ONE MORE TIME

(director: Jerry Lewis; screenwriter: Michael Pertwee; cinematographer: Ernest Steward; editor: William Butler; music: Geoff Stephens; cast: Peter Lawford (Chris Pepper/Lord Sydney Pepper ), Sammy Davis, Jr. (Charlie Salt), Maggie Wright (Miss Tomkins), Leslie Sands (Inspector), John Wood (Figg), Edward Evans (Gordon); Runtime: 93; MPAA Rating: PG; producer: Milton Ebbins; UA; 1970)

“Tedious sequel to the Rat Pack pal film Salt & Pepper.”

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz

Tedious sequel to the Rat Pack pal film Salt & Pepper (1968) that was directed by Richard Donner and starred Peter Lawford and Sammy Davis, Jr., who reprised their roles in the version directed by first-time helmer comic actor Jerry Lewis (“The Big Mouth”/”The Family Jewels”/”The Patsy”). The sub-par script is by Michael Pertwee.

Charlie Salt (Sammy Davis, Jr.) and Chris Pepper (Peter Lawford) own a swinging London nightclub until their club is closed for violations. Given two weeks to pay or be severely fined, the partners scheme to save the club. When Chris’s wealthy twin brother Lord Sydney Pepper comes to London, he refuses to help his brother. Meanwhile Chris uses his brother’s identity to free load around town. When the real Sydney is murdered, Chris carries out the pose for real by changing clothes with the corpse but fails to tell this to his partner Salt. We learn Sydney had enemies because he double-crossed both Interpol and international diamond smugglers, and it’s up to the live brother to catch his dead brother’s killer. We soon discover the killer is among the dangerous jewel thieves, where Sydney was a diamond smuggler.

The episodic comedy gets sluggish as it moves from one unfunny set piece to another, with strained comedy and a heavy-handedness that makes this one a low mark in comedy.

REVIEWED ON 4/14/2014 GRADE: C-