Martin and Lewis films rarely had strong plots but this one does – it’s based on Hazel Flagg, the musical adaptation of Nothing Sacred. The duo are shoehorned into the plot very well: I totally bought Jerry Lewis being willing to fake a fatal illness to get a trip to New York, and Dean Martin as his dodgy doctor who wants to go along with it, in part to get off with the hot reporter (Janet Leigh, in best mid 50s pointy boobed form) who is promoting the story.
Lots of fun: both Jerry and Dean are in excellent form - they are bright and lively, bounce off each other well, and sing and dance like real musical comedy stars. The plot is solid and brisk, and there's a strong support cast: Leigh, Fred Clark (newspaper editor), Edward Arnold, Sig Ruman and Sheree North (she does a terrific shimmy on the dance floor with Jerry).
It lags in a few places - could have done without the surgery comic sequence going on for so long - and Jerry could have done with a love interest but it's bright and colourful. New York is fun in that sound stage way.
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