Good start, but then it gets ruined

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

This movie tries so hard to be funny, yet it falls flat every time. Just another example of recycled ideas repackaged with women in an attempt to appeal to a certain audience.

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

Martin & Lewis were everywhere in the 1950s. Movies. TV. I remember the duo very well and watching them as a child, I thought Jerry Lewis was hilarious. I haven't seen them together since those days. When I saw "The Stooge" recently on TCM, my memories took a big jolt. This is a really is an unpleasant, uncomfortable movie. Lewis plays a pathetic nitwit who should be kept on a leash for his own good; instead he is exploited by show biz types. Dean is Dean, a competent crooner with a pleasant, easy going manner. Dean Martin never reached his stride until he cut the umbilical cord from Jerry and took up with the Sinatra Rat Pack. There's nothing funny about "The Stooge." The movie is a curio, an example of what the public applauded as comedic entertainment 60 years ago: the eccentric combo of Martin & Lewis.

Some good comments here on this site already, so I really don't want to go over old ground, it is a portent of sorts, and there is no getting away from the fact that its central themes of narcissism and selfishness are striking a chord with the duo as the film draws to it's marvellous finale.The film was held back for release for two years and it's not hard to see why in the light of the other Martin & Lewis out and out comedy offerings prior to this one. You see this offering is a drama with a comedy heart. Of course it's full of the maniacal moments one has come to expect from this pair, but we are never in any doubt that the core of the film is serious stuff. We are set up a treat by the makers because we are heartily involved with the mirthful nature for the first three parts of the film, and it's this that is the films chief triumph because when the shift in tone occurs: it hits you like a sledgehammer.Maximum impact is gained by a cunning slant masquerading as comedy, and this makes the film, in my opinion, the duo's most poignant and accomplished piece of work, it's certainly not close to being the funniest one has to say, but it's an essential and great piece of entertainment from two very special entertainers. 8/10

I'm 25 years old and have always had a huge respect for Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin. I hope one day to shake the hand of Jerry Lewis. Thing is, I never really sat down through any of their full length films because I'm your typical new movie kinda guy. I like to see what's just coming out in theaters and these older movies, well I usually just think of them as having poor quality and over drawn out moments. I caught this film on HBO and was absolutely hooked. Everything was so beautiful, so perfect in this film. The acting is terrific. The only thing that could have made this film even better is if they showed a few more cars but hey, we can't have everything, and well, I'm just a major car guy. The movie was made in 1953, pardon me, released in 1953. My daily driver is a 1953 Chevrolet Bel Air. This movie has really fired me up to watch a lot of older films. Pretty soon I'm sure I'll be commenting on a few others. I'm filling up my DVR with everything 50's and back as we speak. Here's the thing, I love new movies and anytime I find a new release that is set back in the 50's, I'm a major sucker for it. With this, there is no error in these movies; no "hey did you see that? That was a 1980's van in the background!" Okay, yes it's a bit cheesy but this movie really gave me a lot of inspiration to watch more classics. I LOVE this film!

I haven't seen this movie in years, but a flick like this one just cannot be forgotten! I am in my early twenties and for more than half my life, I have been a film buff of movies old and new. Martin and Lewis are one of my all time favorite comedy duos, and at one time, I was renting movies here and there so that I could see all of the films they made together, and ones the lively, virtuous humanitarian Lewis did during his solo career. When I saw this movie, it just blew me away. This film is the most dramatic film those boys ever made--and if you're thinking that that can't possibly be saying much since most of their movies were screwball comedies, I'm here to tell you you're mistaken. This movie is funny, but it's also very impassioned and heart-rendering, so you might do yourself a favor by keeping a box of tissues near you when viewing it.Both Martin and Lewis are great in these dramatic and comedic roles as a comedy team that splits up because Lewis' character is under-appreciated and emotional mistreated by Martin's character. In a oddly coincidental way, this movie seemed to foreshadow the boys' split up in '56, but of course, in the movie, there is a happy ending. And while everyone knows that both Dean and Jerry went on to have successful solo careers and reunited as friends years later, I think that it would have been great to have seen them do a couple more films together that were as unforgettable as this one.