Irma, das unmögliche Mädchen

As in the first film, "My Friend Irma," John Lund has the funniest role in this film, with Marie Wilson's Irma in second place. Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis afford some comedy, but Jerry's Seymour again has some scenes that are very dated and just don't tickle the funny bone two decades into the 21st century. And that goes for older funny bones (from pre mid-20th century) to the young ones of today.

Jerry's one very funny scenario is his playing canasta with a chimpanzee on the train. But, John Lund's Al can get laughs just on his persona - how he plays the role as a street mug, or when he calls Irma, "Chicken."

The funniest scene in the whole film is when Al is sitting at a table ready to take some chump in poker. A meek-looking patsy comes by and asks to be able to play. This is Lloyd Corrigan playing a character named Sharpie Corrigan - only Al doesn't know his name or who he is.

After Al gives the guy the cards too shuffle, the scene shifts to his hands. I don't know who the card expert was whose hands we see, but I don't think there's ever been a better or more accomplished scene of card shuffling in another movie. Besides a couple usual trick handling of the cards, this pair of hands splits the deck with half a deck of cards fanning out in each hand. He then melds to two hands together - not one hand on top of the other, but interspersing the cards. I've never seen anything like it before.

The scene then shows Al's face with a look of disbelief, and he comments about the guy never having played before, to which Sharpie replies that he played some other cards games. But now he deals five cards, one at a time to each of them. The game is straight five-card draw poker. Al looks at his cards and bets $200. Sharpie raises it $200. They go back and forth with raises, then Al says he doesn't need any cards. Sharpie doesn't take any cards either, so Al passes. Sharpie bets $200 and Al calls him. Al then lays down a straight. Sharpie asks him what will beat a straight and Al says a flush. Sharpie says he doesn't have a flush, and Al starts to rake in the pot when Sharpie says he has a full house. Al asks how he knows, when he hasn't even looked at his cards yet - and Sharpie holds up the full house for Al to see, without ever looking at the cards himself.

The expressions, of both characters during this hand of cards is half the comedy of this scene. It's too bad that the movie didn't have more comedy like this. Jerry has a far-out segment dressed as an Indian brave, trying to make a smoke signal, and then sneaking around to a crooks hideout. Besides the two scenes mentioned above, this film has some very funny lines. But for those, I'm not sure younger audiences today would find this film very funny. It's probably mostly for diehard Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis fans. Dean sings a couple of songs and those help the film some.

Here are the best funny lines in this film.

Jane Stacey, "I wonder if Steve's photogenic." Irma Peterson, "Why of course not. He's as healthy as a horse."

Irma Peterson, after they see Yvonne kiss Steve on TV, "Oh, don't be upset, Jane. That's just the French way of shaking hands. I... it's like when the Germans are leaving and they say, 'gesundheit.'"

Jane Stacey, "I believe you, honey, and I don't mean to be jealous. It's just that there's something about you that... that makes me hate all other women."

Al, "Holy smoke! Shanghaied by a screwball."

Irma Peterson, "Oh, don't be angry at Jane. Remember, it's better to give than receive." Al, "What has that got to do with this murderous situation?? Irma, "Oh, nothing, Al. I just thought it was a good time to quote someone."

Irma Peterson, "Oh, Al, did you see the moon?" Al, "Why, is it missing?"

Irma Peterson, "Oh, when I think of marrying you, I could stay sick forever."

Irma Peterson, "You didn't say anything about my new bathing suit." Al, "You got one on?" Ima, "Oh, Al, don't you pay any attention?" Al, "Chicken, with the problems I've got on my mind, you could be wearing a suit of armor and I wouldn't notice."

Al, "Now, chicken, run along and rejoice in your good fortune. Before long you will be Mrs. Al." Irma Peterson, "Oh, Mrs. Al."

Irma Peterson, "Well, Jane, you're wrong. He wasn't a quack doctor. He's a lumberjack."

Irma Peterson, "Although I've been engaged for five years, I've never had any children. I wanna be a mother." Pete, "It'd be better for your kids if I bump you off."

