Buscame en Hollywood

Today as part of a Red Skelton tribute on his birthday TCM showed this among many of his other movies, and I'd like to say that even though I only tuned in in time to see only half of this movie, Merton was no disappointment! You're not exactly splitting your sides, but you are entertained and amused as long as you are watching it. Skelton makes it look so easy, but achieving what he was able to while keeping his comedy clean as a whistle is pure genius and well worth watching!

Merton Gill (Red Skelton) is an usher from Tinkerton, Kansas, who yearns to be a movie actor and thinks his worthless diploma from the Budolph School of Dramatic Acting will help him realize his dream. When Merton foils a robbery - supposedly using the skills he learned from his idol, Lawrence Rupert - the fading film star's gun-toting lackeys bring Merton to Hollywood to drum up some much-needed publicity. But after a speedy photo shoot, Rupert and his underlings are through with the country bumpkin and give him a ticket back home. A resolute Merton remains in Hollywood and does his best to get a job at Mammoth Studio, where he befriends the famous Beulah Baxter's stunt double, Phyllis Montague (Virginia O'Brien). Merton proves to be a natural - if unintentional - comedian and gets a job burlesquing Lawrence Rupert. Only Merton thinks he is playing a serious part.

This poorly plotted slapstick comedy pays half-hearted homage to the silent movie days and does a particularly indifferent job of recreating Keystone-style antics in the climax. There are several funny sequences, including a scene at a men's club and another in which Beulah Baxter (Gloria Grahame) attempts to get Merton drunk - but they have little to do with movie-making.

The romantic angle is surprisingly affecting. Skelton does an adorable job with a sometimes irritatingly naive character, and the quirky Virginia O'Brien gives her character three times what it deserves.

Red Skelton plays a small town movie fan with dreams of being a star. He gets his opportunity, albeit not as he would have hoped. He wanted to be a romantic leading man and instead he becomes a (unintentional) comedy sensation. Along the way he's helped by a stuntwoman who falls for him. Rare leading lady role for Virginia O'Brien, a wonderful comic actress known for singing songs in a deadpan style. No singing here, but she does get lots of Eve Arden-esque lines opposite Skelton's clueless hero. This was basically and sadly the end of her movie career. She was done with MGM and essentially the business shortly after. Gloria Grahame is great in a fun part as the vampy Hollywood star Skelton's character is in love with. This story had been filmed at least twice before, the best of which was the 1932 version with Stuart Erwin and Joan Blondell. Skelton puts his own touch on things, for better or worse. I think he was fairly dialed back here, maybe too much so. Still, I enjoyed the picture.

This is a pleasant little movie starring Red Skelton and Virginia O'Brien as actors in the infancy of the silent era. I enjoyed the film, but I didn't find it as entertaining as the three previous film reviewers.

Both Red Skelton and Virginia O'Brien turned in nice performances; I kept waiting for her to sing at least one song, but it never happened. Gloria Grahame and Leon Ames also were believable in their roles.

The movie was rather predictable and reminds one of Singin' in the Rain in spots.

It is a movie worth checking out, but I won't be watching it again.

This isn't the best film Red Skelton ever made. That is probably either "The Fuller Brush Man" or maybe even when he was teamed with Fred Astaire in "Three Little Words". However, it is funny enough and very sweet. Skelton plays Merton Gill, an usher from a small town that dreams of making it big in films back in 1914. He unintentionally foils a robbery attempt at the theater where he works and attributes his success to his movie hero, Lawrence Rupert. Rupert's publicist thinks it would be good publicity for Rupert if Gill were invited to Hollywood for a few photos labeling Gill as Rupert's protégé. Unfortunately, Morton believes he really is Rupert's protégé and is disappointed when he is told to take a hike after the publicity campaign is over. He takes several stabs at making it in the movies, but his overacting and clumsiness get him ejected every time. What Morton doesn't know is that what is hideous acting in a drama is perfect for the slapstick comedies of the 1910's, and this leads to his big break. Skelton is perfect as the naive and easily rattled Merton, and Virginia O'Brien is very good as the stunt woman who ends up Merton's protector and love interest.

The original silent version of this film made in 1924 is lost, and one interview with Buster Keaton prior to 1924 had him saying that he would really like to make this film himself. He did in a way. He was an uncredited gag man on this and many of Skelton's other MGM films, and you can see the Keaton touch in several of the gags throughout the film. Recommended if you want to watch something that will make you laugh and also warm your heart.