Follow the Leader

Although "Follow the Leader" has poor reviews and a pathetic overall score of 4.7 on IMDB, I decided to give it a look because it is one of Ginger Rogers' first films. Plus, it gives you a chance to see a young Ed Wynn as well as Ethel Merman in her first movie.

The plot is strange. Crickets (Ed Wynn) is somehow made the leader of a gang of crooks...which makes about as much sense as Pee Wee Herman being a gang leader! Regardless, one of their infamous deeds will be to kidnap the leading lady in a Broadway review...so that her nice understudy (Rogers) can show everyone her talents. Easier said than done? Perhaps.

Lou Holtz (father of the famous college coach) and Ed Wynn both perform like they are doing Vaudeville skits and BOTH are about as subtle as a nudist going to a Baptist wedding! They are loud and brash...perfect for Vaudeville but not for films. As for Merman...she's loud. And, Rogers....well...it's easy to miss her because everyone around her is over-emoting and she's just trying to act...film style.

I think this is a movie that might have worked in 1930 or in the early days of TV when America re-discovered Wynn on his weekly TV program...which was incredibly popular. Otherwise...Wynn's voice and CONSTANT talking becomes tiresome...and since he's the lead...that is a major problem with the movie. Fortunately, in the later 50s and into the 60s, he had a resurgence in his career and I think it was because he toned his routine WAY down and seemed very believable in dramas as well as Disney films. But here...he's terrible. As for Sam Holtz, he is a walking, talking Jewish stage stereotype...and so overdone, he and Wynn took turns trying to outdo eachother!

Overall, an interesting film simply because who's in it...but a very bad movie nevertheless. I think most modern audiences would just turn it off and find something else after they watch a few minutes of it. If you are a glutton for punishment, the film is on YouTube.

Luckily I saw this slice of candy corn at Cinefest, the annual silent & early film festival held each March in Syracuse, New York. I was one of 200 lucky viewers who got to see Ed Wynn at his peak of popularity. Seeing Ed's childish face and extreme mannerisms one can see why he became such a big hit on stage and with that silly voice a huge hit on radio. I've read he could work a room into hysterics, but was basically shy one on one. The plot is thin, but this is a star vehicle, so if you like the star -- it works hilariously. Decades later Red Skelton, Jerry Lewis and more recently Jim Carrey would imitate this style of comedy, with its child-like giddiness. Support film preservation & attend film festivals and write your reviews for the IMDB. The more these little gems get exposed the more like they will be released on video & DVD!

The waiter in question is Ed Wynn (Cricket) and the film starts off as it means to continue, so if you find Wynn's character and style of comedy funny then you are in for a treat. Occasionally, he is funny with his quickness and randomness when telling his stories. He uses repetition and a certain degree of fluid thinking in his comic delivery. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. He also throws in a girly, child-like giggle at the end of his sentences which just sounds retarded.

The story involves Wynn becoming leader of a gang of thugs and playing match-maker to a rather boring Ginger Rogers (Mary) and equally uninspiring Stanley Smith (Jimmie). The plot is to make Ginger a star on stage by kidnapping her rival Ethel Merman (Helen) who clearly has way more talent that Rogers as demonstrated by the song she sings. Rogers doesn't get to sing and is only given a very basic dance step to perform which is a complete waste given that she was a champion Charleston dancer 4 years prior to this film.

I expected more from this film so it was a disappointment. Phil Silvers clearly based his comedy persona on Wynn. They are identical in both looks and style.