The Ladies man

This comedy starring Jerry Lewis (his third directorial effort) is set in an all female boarding house, brimming with sex-starved women. Lewis plays Herbert H. Herbert, a university graduate sworn off love whilst mourning the break-up of a relationship, who takes a job as house boy. As well as being in charge of repairs, the fumbling Herbert has to deal with being the lone male presence amid so many nubile beauties. The house itself, a multilayered set built at enormous cost, is an impressive and colourful piece that at times dwarfs the star and the patchy narrative. Typically, several musical interludes pepper the action, allowing for some imaginative moments of dance and song. Characteristically for a Lewis comedy, the talented comedian is given free reign to display his brand of silly, goofy and slapstick physical humour, highlighting his penchant for physical idiocy and facial expressiveness. Cast includes Helen Traubel, Kathleen Freeman, Hope Holiday, Mary Laroche and Madlyn Rhue.