Critical reception The
New York Times was in many ways complimentary: "No use to try to trace the story as it riotously unfolds. We vaguely suspect that proved too tiresome for even Messrs. Panama and Frank. There are all sorts of beautiful, babbling stretches of sheer obscurity along the way. But in every—or almost everymix-up, there is the all-things-to-all-men Mr.Kaye.... this story does not have subtlety. Nor does Mr.Kaye's portrayal in it have firm personality. He is just a funny fellow bounced all over the place, with surprisingly few songs to help him. The farce lacks finish—or even form. But Mr.Kaye plays it adroitly, and so do... Parker... Lansbury... Johns... Rathbone... and many, many more. The color and costuming are gaudy, and the whole thing... has the audacious size and splash about it that mark it shrewdly made for commerce. It's good fun." The
Philadelphia Inquirer was enthusiastic as well: "Danny Kaye...is back and all's well in the comedy world....Kaye is just about at the top of his varied and wonderful form....The hairbreadth adventures concocted as showcase for his elastic talent and bright with invention and sly enough to make even producers of straight costume pieces of this order laugh at themselves....there are five engaging songs by Sylvia Fine and Sammy Cahn, lush sets, and costumes all enhanced by Technicolor and VistaVision, and an enthusiastic cast which backs up Danny every merry inch of the way." The
New York Post was equally positive: "This is wonderful Danny Kaye material, giving full scope to his genius for movement, sound and subtle travesty....An English quartet contributes lightly and well to the merriment. Cecil Parker...Angela Lansbury....Basil Rathbone...and Glynis Johns....But it is the comic invention, both in plot an slapstick moment, that sets this musical upon its higher plane. It's always babbling along merrily, and never does let down....This is a picture that can be recommended to all and sundry." The
Oakland Tribune thought the film entertaining: "Kaye...makes comic mincemeat out of all movie derring-do that's ever been done...in a plot that doesn't attempt to make much sense, except as an all-around spoof of knights, jousting, court life and royal intrigue....Kaye sings several ditties...none of these is memorable, but the Sylvia Fine lyrics are amusing as always, especially in the patter numbers at which Kaye is particularly adept. During some of the scenes—played straight by Miss Natwick, Rathbone, Miss Lansbury, Miss Johns and Parker—I got the impression that if the action had lasted a second longer the performers would have burst into uncontrollable laughter at their own lines. You can't help but enjoy 'The Court Jester,' even if it cannot be labelled as Kaye's best movie." The St. Louis Globe-Democrat described the film as "a large scale, lavishly mounted, sometimes riotous comedy romp....As some of his others, this one points up the two problems faced by producers in fashioning starring vehicles for the lanky star. In the first place, there is the challenge of his versatility. It's a formidable task to provide material giving full range to his many and varied talents as singer, dancer, mimic, clown, and just plain low comic. Beyond that there is the danger the comedian will be so clever that much of the humor will sail over the heads of moviegoers inaccustomed to subtleties. In the first respect, his present sponsors, Paramount Pictures, have done exceeding [sic] well by Danny....Kaye's fat and juicy role is that of a circus clown who becomes what the title says....the triple-threat [Panama-Frank] team has gone on to devise a serious of situations that give full range to Kaye's versatility." The Los Angeles Evening News liked the movie: "a vastly entertaining piece of celluloid flying the Paramount banner....Kaye isn't a comedian only....Kaye's chief asset is amazing versatility, and the variety he brings to the role....Storywise, the film is farfetched, but this doesn't matter....he evokes many laughs, and he gets some fine help from Glynis Johns...Basil Rathbone...Angela Lansbury...Cecil Parker...and Mildred Natwick....Panama and Frank...rate a nod for a first-rate three-way accomplishment."
Time magazine was certain of the film's entertainment value: "The Court Jester...is a pleasantly goofy travesty of the olden daze into which Hollywood falls so often and so profitably....When the squirrely-burly's done, Jester Kaye has managed to get the false king on his knees, the true one on the throne, the heroine (Glynis Johns) in his arms, the villain on his point, and the audience happily lost in some muddle ages that no history book records." The Chicago Tribune review was mixed: "The story strains to provide comical situations and, if it weren't for Kaye's talent, would be remarkably dull. However, Danny bounces around energetically, mugging and singing and clowning, and manages to draw a few guffaws from an audience which seemed rather disinterested the day I saw the picture. Cecil Parker, Glynis Johns, Angela Lansbury, and Mildred Natwick are outstanding....It's Danny's picture, but not one of his best" Costing $4 million (equivalent to $ in ) in the fall of 1955,
The Court Jester was the most expensive comedy film produced up to that time. The motion picture
bombed at the box office upon its release, bringing in only $2.2 million in receipts the following winter and spring of 1956 (equivalent to $ in ). However, since then it has become a classic and a television matinee favorite. On
Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 97% based on , with a
weighted average rating of 8/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "A witty spoof of medieval swashbuckler movies,
The Court Jester showcases Danny Kaye at his nimble, tongue-twisting best." Author and film critic
Leonard Maltin awarded the film four out of a possible four stars, calling it "one of the best comedies ever made". David Koenig reflects on Danny Kaye's legacy and
The Court Jester, "His legacy has dimmed with the passage of time. His greatest works ... endure today only as memories in the minds of aging members of his audiences ... much of his TV work has not aged particularly well. Whimsy was of another time". However, Koenig sees Kaye's film work in a different light, "History has smiled on individual pictures—in particular the holiday staple of
White Christmas and
The Court Jester ... the medieval romp has steadily gained a reputation as one of the greatest comedies of all time."
Awards and honors In 1957, Danny Kaye received a
Golden Globe nomination for
Best Motion Picture Actor – Comedy/Musical, and in 2000, the
American Film Institute placed the film on its
100 Years...100 Laughs list, where it was ranked #98. In 2004, the United States
National Film Registry elected to preserve
The Court Jester for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". ==See also==