Jean-Luc Godard Responds on Jerry Lewis | The Dick Cavett Show

[@TheDickCavettShow]

Where does Jean-Luc Godard rank among the best filmmakers of all time?

[@conradg.horchos2322]

Il transformé l’art cinoche. Avant Godard les films sont comme un théâtre. Après non. Révolutionnaire!

[@drm147]

Pretty subjective. We can all admire the technical prowess and intelligence that goes into those Films. But if the primary purpose of movies is to entertain, then how is he "better" than Irwin Allen, Roger Corman, et als?

[@ffsf739]

He'll forever be my number one.

[@eargasm1072]

He was highly experimental, political and most of his movies make for "difficult" viewing, But "Contempt and "Weekend" are my favorites of his, those are keepers!

[@originalhgc]

He's up there, especially for Breathless. But, I absolutely hated Contempt. It's a bastardization of the book and the sound quality shows contempt for the audience. That's a severe black mark.

[@shenanigans3710]

Here's the most remarkable thing about this interview: that not very long ago on American network television, an intelligent man had a calm, respectful and very thoughtful conversation with a major foreign avant-garde director without any questions about his sex life or any other scandal and American people happily watched it.

[@diaspo]

Dick Cavett was never one to insult his viewer's intelligence, and tried to his best to engage with his guests on something more than a superficial level. As for the shift away from thoughtful entertainment, I'd say it's the result of talk shows intentionally becoming little more than promotion veiled as entertainment. Why pause for ad breaks, when you can make the show an infomercial. Every guest these days is there to spruik their latest offering - nothing more. Put a barking seal like Fallon on to distract the plebs long enough to sell them something and you've got modern late night TV. In Cavett's day, the selling was reserved for the ad breaks. The guests were there because they wanted to be, and the viewers were prepared to tolerate the ad breaks as long as the show delivered. As Goddard said, these days, we're the product.

[@manofmanyinterests]

@@diaspo Let's not gild tge lilly. The guests were on the show because they were booked, not necessarily due to their desire. Cavett tried to appeal to the intelligentsia, therefore alienating most of the rest of the pitentual viewing audience. He holds himself in high regard, while showering his audience with massive amounts of disdain.

[@diaspo]

@@manofmanyinterests "pitentual" lol. Sounds like your inferiority complex talking. People shouldn't have to dumb themselves down to pander to the lowest common denominator. If you feel threatened by someone just because they are smarter than you, that's your problem, not theirs. Anti-intellectualism is regressive neo-conservative nonsense that has no place in a modern world.

[@manofmanyinterests]

@@diaspo It sounds as if YOUR superiority complex has blinded you. You are incorrect on all counts about me. I feel sorry for you and your family.

[@diaspo]

@@manofmanyinterests, what you’ve just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this comment section is now dumber for having read it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

[@adarshjose3891]

I hated Godard at first, but the more I listen to him the more I understand. Thank You for uploading this. 💕💕💕

[@Jamie-js3qw]

you deserve 1,000 likes for that.

[@rr7firefly]

Meanwhile, in the U.S. we have Disney and X-Men. "Let's make it easy for them, nothing too abstract that they have to think."

[@SaintMartins]

R.I.P. Jean-Luc Godard. (1930-2022) Just heard the sad news today of this legends passing (September13, 2022)

[@JB-wh3we]

I'm going to unravel the "Jerry Lewis admired by the French" mystery. So first, he usually wrote and directed his own films which isn't easy. Secondly, he was really the only pure slapstick comedian making those kind of big box office (relatively) movies in the 60s, so in a way he was going against the grain. But finally and most of all, I think they admired him bc he was so good at shedding his own personality for those loveable goofy roles. You have to shed your ego and any pretense for most of those characters to come off as authentic on the screen. Many serious american actors have a history of trying to be deep and captivating, and they often sought out roles to display this. Jerry Lewis went 100% in on simply perfecting playing a clown. In real life, he was anything but a traditional clown. He was often rude, brooding, and sadistic. A pseudo-intellectual narcissist, with bigotries and prejudices of his time...yet he could shed that so completely to get in character for a film. Some could classify this simply as a manic-depressive going to the well too often on a formula that worked at one time. I believe the French saw it as a genius, being his own man and not compromising his art for the conventions of the time/contemporary film. Ultimately...I disagree with the French (if this is the case lol)

[@bullucsterteth7530]

Jerry Lewis is also revered in Spain.

