"The Nutty Professoris one of the most fascinating variations on the Jekyll-Hyde theme. It'salso one of the cruelest, nastiest, malice-aforethought swipes evertaken by one member of a broken-up partnership at the other, as JerryLewis lets us know exactly what he thinks of Dean Martin. Lewis plays atypical role as a kindly, spastic, socially inept scientist, whosechildish behavior alienates almost everyone he meets. So he invents aserum that turns him into, well, into Dean Martin-a slick, assertive,fast-talking, hard-drinking nightclub singer, whose obnoxiousinsincerity only makes him more successful in attracting the women whoshunned Lewis earlier. Lewis plays the Dino part with fiendish pleasure,letting years of pent-up hatred charge (an) extraordinary screenperformance. There are laughs in The Nutty Professor, but its bittersubtext makes it as bleak a picture of human gullibility as BillyWilder's Ace in the Hole, and despite a happy ending, its mercilessdivision of the world into powerless Lewises and successful Dinos leaveslittle room for hope. If, like many Americans, you still find it hard toaccept Lewis's stature as a serious, conscious filmmaker, this corrosivemasterwork will set your doubts to rest." --Michael Goodwin