Which Way to the Front?

I had watched this as a kid but, not being much of a Jerry Lewis fan, I had completely forgotten it (not that it's in any way memorable). The film revolves around impersonation (which seems to be in the curriculum of every comic star!) - in this case a German officer - and, while not as bad as Leonard Maltin claims (awarding it a BOMB rating), it's not exactly classic stuff either - certainly leagues behind Chaplin's THE GREAT DICTATOR (1940), even if comparably narcissistic! Ironically, the scenes prior to the appearance of the would-be wacky General offer more felicities than the rather forced humor at Nazi expense!

The film was really Lewis' last gasp during his heyday; in fact, this proved to be his last vehicle to be released for 10 years (it's painfully apparent here that his particular brand of foolishness wouldn't pass muster in the age of Mel Brooks and Woody Allen)!

So, maybe it's because of my age (28), but I can't laugh at this type of humor. For my it's old fashioned, with lame jokes and an excessive physical humor. I respect Jerry Lewis and his contribution to cinema, he was in many ways a visionary. I also don't like modern days comedies, so, maybe I'm the problem.

Which Way to the Front? (1970)

BOMB (out of 4)

Insanely awful film has Jerry Lewis playing Brendan Byers III, the richest man in the world. He gets drafted to join WWII but he fails his physical and becomes a 4-F. When he can't get into the war he decides to start his own Army with various other 4-F's and soon they are going after Hitler.

WHICH WAY TO THE FRONT? would turn out to be the last Jerry Lewis film to see a theater for a decade. This here is without question the worst film I've seen from Lewis and it even managed to be worse than his comeback films HARDLY WORKING and CRACKING UP. With three incredibly awful movies, it makes me wonder how bad THE DAY THE CLOWN CRIED if Lewis was willing to keep that movie on the shelf yet release these three.

Why did WHICH WAY TO THE FRONT? deserve a BOMB rating? I will admit that it's actually better made than many Lewis movies but this film was completely worthless to me because I didn't laugh a single time. Usually Lewis is very forceful in regards to his comedy style but that's not the case here. The comedy is much more laid back but that doesn't mean it's any funnier. The entire film is just very poorly paced and lacks any laughs. In fact, there really wasn't a single scene where it seemed like they were even going for laughs.

I'm really not sure what Lewis and company were thinking when they made this turkey. There's really not a single funny moment throughout the incredibly long 96 minute running time. Just check out the scene where Lewis is messing around with Hitler to see how bad the comedy fails. WHICH WAY TO THE FRONT? is without question one of the worst comedies ever made but it does succeed at many many other bad Lewis films appear better than they actually are.

"Which Way to the Front?" is a hugely disappointing films...even for die-hard Jerry Lewis fans. I personally WANTED to like the movie, as ever since I got to see Lewis in person a few years ago, I have really come to respect and enjoy his films. But no matter what I think of the guy, I cannot in good conscience give this film a positive review because it makes the biggest mistake of any comedy...it's simply not funny. Additionally, the film is set in WWII and looks as if Lewis didn't even bother trying to make the film look as if it was set in the 1940s. The hair, clothing and sets look straight from 1970!

The film COULD have been funny. It seems that the richest man in the world, Brendan Byers (Lewis) wants to fight in WWII but has been declared 4-F. So, he decides to create his own tiny commando unit and he and his men plan on kidnapping a German Field Marshall who looks exactly like Byers. Each member of the team seem about as manly and menacing as a cannoli and one guy (played by baseball star Willie Davis) is black...and they go behind enemy lines dressed as German soldiers.

I mention that it COULD have been funny. The biggest supposed laughs are when Jerry pretends to be the German Field Marshall---and this mostly just consists of him screaming. It looks like a 7 year-old's idea of what a German SHOULD sound like. As for the Japanese, late in the film Jerry dons big teeth and does an impression that is not only racially offensive but cheap and unfunny. But with no real laughs and the men dressed in what look like 1970 Armani uniforms of orange and bright blue, it just comes off as bizarre and ill-conceived. Even Lewis' worst comedy, "Cracking Up" has ONE hilarious scene (aboard the discount airline)..."Which Way to the Front" has nothing...absolutely nothing that will elicit a laugh in anyone. I truly think that if the audience had no idea who Lewis was, they'd think this movie wasn't even supposed to be a comedy! A film best skipped...especially by Lewis fans. It's so unfunny I can understand why Jerry didn't make another starring vehicle for a decade following this one (aside from the never released and reportedly god-awful, "The Day the Clown Cried").

Written by brilliant Monkees' TV writers Gerald Gardner and Dee Caruso,WHICH WAY TO THE FRONT was the last of the "Jerry Lewis" movies until "Hardly Working" almost a decade later. Jerry's comedy is evidently an acquired taste, and admittedly he can occasionally be his own worst enemy when he helms as producer/director--but even in the dreariest of his films, there are always moments of brilliance.

WHICH WAY manages to be amusing,entertaining and yes,quite funny. It is somewhat unlike any of the typical Lewis films.The pace is very upbeat and ther are lots of excellent supporting players--a kind of JERRY DOES HOGANS HEROES.The whole thing looks kind of like an unsold TV pilot and you will either love it or hate it---but hopefully YOU VILL LAUGH