Okay, let's see: a large dog drives a car, a film nerd gets caught in a bull-ring wearing a red coat, the film nerd falls from a scaffolding right onto the bed on which Anita Ekberg lies. There are story holes (Dean still owes the money at the end to the gangsters, right?)
Does any of this read as if we are embarking on an intelligent film odyssey (ie, cp with any Steve Martin film). Of course not. That being said, this is a really fun and funny movie. The characters are drawn sufficiently full that we feel we do know what and who they are, the slapstick is set up reasonably logically, and the visual comedy reflects the fact Lewis and Dean had honed their shtick over many many years.
It all works, and works well. The songs are nice, Dean looks great, Lewis' timing is on-spot, all the women shown in the opening credits, pool scene, etc are still fun to see, the director keeps it humming quickly along, the shots of Chicago's Lake Shore Drive and downtown are fun to see, and the story, well, the story is the nonsense to get from one scene to another.
Does any of this read as if we are embarking on an intelligent film odyssey (ie, cp with any Steve Martin film). Of course not. That being said, this is a really fun and funny movie. The characters are drawn sufficiently full that we feel we do know what and who they are, the slapstick is set up reasonably logically, and the visual comedy reflects the fact Lewis and Dean had honed their shtick over many many years.
It all works, and works well. The songs are nice, Dean looks great, Lewis' timing is on-spot, all the women shown in the opening credits, pool scene, etc are still fun to see, the director keeps it humming quickly along, the shots of Chicago's Lake Shore Drive and downtown are fun to see, and the story, well, the story is the nonsense to get from one scene to another.