My Friend Irma Goes West

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.????/

Having just rewatched My Friend Irma on YouTube, I decided to finally watch the sequel on the same site. Once again, Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis are once again shoehorned into the movie plot of characters originally based on a radio sitcom featuring Jane Stacy (Diana Lynn), her scatterbrained roommate Irma Peterson (Marie Wilson) and Irma's con artist boyfriend Al (John Lund). Martin & Lewis are once again singer Steve & partner Seymour and once again they do their nightclub act that, while hilarious, doesn't really have anything to do with the plot which takes them out of New York City to at least Las Vegas since the Hollywood offer from a "producer" turns out to be...oh, watch the movie to find out. There's also a French film actress named Yvonne Yvonne (Corinne Calvet) with a monkey in tow added. The former to challenge Steve's fidelity to Jane and the latter to provide Seymour some more funny business. What I haven't said of the plot gets even more contrived than previously and most of the last 15 minutes or so isn't as funny as the first hour. But the cast once again try their best, Dean's crooning is as swoon-worthy as ever, and Jerry, for the most part, gets plenty of moments to shine. So on that note, My Friend Irma Goes West is recommended.

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.

Although this picture was made as a sequel to MY FRIEND IRMA it took on a life of its own because of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. Martin & Lewis were virtual unknowns when they were featured in the first Irma, were still unknowns when Goes West was filmed. BUT... but... by the time this film was released the boys had become the hottest comedy team in American history. This film was a smash hit almost entirely because it featured Martin & Lewis. When the boys' next movie came out, At War with the Army, I remember me and my brother waited 2 1/2 hours at Loew's 2400 seat Palace theater in Washington, DC to get in. This was during the movies lean years when folks were staying home with their 7" Motorola b&w TV's. Odd to recently see VHS copies of that picture on sale at Safeway for 99 cents. OH... My Friend Irma Goes West was very funny!

Wacky comedy where the gags keep coming from every direction. Poor Irma, to get in movies she's got to get to Hollywood with her troupe of friends, agents, boyfriends, and monkeys. Will she make it or will she keep getting on trains to Chicago. It's special fun for us geezers who recall ditzy Irma's popular radio show where Wilson also starred. Then too, the production date is 1950. So, the movie includes such period snippets as: TV is just beginning, Hopalong is a favorite show, and Margaret Truman's singing career is a common joke. Thus it's also nostalgia time for many of us. And oh yes, mustn't forget the glimpse of a rural Las Vegas before it became fun city.

All in all, the flick's a humorous delight that proves even Jerry Lewis is funny in small doses. Here he shares the laugh stage with a dippy Irma, an unexpectedly funny John Lund, and the superlative Pierre who mugs it up in true Chimp fashion. Then too, Martin shows his leading man stuff but unfortunately gets a clunky song to warble. And how about cutie Diana Lynn, sort of an early Debbie Reynolds. Too bad her career was cut short by a stroke.

I could have done without the gangster bit, but at least director Walker keeps things moving. Then too, the various threads aren't always blended but who cares. In short, the 90-minutes manages more than its share of laughs, along with a starting gate for the 50's unforgettable Martin and Lewis.