The Sad Sack

The Sad Sack is a 1957 Paramount Pictures comedy film starring Jerry Lewis and Peter Lorre. Lewis plays Private Meredith Bixby, who cannot fall in line with army procedure, even though he has had 17 months of training. A psychologist , is assigned to make him into a good soldier, and she enlists two fellow servicemen to help Bixby with his training. About the only thing that he can do right is remember things with his photographic memory. Eventually they are assigned to a base in Morocco. One night they all head off to a bar and Bixby gets drunk on "Moroccan Delights", which he thinks are... malteds. He gets involved with a femme fatale and is kidnapped by some Arabian renegades. Adbul guards Bixby and makes him assemble a stolen cannon, which Bixby had already memorized the instructions to back at the base. Eventually Bixby is rescued by his fellow soldiers and they are all presented with medals of honor. The film is based upon George Baker's comic book character. Hal Wallis purchased the movie rights with the intention of it starring the comedy team Martin and Lewis, but they split up before filming began.
more