My Friend Irma (1949)

Considered a vehicle for comedienne Marie Wilson at the time, "My Friend Irma" is mostly remembered today as the movie that launched the film careers of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. Martin sings a couple of songs pleasingly, while Lewis introduces his idiotic overgrown-child persona; I found his antics singularly unfunny, but it's a matter of taste. Diana Lynn is beautiful and believable and grounds the film with genuine emotions; Wilson is eager but she cannot quite compare to Gracie Allen; and John Lund says "chicken" about a hundred times. It's all quite harmless, but overlong at 98 minutes. **1/2 out of 4.

Don't be fooled by the 3 hour, 12 minute running time listed on Google search for this movie; that appears to have been written by Irma herself, combining the two films in this series released a year apart. However, be forewarned as well that even without a cellphone to distract her as she walks down crowded Manhattan streets, she ends up walking into an open manhole. Yes, Irma is the stereotypical dumb blonde, lovably portrayed by veteran actress Marie Wilson who had specialized in those type of roles for over a decade. Irma, in spite of her dimwit personality, is completely lovable, giving the urge to see her protected (from herself mostly) rather than ignored. I wish I could say the same for squeaky voiced Jerry Lewis in his film debut, o.k. in small doses (if you're not French), but at length rather annoying! At least where there's Lewis in these early films, there's also Martin, and he's a suave, likable young actor whose characters had to have the patience of Job to deal with the cloying characters his overrated costar played. Wilson hits her comic height in a scene, where as the secretary to the slimy looking Percy Helton, she turns his office totally upside down, only keeping her job as he tells her, because only she knows how to figure out her filing system. I take each of the Lewis/Martin teamings patiently, and in a few, he's less annoying and obnoxious than others. When Dean sings, the thoughts of Jerry slip into the background, and in their first two films, they are basically supporting. Think Lenny and Squiggy to Wilson and roommate Diana Lynn's Lavern and Shirley. The basic story is simple of how Wilson and Lewis's airhead antics affect the lives of their smarter pals, Lynn and Martin. Don DeFore plays Lynn's romantic interest (and boss) whom she manipulates a job out of. Thanks to Wilson and her agent boyfriend John Lund, Martin and Lewis end up at Wilson and Lynn's house guests, leading to a few amusing complications but not much else. What little plot exists surrounds their attempts to get Martin discovered. At least other than their scenes together, Wilson and Lewis aren't paired romantically; that would in itself would be a recipe for disaster!

A "small" film, notable only for the introduction of the comedy team of Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis to the national public. It is based on a CBS radio series. You can't help but wonder how the "other" actors felt when production of the film was already underway when Martin & Lewis were added...and I would say pretty quickly became the main figures in the film.So, in terms of the "real" stars of the film: John Lund as the male lead...well, I found his character to be annoying; this is definitely not his best work. Marie Wilson is supposed to be shallow, and is; is it acting or was that just who she was an actress. In fact, her film career ended not along after the two "Irma" pictures. Diana Lynn seems a rather pleasant screen presence, and as I recall did show up in future Martin & Lewis films. Don DeFore does very nicely as the love competition. Hans Conreid is around briefly to reprise his role from the radio show.For their first film, Martin and Lewis do rather nicely here. Jerry is...Jerry. But, he's fairly funny here, and you certainly do see the beginning to the Martin & Lewis film persona, even in this first film. Dean is suave and relaxed, and has some pretty decent songs: "Here's To Love" (so relaxed; extended version would have been better; shows up again later in film); "Just For Fun" (nicely done); "Donkey Serendade" (which features the first real Martin & Lewis routine on film); "My Own, My Only, My All".In terms of the story, it's an okay light comedy. Seems like a late-40s type story. Some good laughs, but things are kept simple. It would have been interesting to see what the movie would have been without Martin & Lewis...obviously it would have been a drastically different story.Far from the best of the Martin & Lewis films, but always interesting to see careers from their point as ascent.

When Paramount Pictures and Hal Wallis decided to debut their new comedy team find of Martin and Lewis, they chose a vehicle with a built in audience should the new team fail. My Friend Irma was a popular radio comedy from that period with Marie Wilson in the title role of Irma Peterson. Irma is one of those dumb Dora blonds so popular back in the day who seem to just sail through life oblivious to what's around and somehow get through it. She causes all around her to scratch their heads and those closest to her scratch the most. Diana Lynn is her roommate and levelheaded best friend Jane Tracy and John Lund is Irma's charming loafer of a boyfriend complete with New York speech. Lund as boyfriend Al seems so suited for Wilson because anyone else would have given this bum the heave ho years ago. They're engaged, but she's the one who bought him a ring. He's forever got some get rich quick scheme that never works out and that was part of most of the radio comedy episodes.But he might have latched onto a good thing now when he discovers Dean Martin entertaining the customers at a juice bar he works at with a song or two. And of course Dean is working their with Jerry who is trying hard not to burn down the place.Lund signs Martin to a contract and now he will be his manager. At the same time Martin is falling for Lynn and she him. But Lynn has that practical streak in her and she's set her cap for her rich boss, Don DeFore. I think you can see where this is all going.It was a good debut film for Dean and Jerry. But Jerry wanted Lund's role and complained all the way through the shooting to Hal Wallis and director George Marshall. Lewis's part is created and practically shoehorned into the picture. But give Jerry credit, he took the part and made himself a star with it.The one tragic note in this film is that Felix Bressart was supposed to play Professor Kropotkin the doorman of the Gypsy Tea Room. He died in the middle of shooting and Hans Conreid was rushed in as a last minute replacement.My Friend Irma did have a successor film with Martin and Lewis as well in My Friend Irma Goes West. And Marie Wilson recreated her signature part for television for three years. If they ever decide to revive it for the 21st century, Jessica Simpson would be perfect casting.I'd pay to see that.