It’s been pointed out how well-suited The Court Jester is to Kaye’s talents–arguably no other comedian could’ve taken his place. Complications ensue, of course, especially when the king’s daughter falls in love with Giacomo and an enchantress casts a hypnotizing spell on him. Hawkins decides to impersonate him in order to find the key. While Hawkins and Jean are traveling, however, they encounter the new court jester Giacomo heading to the castle. Hawkins and rebel captain Maid Jean are tasked with protecting the royal infant while the Fox makes plans to steal the king’s key to a secret tunnel. The throne of England has been taken over by a usurper, and the Fox and his followers are trying to restore the rightful heir to the throne–who is currently still a baby.
Kaye plays the former circus performer Hubert Hawkins, who (despite his timidity) has joined a rebel group headed by the Robin Hood-esque outlaw the Black Fox. The plot may sound complicated on paper, but onscreen it has delightful twists and turns. The highlight was certainly the famous “chalice from the palace” sequence, likely based on similarly tongue-twisting old vaudeville routines. And he couldn’t have been given better material to work with than Sylvia’s light-hearted songs and the abundance of witty wordplay.
But from the moment he appears onscreen, singing “Life Could Not Better Be” and cavorting with the animated opening credits, Kaye is the heart and soul of the film. This time around Kaye was surrounded by a capable British cast, including Glynis Johns as the attractive rebel captain Maid Jean, Basil Rathbone as the false king’s wiley advisor, Angela Lansbury as a haughty princess, and Robert Middleton as the beefy, villainous Sir Griswold. All in all, the film’s budget went from $2.5 million dollars to $3.7 million, making it the most expensive comedy ever produced at the time. Location shooting was done in Palos Verdes, where its wave-swept coast and rugged cliffs stood in for the shores of medieval England. A timeless masterpiece of comedy.The film’s two largest sets, the interior of the castle and the courtyard, were constructed on Paramount’s sound stages to the tune of $200,000. And you know you've just watched a feel good film when even the evil king sings along to the happy ending tune. You just have to love a film where dwarfs juggle grown men on their feet and the hero's fencing skills depend on a snap of the fingers. During the hilarious showdown things get particularly wacky and hilarious. The old castle and ramparts sets from the classic knight adventures of that era are oozing with nostalgia. It also helps that Danny Kaye is simply incredibly funny, with the sped-up knighting process and poisoned goblet sequence being the outrageous highlights. That's so cleverly written and charming that you can't help but smile for 90 minutes. But once things are moving and the innocent bard starts playing the court jester's role, it's a joy to watch the mix-ups, puns and jokes that come with it. Sure, it starts out slowly and with a couple of old-fashioned yet catchy musical pieces. Danny Kaye's mistaken identity comedy set on the medieval British court is nothing less than one of the funniest films of all times.