That's My Boy

Eddie Mayehoff is great in the beginning and I actually think Jerry Lewis does some of his best acting as Junior! A good chunk of the humor in this movie is due to the irony of how the characters perceive themselves or are portrayed as compared to the reality. I just wish Dean Martin's character would have been better. I find his role in this movie to be disappointing. He is capable of much more.

Overall, I really enjoyed the first half or so, but was a little bored toward the middle/end. If you enjoy slower movies and want to see a good performance by both Eddie Mayehoff and Jerry Lewis, this is a good one.

This is another Martin & Lewis movie I watched on YouTube. In this one, Jerry plays the son of Eddie Mayehoff who is a former college football hero who's still reliving his glory days whenever he wakes up in the morning but his son isn't even close to being that good athletically. So this father asks fellow high school graduate-and football hero-Dean Martin to room with him so he can train him to play the game. I'll stop there and just say that with this one, the story takes more emphasis in order to naturally serve the comedy scenes when they gradually come with Lewis toning down his hyperactive shtick immensely making him a bit more sympathetic than before. Martin himself doesn't appear until maybe after 15 minutes and it takes a while before he teams with Lewis. But when the laughs come, they are truly earned by Lewis and occasionally Mayehoff whether together or separately. So on that note, That's My Boy is worth seeing. P.S. Not counting the My Friend Irma sequel, this movie marks the first time in M & L history that a leading lady from a previous one reappears with them in another one. And like her last stint in At War with the Army, Polly Bergen has another charming duet with Dean, this time on Ballin' the Jack. And it's nice to see a player from my favorite picture It's a Wonderful Life, Lillian Randolph, play another amusing servant character named May.

"That's My Boy" is among the earliest films of either Jerry Lewis or Dean Martin, and also of their pairing. Lewis hadn't yet developed - or "polished" his over-the-top slapstick and goofiness. Although a comedy, this film has a touch of drama and resembles any number of similar films centered around college sports. The aspect of a star football player helping out another kid who's lacking in talent will be familiar to most who have watched many movies from the mid-20tdh century.

As would be expected, Dean Martin is the grid iron star, Bill Baker. His dad is a poor guy, in poor health, who works for a wealthy, former Ridgeville College star, Jarring Jack Jackson. He is still the picture of health and healthy living in middle age and is a successful big businessman. Now he's a big benefactor for the college. And, as long-time movie buffs will know or be able to imagine, it's he who has the weak son, physically. Naturally, that's Jerry Lewis. But, his Junior Jackson likes football and would like to play. So, with Bill's help (and dad's money) he makes the team.

The best comedy in this film comes from Eddie Mayehoff who plays Jarring Jack Jackson. He does the blustery, "they don't make 'em like me anymore" character superbly. Naturally there's a girl or two - Marion Marshall plays Terry Howard and Polly Bergen is Babs Hunter. I really didn't recognize Bergen as a 21-year-old in this film. This was just her fifth film.

There aren't many laughs in this film. Football fans will get a kick out of the action scenes on the field, including Junior's goofs and glory. This doesn't have the depth of a real sports drama such as "Brian's Song," or "The Pride of the Yankees" or any number of other mostly bio-pic sports films. Without that, it needed more comedy than it has to put it over as a very good film. It's one of the lesser Dean Martina and Jerry Lewis efforts.

But for the performances of Mayehoff as Junior's dad, and Ruth Hussey as his mother, Ann Jackson, this film would rate one star fewer. Jackson has a slogan sign in his office that reads, ""Guts is what counts." Here are the better lines in the film.

Jarring Jack Jackson, "Since when does the former Olympic women's swimming champ get out of breath?" Ann Jackson, "As of now."

Jarring Jack, "And don't call me sir. It sounds like I'm training you to be an English butler."

Bill Baker, "Cyrano de Bergerac? Didn't he play end for Cornell?"

Jarring Jack, "Is there anything worse?" Ann Jackson, "Yes. He could've been a criminal." Jarring Jack, "That wouldn't have been so bad. Then at least we could've sent him away and no one would know."

Jarring Jack, "Ann, are you sure he's our son?" Ann Jackson, "Oh, stop it, Jack. He was born at home."

Jarring Jack, "Of course, you can't pass like me, or run like me. You don't hit the line like I used to, but you remind me a little of me." Bill Baker, "Well, there'll never be another you, sir." Jackson, "Thank you, son."

I'm not a big fan of Martin and Lewis movies, though I think I saw all of them over the years. When I was a kid, I was a bit of a fan so I tried to see the films whenever they came on television. Of all their films together, this one is my favorite. It may not be hilarious from start to finish, but for this comedy team it is awfully good.

Lewis is very funny as the extremely clumsy and nerdy son of the rugged Eddie Mayehoff. Martin plays a football-playing student who Mayehoff WISHES were his son--in order to carry on the legacy. You see, because MANY years earlier Mayehoff had been a big college football star and he was beside himself having an embarrassment for a son. So, he makes Martin a proposition--take Lewis under his wing and make him a real man. In exchange, Mayehoff will bankroll Martin's college expenses.

What ultimately happens is a bit predictable but worth watching. The scene I particularly enjoyed watching was when Mayehoff took Lewis hunting! Good work by Martin & Lewis and a film that deserves to be seen a bit more often.

By the way, I am not sure if I'd consider this to be the team's best film or "The Stooge". "That's My Boy" is certainly a lot funnier but there's something likable about the oddly realistic "The Stooge".

"Gotta hit 'em low, hit 'em hard, and if they get up, hit 'em again. Gotta play GUTS football!" Poor Junior Jackson (Lewis) is the weak, uncoordinated, allergy-prone son of Jarring Jack Jackson, former Ridgeville football alum now trying to relive his collegiate days of glory through Junior. Studly Bill Baker (Martin) becomes the dorm-mate Jackson arranges to mentor Junior in football and other aspects of, uh, manhood. The plot is fairly predictable, but this is one hilarious movie about father-son relationships, college life, football, manhood, friendship, and girls (not in that particular order.) Martin & Lewis were never better together, along with a superb supporting cast. A classic comedy with heart.