"It's Only Money" is arguably Jerry Lewis' funniest solo (i.e., without Dean) effort. Some might plump for "The Big Mouth" but most of those laughs come from the late, great Charlie Callas; and from a shock appearance by a famous chicken magnate. Besides, Lewis himself directed "The Big Mouth." "It's Only Money" was directed by former cartoonist Frank Tashlin, whose work always bears watching at least once.

The PLOT (or, rather, the line on which to hang Lewis' antics) is the search for a missing heir to millions. Lewis, following in the footsteps of his hero, a private detective (played by Jesse White) tries to find the heir, not knowing he's it (that's not a spoiler--it's revealed early on).

The complications come when the family's fortune-hunting lawyer (suave and, in this case, funny Zachary Scott) and his henchman, the family butler (Jack Weston) try repeatedly to bump Lewis off. But despite various funny bits of nonsense concerning a manhole and some remote-control lawn mowers, Lewis proves as indestructible as Inspector Clouseau.

Even under Tashlin's expert comedy direction, Lewis has the problem, as usual, of a dual persona he was able to exploit later: most of the time he's an apparent idiot, unable to hold anything or to speak a complete English sentence; then he shows uncharacteristic moments of sensitive maturity. Usually these sides mitigate against each other in Lewis flicks, but Tashlin helps tamp down the more cloying aspects of his personality, sticking mainly to the comedy.

Not only is solid comedy support provided by Scott and Weston, Mae Questel, longtime voice artist (Betty Boop, Olive Oyl), is hilarious as the woman Scott intends to marry--and bump off--for her money.

But the show in this movie is Lewis. His maladroitness grows tiring, as usual; but when he bursts into nonsensical monologues about electronics, he's keen as a razor and side-splitting. Like another great comic actor, Peter Sellers, Lewis ruined himself by a touch of megalomania and an inability to see what was good for him in the long run. "It's Only Money" proves what Lewis could be if properly handled.

While not on par with Lewis's very best (The Nutty Professor, The Ladies Man, The Bell Boy, Who's Minding the Store, the underrated The Family Jewels, and others), It's Only Money is entertaining for fans. It includes many instances of iconic Lewis linguistics and enough funny gags to sustain its 90 minutes. While not on par with Lewis's very best (The Nutty Professor, The Ladies Man, The Bell Boy, Who's Minding the Store, the underrated The Family Jewels, and others), It's Only Money is entertaining for fans. It includes many instances of iconic Lewis linguistics and enough funny gags to sustain its 90 minutes.

Perhaps one the most ignored picture from Jerry Lewis, as a great admirer I've never watch this picture on commercial circuit on TV, here Lewis takes ahead one of most successful formula at Hollywood, the missing inheritor millionaire, Jerry plays Lester March a daffy owner of TV repairs, when is aired on TV about a missing nephew from a death unmarried millionaire, they offer a hundred thousand dollars reward over his whereabout, guess who is the real inheritor, yeah Lester, having in the casting the great Zachary Scott as the crook lawyer and the disastrous private detective Pete Flint (Jesse White) and his romantic pair the nurse Wanda (Joan O'Brien) also appears the clumsy killer Leopold (Jack Weston) in your best performance, without forget the eye candy Francine York as sexy girl at agency, hilarious Jerry's picture!!!

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First watch: 2020 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 7.25