The Day the Clown Cried: A Comedy of Errors?
Few unreleased films have garnered the attention of a new documentary premiering at this year's Venice Film Festival, let alone the potential for a high-profile remake. But that's the intriguing story of Jerry Lewis's ill-fated 1972 Holocaust-themed comedy, *The Day the Clown Cried*.
The film, notorious for its horrifically misplaced humour, has become a byword for tastelessness. Yet, Kia Jam, founder of K Jam Media, believes the original screenplay holds untapped potential, and is aiming to "reimagine" the film, drawing upon the original script by Joan O'Brien and Charles Denton.
The original story centres on Helmut Doork, a washed-up circus clown who, in pre-war Germany, finds himself imprisoned in a concentration camp after a drunken rant against Hitler. Despite the horrors surrounding him, Doork offers a glimmer of hope and escapism to the camp's inhabitants, particularly the children. Ultimately, disgusted by the Nazi regime, he makes a tragic sacrifice, leading his charges to their deaths in the gas chambers.
Though the script promises powerful subject matter, Lewis's execution proved disastrous. His biographer, Shawn Levy, suggests the comedian, desperately seeking artistic recognition beyond his comedic persona, was drawn to the project, but lacked the necessary direction and sensitivity.
Lewis's ambition, however, was hampered by his lack of filmmaking experience, his heavy drinking on set, and a strained relationship with producer Nat Wachsberger. The project was abandoned before completion, leaving behind fragmented footage and an unsavoury legacy.
A handful of people have glimpsed the film, including comedian Harry Shearer, who described it as "the perfect object" of misplaced pathos and comedy. Others, including Levy, have echoed similar sentiments, suggesting the film would have been "excruciating" to watch, albeit not in the same way as other controversial Holocaust-themed films of the time.
Jam, however, believes he can salvage the project, having acquired the rights to the original screenplay. He hopes to attract a "master craftsman" to direct the film, ensuring the actors involved are in "very good, capable hands".
This isn't the first attempt to resurrect the film. Robin Williams was once attached to a project with similar themes, but ultimately opted for *Jakob the Liar
instead.
The recent success of Jonathan Glazer's *The Zone of Interest
suggests there's an appetite for nuanced, challenging films about the Holocaust, potentially offering a new window into *The Day the Clown Cried*.
A documentary, *From Darkness to Light*, promises to shed new light on the making of the film, including "extensive never-before-seen production footage" and "behind-the-scenes impressions" from the "lost masterpiece".
The documentary may offer greater clarity on the film's history, and potentially answer the question of whether *The Day the Clown Cried
will ever see the light of day. Lewis himself donated his personal copy of the film to the Library of Congress in 2014 with the stipulation it would not be released for a decade. However, the archive revealed it only possessed rough cuts of scenes, far from a finished product.
Despite the controversy, Jam is determined to give the film a second chance, believing it has the potential to be a "deeply and vitally important picture". Whether he succeeds in creating a film worthy of its source material remains to be seen.
