Free and Easy

Keaton had been able to maintain some control over his first two films at MGM,which were his last silents,but the studio foisted this TURKEY on him,and as it was a financial winner he lost any say over his final six films for the studio. This is perhaps the most leaden film Keaton ever made! It is incredibly slow and dull,with only minimal patches of action ,and nothing really funny for Buster to do. The dance numbers performed by the chubbiest dance line I've ever seen,are incredibly bad! It's interesting to compare them to the ones in "Speak Easily" (perhaps his best MGM sound film.) One can understand Buster's drinking and depression after making something as bad as this!

The first 2/3 of the flick has Buster Keaton rambling around movie sets, pretty much getting into trouble. While the last roughly 1/3 of the movie focusing on the "Free and Easy" dance presentation, very entertaining (at least to this writer). If you are at all interested in the 1930's movies then this is a must have for your collection, and you WILL enjoy it!

Incidentally, it's easy to see why background dancer, Ann Dvorak went from an 18 year old dancer in this film to co-starring in a major movie (Scarface) only two years later. She really captures your attention – a beautiful gal!!

Regarding the singer/dancer listed as "Marion Shilling", IMDb indicates that Marion Shilling is the "Singer and Dancer in 'The Free and Easy' Number (uncredited)". The girl dancing with Keaton most decidedly is not Marion Shilling.

"Free and Easy" was released March 22, 1930. I have a number of DVD's featuring Marion Shilling in co-starring roles: "Shadow of the Law'with William Powell (released a couple months later on June 6, 1930). I also have DVD's of Marion Shilling in "Rio Rattler" (released Aug 1, 1935) and "I'll Name the Murderer" – Jan. 27, 1936. The dancer with Keaton in "Free and Easy" bears little resemblance to the Marion Shilling that co-starred in the DVD's I list above.

In his review of Free and Easy, Kidboots states: "Elmer is teamed with a cute dancer (Estelle Moran)". This may well be; however I could find no movies or pictures of an actress named Estelle Moran (or "Estelle Morgan") from that period. So the identity of the singer/dancer remains unclear – except it is not Marion Shilling. Perhaps if you listed the dancer as "Unknown" it would be more accurate.

Buster Keaton was looking forward to talking pictures since everyone agreed his voice was a good fit for the new technology. He wanted to make his final silent movie, 1929's "Spite Marriage," as his talkie debut. But MGM producers had a different opinion. The studio kept the 1929 movie as a silent while scheduling his March 1930 "Free And Easy" as Keaton's first sound picture. He plays Elmer Butts, a gas station attendant dragged by the winner of a local beauty pageant, Miss Gopher, Elvira (Anita Page), and her overbearing mother (Trixie Friganza) to chaperon them as they travel cross country to be screen tested by MGM in Hollywood.

Unlike the majority of his past films that portrayed his characters consistently emerging as the hero and winning his gals in the end despite a series of obstacles, in "Free And Easy," he's the smacked around throughout the movie looking like a loser. To add insult to injury, Keaton finds himself dressed up as a fat clown prancing on stage in a lengthy finale musical number. Buster called this sequence the most ridiculous thing he had ever done. As writer Robert Sherwood wrote "Buster Keaton, trying to imitate a standard musical comedy clown, is no longer Buster Keaton and no longer funny." To rub his character's humiliation deep into his face, MGM writers had Keaton attached to strings acting as a marionette puppet in the clown suit. Buster's biographer describes the scene symbolically as MGM's treatment to the once brilliant comic. But the studio was happy with the theater receipts. "Free And Easy" became a bigger financial success than most of his silent classics.

FREE AND EASY (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1930), directed by Edward Sedgwick, like many early sound films, happens to be a musical. And like many early sound films, this one, too, stars one of many from the silent screen era making a transition into the new phase known as "the "talkies." Not counting the all-star musical extravaganza appropriately titled "The Hollywood Revue of 1929" (MGM, 1929), FREE AND EASY marks the talking debut of Buster Keaton. As with so many silent movie comedians, ranging from Harold Lloyd to Harry Langdon being heard on screen for the first time, wondering whether or not their careers would resume in the same capacity as before, only Charlie Chaplin chose to remain silent a little while longer. For Buster, it wasn't how he spoke that slowly declined his promising career, but how the powers that be over at MGM used or misused his talents as both comedian and leading man. The selection of having Keaton's talking debut set mostly inside a movie studio is a sound idea, yet one wonders how the movie in general might have been had it been scripted and completely supervised by Keaton himself.

