To me, this movie is perfection.

the audience applauded

Highly Overrated But Still Good

A Masterpiece!

The idea behind "Which Way to the Front" - a millionaire rejected for military service during World War II deciding to form his own army platoon and fight the war his way - is definitely one that is original and has a lot of potential for humor. Unfortunately, the execution here is lacking, to put it kindly. Watching it, I often got the feeling that star and director Jerry Lewis was not trying very hard. For example, while the movie is set in 1943, the movie has a very 1970s feel to it from the costumes to the sets. A bigger problem is that the movie is simply not that funny, especially in the first half. The movie starts off very slowly, taking both forever to set the situation up and then to get Lewis and his team into the field. And while this is going on, one attempted gag after the other lands with a thud.The second half of the movie is a bit more successful. There is an injection of serious energy by both Lewis the star and Lewis the director. And this energy does end up generating a few (mild) giggles. (But I certainly didn't laugh at the offensive last scene; you'll see for yourself when you watch the movie.) While there are worse comedies out there (both with or without Lewis), it's easy to see why Warner Brothers only gave the movie a limited release in North America. Though the movie did extremely well in a number of foreign countries, suggesting there's an audience for just about any movie.

s a lifelong Jerry Lewis fan I felt a review was necessary for this film which is so commonly maligned by people and I'll never understand why they detest it so. 1st of all after Dean and Jerry split in 1956 Jerry Lewis spawned some excellent comedies on his own from 1957-1970 - Which Way to the Front being the final one in his 14 year run after the split. Non Lewis fans and critics only seem to notice Nutty Professor as being any good --- They are so wrong it disgusts me. Everyone of Jerry's Paramount movies from 57-65 were financial successes not just in Europe but in the USA - some reviewer claimed Jerry had failures at the box office during this period in the USA but again they are very wrong. There were only 2 Lewis films that didn't make bank from this era and none of them were Paramount they were Don't Raise the Bridge and This film - not that they weren't good films but Columbia and Warners never distributed them correctly but out of 30 films only 2 is a pretty good run in his home country the USA.Now to this film, yes the first 20 minutes or so are very slow and tedious with all the little stories Jan Murray and the other 2 4Fs shpill --- but as soon as the credits are done (20 minutes in) it is as funny as any WW2 comedy made during that period.Jerry's impersonation of the German Field Marshal with the high pitched accented voice is funny as all get out - it makes for true genius in sound and film --- his presentation of awards to 3 Nazi soldiers is truly slapstick at its very best ---His getting through the checkpoint with a Black German soldier driver (played by Dodgers star Willie Davis) is hilarious ---Echoes of Mel Brooks The Producers Dick Shawn are brought to mind and Hogans Heroes ---Truly a time capsule classic --- NO you don't have to be a Jerry only fan to like this film but you must have patience as the 20 minute lead in is quite tedious...I say 10 out of 10 because the foolish reviews giving it 1 out of 10 are truly misguided and just wrong. A MUST SEE yes --- watch it and pay attention and you'll agree a Classic --- If you don't like Jerry Lewis loud voice then why are you watching any Jerry Lewis movie to begin with ???The supporting cast is superb - Jan Murray leads it --- Appearances by great comedians Kaye Ballard, Fritz Feld and Benny Rubin are just some of the highlights of this one of my favorite Jerry Lewis movies ever ...

A very different Jerry Lewis film, not like all those more famous films that everybody knows. Lewis deals with the difficult task of WW II and National Socialism in Germany in a rather unconventional way. But even more interesting and important, he does it in a very un-American way. And as with so many things in the world and especially in the film industry un-American means more sophisticated, more subtle, more intelligent or simply better. That is the reason why the film was no success in the US but a very great success in Europe.All in all, Jerry Lewis has proven by this movie, that he is able to do much more than simple slapstick comedy.

Jerry Lewis was marginally funny when he didn't write his own material and had a good director like Frank Tashlin. When he started writing and directing his own films what little talent he possessed was overshadowed by his egomania. Whenever his films would fail (and deservedly so) in the American market (they made money in France) Lewis always blamed everyone and everything but himself; for example, he blamed the failure of this film on the fact that it was, according to Lewis, released on a double-bill with the porno feature "Deep Throat". If anyone should have complained about that situation, it should have been the producers of "Deep Throat." This is an absolutely idiotic "comedy" about the world's richest man (Lewis) who is rejected for military service during WW2 and decides to outfit a special "squad" to go to Germany and capture Hitler himself. Besides the many faults this film has (the script is mind-numbingly unfunny, Lewis' "direction" is nonexistent, the film has the look of a cheap home movie), Lewis apparently thought that surrounding himself with no-talent, over-the-hill Borscht Belt comics like Jan Murray and Sidney Miller was a good idea; he must have figured that they would be so bad, they would make him look good. He was half-right; they are embarrassingly bad, but he comes out even worse than they do. For a "comedy", Lewis' character is sullen, angry and pushy; the way he heaps abuse on his underlings makes you wonder why they would ever follow a bullying jerk like this on a dangerous mission like trying to capture Hitler. The fact that this movie took in any money at all is astounding. It is by far the worst Jerry Lewis movie I have ever seen--I've heard that "Slapstick" is even more pathetic, but I can't bring myself to see if that's true or not--and is to be avoided at all possible costs.