How others will see it. Kids would prefer a cartoon of recent vintage, so the audience once again falls to classic movie fans. Since this is Kaye's movie, your opinion of The Court Jester rests on your opinion of Danny Kaye. Those who see him as a charming and multi-talented comedian will relish the film. Those who prefer Cary Grant, Fred Astaire, or even Clifton Webb will be rewarded for their patience with a competent, brisk, and in the end, unengaging period comedy vehicle.
How I felt about it. I have seen a couple of thousand classic films. That is not to say I've seen them all, but I've yet to see a good film in which Danny Kaye has a single line. Why do I like him less as a comic than, for example, Bing Crosby or Fred Astaire? Crosby was droll, Astaire was knowing. Peter Sellers was mysterious.
But what can Kaye offer to a good film? He seems to pander to the audience. His delivery is so smooth, there's no discordance. Perhaps he's too natural, even too gifted, since there never seems to be an edge. When he's in trouble, he's awkward, but never really manic. When he's euphoric, he poses, but never needles.
Danny Kaye just doesn't have sharp teeth, so to speak. Like his singing voice, he's smooth, but vaguely bland, whereas Crosby could soar.
The same can be said for The Court Jester. Johns is hot in her becoming rose-red maiden outfit, but the film is otherwise littered with stock characters. The scheming villain (Basil Rathbone), the corrupted but easily led King (Cecil Parker), the proud, stocky knight (Robert Middleton), the rebellious young princess (Angela Lansbury).
The story isn't weak, in fact, the plot is more elaborate than many better comedies, including Crosby's merry England outing, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1949). Yet the story falls flat, like Sir Griswold, who has to scale a castle wall in full armor to become a knight, but can't rise off his back when he loses a tug of war to the smaller Danny Kaye. And everyone pledges allegiance to a perpetually silent infant who has a purple tattoo on his butt. Earth to writer: birthmarks are not hereditary.