The basic plot involves Elmer J. Butts (Buster Keaton), a garage owner of Golpher City, Kansas, chosen by the Chamber of Commerce, to act as manager for Elvira Plunkett (Anita Page), winner of the "Miss Gopher City" contest. On their railroad trip to Hollywood, they are escorted by Elvira's overbearing mother (Trixie Friganza) who has a very low opinion of Elmer. Following a farewell committee at the station, Elvira encounters Larry Mitchell (Robert Montgomery), formerly Hymie Schwartz also of Kansas, now motion picture star on his way to attend the premiere of his latest motion picture, "The Love Call" at Grauman's Chinese Theater. Following a series of unexpected mishaps on the MGM lot while movie making is in progress, Elmer somehow is offered a position in the studio while Elvira encounters more than just a possible movie assignment and coping with her mother's constant insults against Elmer.

Song selections by Roy Turk, Fred E. Ahlert and William Kernell include" "It Must Be You" (sung by Robert Montgomery, sequence used in 1974's documentary of MGM Musicals, THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT); "It Must Be You" (reprise), "Penitenary Blues," "Ah King, Ah Queen" (performed by Buster Keaton and Trixie Friganza); "Free and Easy" (sung by Buster Keaton)," "Free and Easy" (sung by chorus); and "It Must Be You."

Though some song interludes weaken the promising concept of the story, FREE AND EASY benefits greatly from its assortment of MGM guest stars appearing as themselves, including that of child star Jackie Coogan, wiseacre comedian William Haines, Dorothy Sebastian (who co-starred opposite Keaton in 1929's SPITE MARRIAGE); Karl Dane in Cave Scene; John Miljan and Gwen Lee in Bedroom Scene. William Collier Sr. Appears acting as master of ceremonies during the motion picture premiere segment. Notable directors participate considerably into the storyline as well, including Fred Niblo; Lionel Barrymore (actor then turned director before returning to acting again); the legendary Cecil B. DeMille and David Burton. A pity that there wasn't consideration for some now prominent names as Joan Crawford, Norma Shearer, John Gilbert in cameo appearances as well.

Having watched FREE AND EASY numerous times whether it be on VHS, DVD, or one of many broadcasts from Turner Classic Movies, it's my guess that circulating prints appear to be missing some material mostly during the first half hour. There's really no plot development pertaining to the central characters (though whom they are and their background are briefly mentioned). The film simply opens at a train station with its central characters where the story gets going from there. A train sequence where Elvira talks to her mother about her meeting with actor Larry Mitchell ends abruptly, immediately followed by a movie premiere rather than a logical choice of the trio's arrival in Hollywood and what occurs next. Some sources list this at 106 minutes while other clock it to the current length of 93 minutes.

As much as some may claim the Keaton comedies for MGM cannot compare to those he starred in during the silent era, FREE AND EASY does contain some laughable moments, including one where his Elmer drives to a premiere but is unable to find a place to park his car until miles away near a cow pasture; and another where Elmer tries desperately memorizing his lines for a movie, driving director Fred Niblo and assistant director (Edward Brophy) to a point of mental exhaustion. Had FREE AND EASY been remade in the 1940s, chances are its leading players might have been Red Skelton, Gloria Graham, Frank Sinatra and Marjorie Main in place of Keaton, Page, Montgomery and Friganza.

Final notes: Television prints for FREE AND EASY were changed to "Easy Go," so not to confuse with MGM's non-remake 1941 comedy FREE AND EASY starring Robert Cummings and Judith Anderson. Though TNT and TCM formerly presented this long forgotten Keaton comedy as "Easy Go" in the past, the original title and has been restored. While Keaton played Elmer J. Butts again in WHAT, NO BEER! (MGM, 1933), whether it's the same character or another bearing the same name played by the same actor is anyone's free and easy guess. (***)

Free And Easy is another variation on the Merton of the Movies type film where unknown schnook goes to Hollywood and winds up a comedy star. It worked fine for Glenn Hunter on stage and Stu Erwin on the screen. The lead in Free And Easy was a part that was perfect for Eddie Cantor. But Buster Keaton got it and it wasn't quite right for him.

Keaton, known in Hollywood as the Great Stone Face, was one of the greatest pantomimists the screen ever knew. Why you would star someone in a film that has musical numbers, though you would not classify it as a musical is beyond me. That title song which Keaton croaks would have been perfect for Eddie Cantor.

In watching it I thought I recognized the plot of this film. It was part of the story line of Pepe, the great Cantinfas all star production from thirty years later. Keaton is in love with young Anita Page who is the young screen hopeful from his home town. But she's got eyes for the flawed young movie star Robert Montgomery.

Like Pepe, a number of folks on the MGM lot made guest appearances as themselves. One of the most interesting was William Haines who at that time competing with Robert Montgomery for juvenile parts. Haines of course was one of the first film stars outted as gay and his fall was a lucky break for Montgomery's career.

Best in the film is Trixie Friganza, a great vaudeville star who played Page's number. She really harries and harasses poor Keaton. Page has won some kind of contest and for reasons I can't explain the Chamber of Commerce of their hometown has appointed Keaton as her agent and manager. Like they have the right and the power. No wonder Trixie's mad at him.

If you've seen Pepe, you know how this turns out.