[@susantunbridge4612]

I don't agree with them either, but the French definitely have a different sense of humour. He was basically Bugs Bunny come to life in many of his roles. I think that's what he was doing, acting out a cartoon character - see the annoying voice that constantly grated on the ear. And he wouldn't have risen to such heights without Dean Martin, who was an anchor and a solid base for Lewis, and had his own more subtle sense of humour, plus a lot of charm and kindness. Pretty much stabbed Dean in the back, and that was the end of that. And, Sid Caesar came first, and was more of an artist than Lewis ever was. Nicer person too. Very weird film that he made about a clown taking Jewish children to the gas chambers, that was never aired thank god. He must have had some serious issues around his parents' neglect of him, plus being post-war Jewish. Dean would have been a real solid father/older brother figure for him in the absence of his parents, being a normal, affectionate, and understanding person until he was pushed too far. He made swipes at Jerry on his own show for years, but 10 years with JL would have scarred anyone. I must say though, I think a certain talent shone through when JL dressed in drag for their movie about the Army. Startlingly good, and maybe that's why he turned down the Some Like it Hot role, that Jack Lemmon got. Too bad, but he might have been afraid of that ability he had, didn't want to be typecast. Or he was just afraid of his actual ability, but never explored it. Might have been good in The Shining.

[@JSTNtheWZRD]

They also love chaplain, buster Keaton, mimes. And he looks French. His manner was French serious and French goofy. And France has an obsession with the devil. I don't mean the Christian devil, I mean stagnant things - parkour, making walking fun - or mood indigo type movies where things happen for no reason. The devil, a useless stagnant movement that has no effect whatsoever.

[@davidspears4550]

Jerry Lewis' first (and best)films after splitting with Dino, were directed by Frank Tashlin, the films he directed later are pale imitations, Tashlin was the genius,Jerry was a clown.

[@daniellebourgade8701]

@@davidspears4550 The Nutty Professor was a masterpiece.

[@SaintMartins]

Francoise Truffaut said at the AFI tribute to Alfred Hitchcock in 1979.... "In America you call him 'Hitch", In France we call him Monsieur Hitchcock" It's about RESPECT !

[@luismarioguerrerosanchez4747]

I call him the master.

[@ronaldmilner8932]

Jean-Luc Goddard is a Master Director, and I would rank him in the Top 10 of Great Directors.

[@bignutz9857]

I would also put Jerry Lewis in the top 10 greatest directors

[@rty1955]

I worked with Jerry Lewis in 1974 on his telethon and found him to be an extremely arrogant person. I am am Emmy award editor and he ruined a 4 hour edit season on me and tried to blame it on me. My supervisor told him that i knew more about video tape then he did and to back down. He didnt and I told my supervisor no longer want to work with such an idiot a d I walked off the edit session and i looked back at gim and said "because of your lying you no longer have an editor. Have a nice day!" He yelled after me and I just gave him the finger He is also credited for the "video assist" not realizing he stole the idea from the Dumont Electronicam. Where a film camera was adapted to a video cameras. Just look at the end credits on the Honeymooners. The idea of placinf a video cameras on a film camera was already discussed a d only became a reality as soon a video cameras became very compact enough to be adapted to a Film camera.

[@jamals.8786]

I've heard similar stories like that from people who worked with him. He was a grade A asshole.

