>>>>>Based on Joseph Conrad's "The Duel" ("Point of Honor" in the US?). Others of his stories gone to film include:
>>>>
>>>>And don't forget Secret Agent ( Bob Hoskins and Robin Williams in a particulary good role as 'The Professor' who walks around at all times with his finger on the dead-man switch of the bomb he has strapped to his body. )
>>>
>>>The Conrad tale?
>>>
>>>>Interesting how comedians make some of the best dramatic actors -
>>>
>>>True. I've noticed the English commedian Lee Evans in quite a few straight roles lately (though he's a crap actor). Eddie Izzard has played a few good baddies, and some other English comic that you may not know, such as (and one of my grouchy favourites) Jack Dee
>>>
>>>>e.g. Jerry Lewis who isn't funny to anyone but the French but who does what should have been and Oscar turn in Scorcese's King of Comedy - which should also be on any list of truly great movies.
>>>
>>>I thought that one was the DeNiro film, but maybe that was "Broadway Danny Rose". Anyway, I don't know if deNiro scored in that but to me the char he played was as funny as a dose of distemper in a dogs' home. The style, quality and delivery of the gags was abysmal.
>>
>>It was the Deniro film. He kidnapped Jerry Lewis.
>
>You mean he kidnapped Lewis (as a char in the film), or he kidnapped Lewis's act, or that he kidnapped Lewis's portrayal of teh King of Comedy, or it was like a remake thereof?

He kidnapped him as a character int he film in order to force him to allow Deniro to perform. He kept trying to get on the Lewis' characters show, but kept getting turned down.