Moi et le baron

For years, Hollywood has been turning TV stars and their shows into movies -- a trend that began back in the days of radio. A good illustration is "Meet the Baron" starring Jack Pearl in his popular persona as an habitual liar with a mittel European accent and an endless supply of puns. Providing him with comic support are a young Jimmy Durante as his manager, a man who never met a malaprop he couldn't mangle, and Zasu Pitts as his daffy love interest. When things slow down, a chorus line of MGM starlets, masquerading as college co-eds, perform a mildly risqué musical number in the shower. And for those who wonder how Moe, Curly and Larry started out, they appear (playing hapless janitors) as Ted Healy and his 3 Stooges. Sure, it's a curiosity piece and a not a very good movie. But oddly enough, it's a lot of fun.

I confess. The "Clean as a Whistle" number made me purchase the DVD. I wish that number was a bit longer. The choral blending drives home the art deco musical styles of the 1930's. The Stooge's scene after the water stopped was very good, especially with the head mistress as comic relief. The rest of the film, well, I did manage to watch all of the DVD, sort of. There are a number of musical comedy films from this great period in Hollywood. One that comes to mind is "International House." That one, with W.C. Fields, is worth a view. Bela Lugosi seems a bit out of character in this movie but it was great seeing him in a slightly different roll. The music played over the Chinese Radio station during W.C. Fields bedroom scene is another great example of the 1930's art deco music style.

This is not a great film, but it has great interest for cinemaphiles. One reason is its pre-code action, particularly the "Clean as a Whistle" shower scene. Secondly, the film has a diverse cast of MGM talents on display.

The film's story is silly. After years of searching, they find Baron Munchausen in the jungles of Africa. When they bring him back to civilization, they first take him to Cuddles College (of course), where a bevy of (MGM dancing) girls reside.

Noteworthy cast members include Jimmy Durante, Zasu Pitts, and the Three Stooges.

When the Baron visits Cuddles College, the locals and coeds deliver a rhyming sing-song poem in the style of "The Wizard of Oz" Munchkins six years later. I looked for a connection; Herman J. Mankiewicz was a writer for both films.

Munchausen, played by Jack Pearl, is featured in another film in 1934, so audiences must have responded to this lightweight but light-hearted fare.

After years of seeing the Ted Healy & His Stooges sequences of this movie on the VHS tape "The Lost Stooges", I just finally watched the whole movie of Meet the Baron. It stars Jack Pearl as the title character who tells tales that can't be believed. Jimmy Durante provides support as his manager, Edna Mae Oliver is the dean of a girls college, and Zazu Pitts is a maid. As for Ted Healy with Moe Howard, Larry Fine, and Jerry (Curly) Howard, they're plumbers sent to get water back in operation so the female students can continue showering. You know this was a pre-Code movie when you see various nude (though strategically covered with water) ladies singing while showering! Overall, the Stooges were perhaps the funniest parts of the movie with some amusing lines from Pearl, Durante, Oliver, and Pitts. Not really hilarious all the way through but Meet the Baron had some good moments. P.S. I wonder if Herman J. Mankiewicz got the Rosebud name that became a part of a classic he co-wrote called Citizen Kane from this film which he also had a hand in writing and in which the mule is called by that name!

It should be pointed out to anyone reading the reviews here that we are not seeing the Baron Munchausen of German literature. For that you would have to see the German epic film that starred Hans Albers and was made by the Nazi controlled UFA studio during World War II. What we are seeing here is a version of Baron Munchausen adapted by vaudeville comedian Jack Pearl for which he had great success on radio during the Thirties. When Meet The Baron came out, Pearl was at the height of his radio success with the character.

Now the radio show with time out for commercials and a guest star consisted of Pearl telling these outrageous tales in this overblown German accent to straight man Ben Bard who is in the film as well. He was the Charlie to whom Pearl answered whenever 'Charlie' would question the Pearl's veracity, "Vas You Dere Charlie?" That line became the catchphrase associated with the show, as well known in its time as Jack Benny's 'well'.

In fact Pearl and Bard do one of their typical dialogs which comes about 20 minutes into the film and goes about 20 minutes. But Louis B. Mayer was smart enough to know that would not fill out a whole feature film, so MGM loaded the film with such people as Jimmy Durante, Ted Healy and The Three Stooges, and Edna May Oliver. They all get to do the shtick they were all known for.

The starts out bearing some resemblance to the Marx Brothers Animal Crackers and then segues into one of those college pictures so popular in the Thirties. It's a girl's college where Edna May Oliver is the dean. She plays a Margaret Dumont type character, but a lot shrewder and Oliver looks like she's enjoying herself.

Jack Pearl's type of humor is most out of date, but I kind of like it and with so much else to enjoy in Meet The Baron you don't have to be a fan of his to like the film.