This really a dumb, dumb movie that makes no sense. A lot of mistakes as who knows who and who is where. How does Irma catch up with the train she missed. No one seems to mind that she's disappeared? The angle of the Martin character so conveniently gets jobs in the business is inane to say the least. And Lewis mugs too much. At one point the sheriff wants a posse to try to find the criminals. He hands out guns to everyone???? Even Jane gets one. Ludicrous. What a mess this one is. And how does Lewis get to where the criminals are with out a vehicle to get out to thee middle of nowhere.????/

The follow-up to 1949's my friend irma. Mostly the same cast. But in this one, martin and lewis do a bit with the orchestra. And when they head to hollywood to find success, they cross paths with a real shady gang of crooks. It's okay. Kind of goes all over the place. It's a journey, with lots of silliness, singing, and a mostly plausible story. Imdb tells us part of it was really filmed in las vegas. This one directed by hal walker.. had made a couple road films with bob hope and bing crosby. And was nominated for souls at sea! Irma had started as a character on the radio, and made the jump to film at just the right time.

For their second film Martin and Lewis did a sequel to My Friend Irma taken from Marie Wilson's popular radio comedy where John Lund finally got Wilson to the altar and Wilson and best friend and roommate Diana Lynn was also marrying Martin.

The weddings were forgotten in My Friend Irma Goes West as Dean Martin guest stars on a radio program and attracts the attention of film star Corinne Calvet to the jealousy of Diana Lynn. Lund is also footloose and fancy free again with his eternal get rich quick schemes that were a big component of My Friend Irma.

However Lynn puts her foot down and takes over management of Martin's career and negotiates a contract with a Hollywood mogul. Who turns out to be an escapee from a booby hatch, but our fearless quintet goes out to Hollywood first class for a job that doesn't exist.

Martin's singing and Lewis's clowning do get them noticed in Las Vegas as he gets booked in Bugsy Siegel's up and coming town. And Lund gets outdealed literally by gangster Lloyd Corrigan in a marvelous bit of casting against type. Of course all the financial and romantic problems get sorted out in the end.

When I reviewed the first My Friend Irma film I said that the Irma character would be great for Jessica Simpson to revive. After seeing this film I still maintain that. God has a special province for Marie Wilson's character who just tra-la-la's through life and somehow makes it through.

There's a bit more of Dean and Jerry in this film than the previous one. Their next film would be At War With The Army where they would finally star.

Corinne Calvet talked at length about this film for Nick Tosches's biography of Dean Martin. Her experience in Hollywood was not a happy one and she mentions the casting couch that both Hal Wallis and Darryl Zanuck used with regularity. In her case she was to service them also for her then husband John Bromfield. She said that Dino was a pleasant person to work with, confident and assured. She liked Jerry as well, but felt there was a certain insecurity with him as he was continually 'on' all the time as if trying hard to please.

The film called for her to work with a chimpanzee, her and Jerry and she said the ape was paying close attention to her. She was asked where she was in her menstrual cycle and when she told director Hal Walker, he said the ape was giving her a booty call. That was a bit unnerving, but I'll bet Corinne got passes just as crude from some humans.

The score was written by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans and it yielded an early hit for Dean Martin with I'll Always Love You which has a nice Latin flavored tempo to it. My Friend Irma Goes West is still a funny film and the comedy is timeless so it really could be revived today.

Are you reading this Jessica Simpson?

This is easily the funniest and most deep-down-hardy chuckle inducing film that the fabulous comedy duo of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis have ever starred in. And it makes its predecessor (My Friend Irma) pale in comparison. One of the only sequels I've ever known that's actually better than the original. Even though Dean and Jerry were only given fourth and fifth billing in the picture, because they were still so new in the industry, Jerry Lewis clearly ends up stealing the whole show! In between Dean Martin's dulcet tones as he sings some original songs in the film, Jerry is at his peak, complete with his legendary, goofy humor, delayed-reaction one-liners, and prat falls. He's probably the most valuable asset of the film. But this isn't to undermine the performances of the lead actors, who are also fabulous! Especially the dead-on, hilarious portrayal of Irma, the dizzy blonde, by Marie Wilson. Her character's innocent and gullible absent-mindedness which lands her in so much trouble will definitely provide some GOOD laughs...Definitely! This is the first review of this film on this site, and therefore the first one people will see when they look up this reference page, so I'm really trying to do it justice in my review. Let me just say that this movie is most probably the funniest picture of its era, and you can quote me on that. Way ahead of its time, it's hard to believe that this was produced half a century ago! Even my seven-year-old sister loves it, and it's HARD to win her over! Please give it a chance. I can promise that if you have even an inkling of a sense of humor inside you, you'll laugh so much that it'll be hard to find time for eating popcorn between chuckles! My rating for My Friend Irma Goes West, a solid, perfect 10. But 10 isn't really high enough for it. My own opinion of it surpasses 10 ineffably.