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More than half a century has passed since the highly contentious film of Jerry Lewis, titled The Day the Clown Cried, was pulled, but now word has surfaced that someone actually possesses a version of this elusive movie. This supposedly is the most comprehensive cut of the legendary flick that Lewis vowed would never be seen by anyone. However, there’s a twist. It’s a VHS tape that resides in the lounge of an unfamiliar individual named Hans Crispin. This person, who once embarked on a quest to discover the Grail of films, didn’t exactly find it. Instead, it was more of a dramatic event when he stumbled upon it.

A Swedish magazine called Icon recently published an article detailing their unique experience as the first publication worldwide to view “The Day the Clown Cried,” a contentious movie that has been kept secret for over four decades. The story revolves around Crispin, a man who, in a daring move, sneaked into his superior’s office, pilfered a key, and ultimately gained access to this priceless piece of film history he had been guarding as a secret.

One day, Crispin found himself in the company of a magazine, following a screening of a movie that sparked their curiosity. The conversation led to Crispin sharing the intriguing tale behind his possession of the most comprehensive version of “The Day the Clown Cried“. During the 80s, he was an employee at Europafilm, a Swedish film company. Whispers suggested that some footage from the movie had been kept in storage, as parts were filmed in Sweden by Lewis.

While working on duplicating adult films onto VHS tapes during his night shifts, Crispin took advantage of the opportunity to explore and search for anything interesting. At first, he stumbled upon scripts and notes, but it turned out that film editor Wic Kjellin had edited a copy of the actual film. And after much hunting, he finally discovered it.

Initially, Crispin managed to persuade a colleague to aid him in scanning the film. However, there was an issue – it was incompletely scanned. It wasn’t until 1990 that he received a missing piece from the Swedish footage, which had been sent to him in an envelope. In the end, Crispin made the decision to secure the treasure within a safe box. Although he has allowed others to view it since then, his ultimate goal is to hear from the Library of Congress so he can pass them the copy. After all, it’s a historical artifact, and that’s what Jerry Lewis would have preferred.

The enigma surrounding “The Day the Clown Cried” is profound. Even the documentary titled “From Darkness to Light,” intended to unveil some truth, remains a mystery since it can’t be streamed anywhere. Accounts of the movie’s existence have been inconsistent, with some claiming to have seen rough cuts without providing credible sources. The Library of Congress possesses an incomplete copy left by Lewis before his death, but due to their agreement with the comedian, they haven’t shown it until June 2024. Given the film’s historical and legendary status, any story about Crispin will be under close examination.

Why Is Jerry Lewis’ War Drama ‘The Day the Clown Cried’ Such a Controversial Movie?

The enigma surrounding the unseen movie “The Day the Clown Cried” might stem from the fact that it was produced by an eccentric comedian like Jerry Lewis. This occurred in the early ’70s, a time when the Holocaust was considered too sensitive for humor. Many likely expected a comedic take on the Holocaust, but the reality was far from that. The film faced numerous problems, leading to Lewis’ departure at some point. Subsequently, the project became embroiled in rights disputes.

Frankly speaking, the concept of the film leaves me grappling with my imagination. It’s a chilling twist on the Pied Piper tale, where a clown guides children towards gas chambers instead. Despite its historical significance, such a movie seems almost unimaginable in today’s context. I can only hope that those eager to acquire it do so out of curiosity to belong to an elite group, rather than for the morbid appeal suggested by The Day the Clown Cried. Remarkably, there are others who wish to pay tribute to Lewis in a distinct manner, and aspire to re-create this project.

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2025-05-29 20:34

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