Don't Raise the Bridge, Lower the River


Don't Raise the Bridge, Lower the River is a 1968 British comedy film produced by Walter Shenson and starring Jerry Lewis. It was released on 12 July 1968 by Columbia Pictures and is based on Max Wilk's novel of the same name, with the original Connecticut locale moved to Swinging London and Portugal.

Plot

George Lester is an American living in Britain. His passion is get-rich-quick schemes, and they have caused financial and personal grief for he and his wife, Pamela, who is considering divorce if he continues with them.
Willy Homer is a conman who plans to help George raise some quick cash by selling plans for a drill to a group of Arabs. The plans, which were stolen, are smuggled to Lisbon with help from his accomplice, Fred Davies. As they are about to trade the plans, they realise that they are being. A series of chases follows, and eventually the plans are revealed to be worthless to everyone.
Distraught, George finds comfort in his wife and promises to never embark on any more schemes, but Willy shows up at his door with another one.

Cast

Filming took place between 15 May and 30 June 1967 and the director, Jerry Paris, has a cameo as the umpire at a baseball game.

Home media

The film has been released twice on Region 1 DVD, on 8 July 2003 and again in a Jerry Lewis Triple Feature collection with Three on a Couch and Hook, Line & Sinker on 16 January 2018.