The Nutty Professor (1963)

A college professor (Jerry Lewis, who also directed and co-wrote the screenplay) who teaches chemistry at a local college is a mild mannered, geeky nerd. He concocts a formula that, like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, will transform him into the abrasive swinging ladies man, Buddy Love (also Lewis). One of the best of the 1960s comedies, Lewis clearly learned a thing or two from the director Frank Tashlin who directed Lewis in six films by the time Lewis directed this film. Not only does Lewis show what a master of physical comedy he is but the film is littered with some inspired sight gags that rank with the best comedies of all time. The scenes at the gym are priceless and Lewis doesn't have to do much but sit meekly in silence in the college president's (Del Moore) office to get laughs. Lewis has consistently denied that the professor's alter ego, the narcissistic lounge lizard Buddy Love, is based on his ex-partner Dean Martin. That luscious comedienne, buttery Stella Stevens makes for a perfect contrast to both Lewis's extreme characters and Edith Head's form fitting costumes accents every curve. With Kathleen Freeman, Howard Morris, Norman Alden, Elvia Allman, Skip Ward and Henry Gibson.