Sad news. Loved that guy. RIP.

I enjoyed his comedies when I was a kid and teenager, also his annual Muscular Dystrophy telethons.

RIP.

@Col_Hessler said:

Maybe now that Jerry is gone, we may finally see this picture for ourselves and see if it's worth all the trouble. He indicated we wouldn't see it while he lived.

RIP, Jerry.

Read the synopsis; and while the material can't help but be bleak, I think a larger problem is that it probably would be (would have been) almost impossible for fans to accept him in such a role.

I know actors have done brilliant, breakout work in crossover roles before; but, I think that happens when they play a different type of character.

Playing his same character (clown), doing his same thing (clowning around), but in a dramatic, tragic setting just doesn’t allow for the suspension of disbelief needed to add solemnity to his portrayal. (Of course, if it ever plays, and I'm wrong, I will be sure to come back and retract.)

When he was still hosting the Muscular Dystrophy Telethon, he did a great turn for someone I know. He didn’t have; but, he did—wasn’t afraid to “step-up”.

RIP

I would like to see this out of curiosity, although I've never held much real hope in seeing it. I suppose Jerry felt that the tone was wrong, that he would be disrespecting the subject. But he always did try to include a sentimental/serious side into his movies (influenced as he was by Charlie Chaplin, though Chaplin did it better). It's possible that the times have changed, and what he deemed as unacceptable then might not be now. Hard to say.

Maybe it just isn't that funny, and that's why he didn't want it seen. Hard to be funny when you're worried about crossing a line.