Free and Easy (1930)

Elmer Butts (Buster Keaton) is the bumbling manager to Queen of Gopher City Elvira (Anita Page), who is a Kansas beauty contest winner and his secret crush. Along with her overbearing mother played by Trixie Friganza, Elvira is going to Hollywood to try and become a star. On the way they meet movie star Larry Mitchell (Robert Montgomery) who is instantly smitten with Elvira. He invites them to his upcoming premiere at Grauman's Chinese Theatre where Elmer is mistaken for William Hanes (much to the actual Hanes delight). Trying his best to promote Elvira, he mostly makes a fool of himself. The next day Elvira and her mother are invited to the studio by Larry to watch him perform in his current movie. Elmer, having been left out due to his antics the night before, manages to sneak onto the studio lot where he accidentally wreaks havoc on various sound stages that include famous people such as Lionel Barrymore, Karl Dane, and Dorothy Sebastian. Larry, who genuinely likes Elmer tries to get him a job but the director miscasts him in the part and he’s thrown off the set. Larry tells him to go to the transportation department on the lot so he can get a ride home but the manager mistakes him for a new driver. He is assigned to be Larry’s driver and must watch as Larry tries to seduce Elvira. Hurrying off to fetch Elvira’s mother, they arrive to find Elvira crying. Elmer tries to attack Larry and is knocked out in the process. However, Elvira’s mother knocks him out. When the men come to and start talking, they realize they knew each other as kids. Larry, who is remorseful for trying to seduce Elvira, decides to try and get Elmer another acting gig. This time the casting is perfect and even Elvira’s mother gets a part in the show. Elmer is a big hit and wins himself a studio contract. However, Larry wins Elvira much to Elmer’s dismay.

I don’t know about anyone else, but I have been enjoying TCM’s tribute to Buster Keaton this month. Knowing him only as the silent comedian who lit up the screen with his CRAZY antics (I mean Harold Lloyd and Charlie Chaplin are fantastic but the physical body comedy Keaton performed goes above and beyond) it was a delight for me to watch him in a talkie. Despite the odd pacing and random story line so typical in early 30’s film, Free and Easy was a delight mostly due to Keaton and Friganza. Their interactions with one another are hilarious! I also got to watch the short documentary on Keaton So Funny It Hurt; Buster Keaton and MGM, a poignant title in that his years at MGM after being an independent actor for over a decade basically ruined him. I was not aware that MGM played such an integral part of the disintegration of his stardom and aided his descent into alcoholism. Nor was I aware that once he was able to straighten his life out, that he did so much work, often uncredited, behind the scenes- he recycled his on-screen gags and wrote new material for the likes of Red Skelton and the Marx Brothers. If you haven’t had a chance to check out his body of work- tune in this Sunday as TCM continues to pay tribute to one of the greatest physical comedians ever!

Side note:

Be on the look out for Ann Dvorak who is uncredited in this film- she's pretty easy to spot!

Tonight on TCM!

The Big Combo (1955) A police detective tries to convict a mob boss by going to the man's girlfriend.  Dir: Joseph Lewis Cast: Cornel Wilde, Richard Conte, Brian Donlevy.

Table Talk!

 Charles Laughton and Judith Anderson

 Basil Rathbone and Angela Lansbury

 Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood

 Joan Crawford and Caesar Romero

 Ann Dvorak, Hedy Lamarr, and Ann Baxter

 Marlene Dietrich and Douglas Fairbanks Jr.

 Ben Gazzara and Fred Clark

Brian Aherne, Joan Fontaine and Olivia de Havilland

Tonight on TCM!

All Quiet On The Western Front (1930) Young German soldiers try to adjust to the horrors of World War I.

Dir: Lewis Milestone Cast: Louis Wolheim, Lew Ayres, John Wray.

The Crowd Roars (1932)

Joe Greer (James Cagney), is a hotshot racecar driver who returns home to find his kid brother, Eddie (Eric Linden) not only idolizes him but wants to emulate him. Once Joe sees how well Eddie races, he decides to take him along and show him the ropes. Unfortunately Joe does not live the life of a saint. He currently lives in a hotel with his devoted girlfriend Lee (Ann Dvorak) who used to be in it for the fun but now wants a commitment from Joe.

Joe realizes his lifestyle probably isn't the best example to set for Eddie and after he catches Lee and Anne (Joan Blondell) entertaining Eddie with an ample view of Anne's legs and a drink, Joe decides to give Lee the air. Anne and Lee devise a plan spurn Joe by having Anne date Eddie. They promptly fall in love and when Joe confronts Anne about the relationship he says some things about Anne that Eddie feels are uncalled for.

After a smackdown, Joe promptly kicks Eddie off his racing team and goes on an alcholic binge despite having a race later that day. When Spud Connors (Frank McHugh), Joe's racing buddy tries to put a car between Joe and Eddy because he knows Joe is not fit to race, Joe causes a terrible accident that will lead him down a future path of failure while Eddie's racing career is on the rise. The only solution to the problem is for the brothers to work towards a common goal.

The movie was good overall. A few of the storylines could have been fleshed out more, like why Joe was so ashamed of Lee and by extension, himself for the life he led. Also, in the end, despite Eddie never wanting to speak to Joe again after what happened to Spud, he and Joe are suddenly thrown together in the same race car with no explanation as to how they made up with one another.

After seeing this film, I have new appreciation for the pioneers of auto racing. They performed some pretty astounding and daring feats.

Tonight on TCM!

The Actress (1953) True story of Ruth Gordon's early struggles on the road to stage stardom.Cast: Spencer Tracy, Jean Simmons, Teresa Wright, Anthony Perkins Dir: George Cukor