[@rty1955]

@@jamals.8786 Absolutely! I jabe worked with outstanding people and a lot of assholes

[@frankfeldman6657]

Every person who ever knew or worked with him said he was an appalling person.

[@susantunbridge4612]

That's really interesting about the video assist, because Ive been told that he invented it. He also no doubt copied Sid Caesar's Your Show of Shows constantly but never really was as funny, or skilled as Caesar. He has also told a pack of whoppers about his relationship with Dean Martin, after Dean died of course. I swear he had a major crush on him, and was angry that he left. DM went on to performing with sane people, like Sinatra and SDJunior, and having actual fun.

[@rty1955]

@@susantunbridge4612 it was widely known in the business that just as the Dumont Electronicam revolutionized the television industry, when video cameras could be miniaturized it would be adapted to a movie camera it would revolutionize the movie industry. He hardly invented it. people had been talking about it ever since the advent of the Electronicam. Most of the film cameras of the day already split prism eyepeices Google the Dumont Electronicam. You will see similarities. This is where he stole the idea from. TV cameras back in the day were huge, and needed lots of light. When the video cameras got small, it was easily adapted to movie cameras. So no, It wasnt his idea at all, the industry was just waiting for cameras to be small enough. Look at the movie industry now. The used to use HUGE Chapman cranes to lift a camera, operator & the director up into the air for some shots. Now they use a thing called a job arm which only lifts the camera. This came from the video world. And as nee digital video has incredible lattitude that even surpasses film, the movie industry is using video cameras instead if film

[@danielshade710]

Fascinating to see him before his iconic role on the Starship Enterprise. Jean-Luc!

[@brunotestores]

YOU MEAN TRUFFAUT

[@janeporter818]

Interesting interview

[@r.p.mcmurphy6623]

The Jerry Lewis part starts at 8:25

[@philippapay4352]

The sound on these is way too low on your end. I have it all the way up here and it's not enough to really catch everything. I do not have this problem on most other channels.

[@DrDespicable]

And then the music at the end blasts you out of your chair...

[@BobMori]

The extracted "Slo Motion" clip from this broadcast: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rpetlGCNhNOFm7s

[@Diegoflyboy]

That is so cool to listen to the image and look at the sound.....I've always liked the French films with the humor intimacy Love and loss...without the guns and high speed car chases.like over here.....even in Star Wars same recipe. Nice interviews....Thank you.

[@soundsof...]

So funny how D. Cavett feels lost and really working hard to follow-up.

[@59884]

shame because of copyrights we can never see the clips shown on this show. It should be allowed, they are usually less than a minute long

[@JSTNtheWZRD]

I love Goddard. It is the very complexity of the mind he played with, thank god. It is film as art, and many different kinds of art at once. I didn't understand till I saw Forever Mozart for the fourth or fifth time over the years. I had no expectations. I saw how vital his films are, how modern. How revolutionary in the way Hitchcock made Vertigo, he is almost ignored by the people because it hurts their heads and embraced by the bourgeois because it's art. He is not considered one of the greats and he is. Its not so much art as it is human very human.

[@darylcumming7119]

An historical timepiece.

[@jeffdawson2786]

Sometimes I wonder if a bit of Peter Sellers’ Inspector Clouseau was an exaggeration of Goddard. Probably not.

[@dbarker7794]

You might very well be right, monsieur.

[@shemphoward666]

love this crazy man even though i don't understand what he's trying to say most of the time

[@dvakman]

Have you considered releasing these archive interviews as podcast episodes? I recognize that you would lose the visual element, but it would be amazing to have access to this unparalleled catalog of conversation in that format when in the car, etc. Just a thought.

[@Dizzyfingers2]

I'll save you some time: @8:20

[@Billkwando]

8:16 is where the Jerry Lewis discussion starts, for the impatient.

[@markharrison2058]

He was great in star trek.

[@JohnLaMonte]

Awesome,!

[@Jamie-js3qw]

for this style of talking alone he should just rank as an excellent person.

