarse but still can be touched by the innocence of children. He needs to be a man who, it might be said, represents the inevitability of death as it is, but who finds refreshment in the childlike hope and joy of new life given.