We asked Shakespeare and Francis Bacon would they declare which one wrote this and they both said, “Get outta here!”
A hapless carnival performer masquerades as the court jester as part of a plot against a usurper who has overthrown the rightful king of England.
The Court Jester (1955) is a music, adventure and comedy film directed by Norman Panama, released on December 24, 1955 with a runtime of 1h 41m. It stars Danny Kaye, Glynis Johns, Basil Rathbone and Angela Lansbury. Viewers rate it 7.3 out of 10 across 221 ratings.
Watch the official trailer for The Court Jester before you stream it.
Official trailers, teasers, clips and featurettes for The Court Jester.
Trailer
Clip
Featurette
Featurette
Danny Kaye
as Hubert Hawkins
Glynis Johns
as Maid Jean
Basil Rathbone
as Sir Ravenhurst
Angela Lansbury
as Princess Gwendolyn
Cecil Parker
as King Roderick I
Mildred Natwick
as Griselda
Robert Middleton
as Sir Griswold
Michael Pate
as Sir Locksley
Herbert Rudley
as Captain of the Guard
Noel Drayton
as Fergus
John Carradine
as Giacomo
Edward Ashley
as Black Fox
Directed by Norman Panama, written by Norman Panama and Melvin Frank, produced by Melvin Frank and Norman Panama.
Average viewer score of 7.3/10 from 221 ratings.
Discretion is for fools and simpletons. From the opening credits as Danny Kaye sings dressed as a harlequin jester you get the impression that this film will be a joyous romp, and so it is. Perhaps the most talked about film in Kaye's CV (even though it lost close to two million dollars on release), The Court Jester is a perfect vehicle for his blend of madcap showboating and serene warbling. Here he gets to play…
Reviewed on August 2, 2019
Really entertaining and all around fun musical parody featuring a charismatic performance from David Kaye and also has Basil Rathbone serviceable as the villain. Also nice having Glynis Johns and Angela Lansbury in there, Johns particularly stunning. **3.75/5**
Reviewed on January 16, 2021
Oh, this is a gem of celluloid that just keeps giving joy. An adventure, comedy, romance, musical made for the whole family. A movie written specifically for one actor (who then agrees to play the central part) doesnt happen often, let alone have that role portrayed with perfection....But Danny Kaye is that special kind of actor. A spoof of The Adventures Of Robin Hood that even managed to get its villain, the…
Reviewed on May 13, 2021
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The Court Jester (1955) is currently available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube and Fandango At Home. No subscription streaming option is listed right now, so availability may change.
The main cast of The Court Jester (1955) includes Danny Kaye, Glynis Johns, Basil Rathbone, Angela Lansbury and Cecil Parker. The film was directed by Norman Panama. You can see the full cast and crew list, with character names, further up this page.
The Court Jester was released on December 24, 1955 and runs for 1h 41m.
The Court Jester (1955) holds an average rating of 7.3 out of 10 from 221 viewer votes, and is a good pick if you enjoy music, adventure and comedy films. Read the viewer reviews on this page to decide for yourself.
Yes. The official The Court Jester trailer is embedded in the trailer section of this page and plays instantly, no download or sign-up required.
