The Ladies Man (1961)

Part of the April series The Aesthetics of Barbie, hosted by the Cinema Society of Kingston.

In this “they sure don’t make ’em like they used to!” Hollywood comedy, Jerry Lewis directs himself as Herbert, a hapless young man whose luck with women couldn’t be worse. After a series of disastrous relationships, Herbert decides to seek refuge at a boarding house for single women, where he inadvertently becomes the object of their affection. With Lewis’s trademark physical comedy and quirky charm, The Ladies Man is a quintessentially early 60’s romp through the pitfalls of love and the absurdities of bachelorhood.

Trivia: Jerry Lewis, known for his meticulous attention to detail, insisted on personally designing the elaborate set of the women’s boarding house featured in the film, creating a whimsical and exaggerated environment that perfectly complements the comedy.