[@it15]

because of his shilling for Mao alone he should rank as repulsive person.

[@maddymud]

Bill Hader just got a new character

[@Labor_Jones]

Jerry is Great... r.i.p.

[@poetcomic1]

Cavitt: "Do you find Jerry Lewis funn? Godard: "I find him very funny, even when he's not funny he's more funny." That is SO....French Intellectual!

[@susantunbridge4612]

Whereas Patricia Routledge, who was very funny in Keeping Up Appearances, UK show, worked with Lewis once, and said he was decidedly not funny at all. He was nasty to her too.

[@dirtyths]

I know this is stupid, but I'm seeing Godard as Inspector Clouseau right now.

[@marksprinkle]

Did anyone who knew Jerry Lewis actually like him? How was someone who came off as so mean and spiteful ever viewed as being funny or a comedian?

[@Gannooch]

have nothing against the other celebs that were on this show but is this channel ever going to show the Dick Cavett shows where he interviews Jackie Gleason or Art Carney? How about any Honeymooners actors that were part of the main cast? These are rarities much like the other ones.

[@turki9397]

godard is the coolest filmmaker ever.

[@ChuckMarteau]

The whole "France / Jerry Lewis" thing is a mystery to ME, and I grew up in France! Ironically the topic is more an American obsession. Keaton, Chaplin, Laurel & Hardy etc etc etc are just as popular in France if not more. Jerry Lewis became prominent in France and in Europe at a time when things in post WW2 Europe look pretty dire, so what's wrong with that? Countless Americans, not just Jerry Lewis, have received the French Légion d'Honneur, one of France's most prestigious awards. Jerry Lewis has actually said he was more popular in countries such as Italy and Japan than France, so go figure.

[@Gannooch]

I have nothing against the other celebs that were on this show but is this channel ever going to show the Dick Cavett shows where he interviews Art Carney or Jackie Gleason? I don’t have Decades.

[@elizabethingram9784]

US audiences are so shallow, want everything spelled out for them. Hamburger analogy…

[@r.p.mcmurphy6623]

Get over yourself...LOL

[@SpeccyHorace]

@@r.p.mcmurphy6623 Intelligent response.

[@fuchsiaswing8545]

It's quite true. The Americans cannot handle any form of ambiguity or having to think for themselves. They want everything served on a platter right to their face and every dot connected for them. The state of our cinema is a direct result of this phenomenon. We essentially make baby movies for adults.

[@jfjoubertquebec]

I'm from Québec. I speak French. I have absolutely no idea what they are talking about. hihi

[@commanderkeen3787]

Cavett wanted him to insult Lewis and create drama. Lewis was a very talented filmmaker and heavily influenced Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg

[@mndean5652]

I don't think so. Godard was huge admirer of Lewis and I would guess Cavett was well aware.

[@Bannockburn111]

Cavett was never the type of interviewer that was out to "create drama". He just wanted honest responses he understood clearly (so his audience could also understand clearly).

[@sallyozuna3883]

Jerry Lewis was an ASS.

[@TheNeverposts]

I love Dick Cavett, God bless him, but he's not really up for it here.

[@Jamie-js3qw]

not up for it means he doesn't like it, not up to it?

[@TheNeverposts]

@@Jamie-js3qw the challenge

[@spotlite_films]

Jerry Lewis is so out of his depth here in this conversation

[@lysanderofsparta3708]

JLG looks like Dan Castellaneta with bad hair.

[@opinionsforsale]

Geeze, Dick not Getting That Framing A Picture is The Picture - Made Me Lose Respect For His Intelligence.

[@georgealexander141]

Hardly Working was atrocious. On all levels. Supposedly Goddard is one of the best foreign film directors of all time. But I have to question that after hearing his answer.

[@TheNeverposts]

France invented cinema, you're the foreign filmmaker.

[@somethingyousaid5059]

I'm first to post. How childish you are. I know you are but what am I? Childish.