Bonjour Mr Lewis (1982): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1982, Bonjour Mr Lewis is a notable film directed by Robert Benayoun, running about 360 minutes.

What it’s about. Robert Benayoun’s reverence for the uncrowned king of slapstick and unfettered silliness has maybe something to do with his own affinity to surrealism, which he joined in the forties and encouraged him to deal with the great masters of the absurd comedy like the Marx Brothers and Buster Keaton. In six episodes Benayoun, who worked for many years as a film critic in Paris, immerses himself in the various aspects of the personality and comedian. He was allowed to use the inexhaustible supply of unused or private films, since Lewis was known for not throwing away one inch of celluloid and hoarding it in his basement. In addition to the interviews, in which renowned colleagues of Mel Brooks from Scorsese to John Landis and Lewis himself speak, there are especially these rare and sometimes startling images, that give a new sharper view on Lewis as a filmmaker and as a person.

Who’s in it. Bonjour Mr Lewis stars Jerry Lewis as Himself.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Bonjour Mr Lewis page.