C O N T E M P O R A R Y F I L M D I R E C T O R S Jerry Lewis Chris Fujiwara Jerry Lewis Fujiwara_Jerry text.indd 1 9/11/09 11:14:10 AM Fujiwara_Jerry text.indd 2 9/11/09 11:14:10 AM Contemporary Film Directors Edited by James Naremore The Contemporary Film Directors series provides concise, well-written introductions to directors from around the world and from every level of the film industry. Its chief aims are to broaden our awareness of important artists, to give serious critical attention to their work, and to il- lustrate the variety and vitality of contemporary cinema. Contributors to the series include an array of internationally respected critics and academics. Each volume contains an incisive critical commentary, an informative interview with the director, and a detailed filmography. A list of books in the series appears at the end of this book. Fujiwara_Jerry text.indd 3 9/11/09 11:14:10 AM Fujiwara_Jerry text.indd 4 9/11/09 11:14:11 AM Jerry Lewis Chris Fujiwara University oF iLLinois Press UrbaNa aND ChICago Fujiwara_Jerry text.indd 5 9/11/09 11:14:11 AM Frontispiece: The Errand Boy © 2009 by Chris Fujiwara All rights reserved Manufactured in the United States of America 1 2 3 4 5 c p 5 4 3 2 1 ∞ This book is printed on acid-free paper. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Fujiwara, Chris. Jerry Lewis / Chris Fujiwara. p. cm. — (Contemporary film directors) Includes filmography. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-0-252-03497-8 (cloth : alk. paper) ISBN 978-0-252-07679-4 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Lewis, Jerry, 1926—Criticism and interpretation. I. Title. PN1998.3.L46825F85 2009 791.43'028'092—dc22 2009026686 Fujiwara_Jerry text.indd 6 9/11/09 11:14:11 AM To Ken-ken Fujiwara_Jerry text.indd 7 9/11/09 11:14:11 AM Fujiwara_Jerry text.indd 8 9/11/09 11:14:11 AM Contents AN AMERICAN DREAM | 1 A Structural Cinema 10 The Performance of Identity 18 Saying No to No 34 Oedipus Is No Problem 44 How to Undo Things with Words 58 Lewisian Space 67 The Frame and Its Obstructions 78 Lewisian Time 86 Sound 91 The Total Filmmaker 97 An Interview with Jerry Lewis | 101 Filmography | 135 Bibliography | 147 Index | 151 Fujiwara_Jerry text.indd 9 9/11/09 11:14:11 AM