My Friend Irma Goes West (1950)

This sequel to "My Friend Irma" actually ignores its finale, which had Diana Lynn & Dean Martin and Marie Wilson & John Lund eich and about to get married; here they have gone back to being middle-class and merely engaged. It mostly seems to be a vehicle for Martin to sing a few songs in a pleasantly mellow voice (and manner); Lynn has much less to do (or say) this time; Wilson continues to be more eager than funny; and Jerry Lewis continues to be more terrible than funny, He shares one scene with a monkey and it's a real struggle to decide who gives the better performance. His impersonation of Bette Davis also must be seen to be believed - not because it's so good, but because it's so bad. Corinne Calvet in a 1950s bikini is certainly a sight for sore eyes. ** out of 4.

A generic plot intermingled with typical silliness moves this along with a few laughs but mostly loud groans. Martin and Lewis are on the road to stardom, but it would take one more film before they were solo stars. This continuation of Marie Wilson's Irma saga ended after only two films, not able to continue after Dean and Jerry took their teaming solo. Wilson, the dim-witted title character, may get top billing, but obviously the focus moved to Martin and Lewis after getting the bulk of the attention in the first film. It's all about this group's efforts to get to Hollywood from New York for Dean's singing career and the crazy antics they become involved in thanks to Wilson and the equally daffy Lewis. Diana Lynn returns as Martin's girl, their happiness threatened by sexy movie star Corinne Calvert who sets her eyes on Dino.The bulk of the plot surrounds the group's involvement with Las Vegas gamblers. Much of the humor is light- hearted slams on stereotypical native Americans, with Lewis an obviously not native as he pretends to be Sioux to try and sell blankets. John Lund is aboard as a gambler friend of Wilson's who finds himself up against card shark shark Lloyd Corrigan and sets up the plot more than half way through the film. Gags before hand are a mixed bag, making thus quickly loose steam. Only when Dean sings does it get going, but unfortunately, he doesn't do it all that much.

For their second film Martin and Lewis did a sequel to My Friend Irma taken from Marie Wilson's popular radio comedy where John Lund finally got Wilson to the altar and Wilson and best friend and roommate Diana Lynn was also marrying Martin. The weddings were forgotten in My Friend Irma Goes West as Dean Martin guest stars on a radio program and attracts the attention of film star Corinne Calvet to the jealousy of Diana Lynn. Lund is also footloose and fancy free again with his eternal get rich quick schemes that were a big component of My Friend Irma.However Lynn puts her foot down and takes over management of Martin's career and negotiates a contract with a Hollywood mogul. Who turns out to be an escapee from a booby hatch, but our fearless quintet goes out to Hollywood first class for a job that doesn't exist.Martin's singing and Lewis's clowning do get them noticed in Las Vegas as he gets booked in Bugsy Siegel's up and coming town. And Lund gets outdealed literally by gangster Lloyd Corrigan in a marvelous bit of casting against type. Of course all the financial and romantic problems get sorted out in the end.When I reviewed the first My Friend Irma film I said that the Irma character would be great for Jessica Simpson to revive. After seeing this film I still maintain that. God has a special province for Marie Wilson's character who just tra-la-la's through life and somehow makes it through.There's a bit more of Dean and Jerry in this film than the previous one. Their next film would be At War With The Army where they would finally star.Corinne Calvet talked at length about this film for Nick Tosches's biography of Dean Martin. Her experience in Hollywood was not a happy one and she mentions the casting couch that both Hal Wallis and Darryl Zanuck used with regularity. In her case she was to service them also for her then husband John Bromfield. She said that Dino was a pleasant person to work with, confident and assured. She liked Jerry as well, but felt there was a certain insecurity with him as he was continually 'on' all the time as if trying hard to please.The film called for her to work with a chimpanzee, her and Jerry and she said the ape was paying close attention to her. She was asked where she was in her menstrual cycle and when she told director Hal Walker, he said the ape was giving her a booty call. That was a bit unnerving, but I'll bet Corinne got passes just as crude from some humans. The score was written by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans and it yielded an early hit for Dean Martin with I'll Always Love You which has a nice Latin flavored tempo to it. My Friend Irma Goes West is still a funny film and the comedy is timeless so it really could be revived today.Are you reading this Jessica Simpson?

This is easily the funniest and most deep-down-hardy chuckle inducing film that the fabulous comedy duo of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis have ever starred in. And it makes its predecessor (My Friend Irma) pale in comparison. One of the only sequels I've ever known that's actually better than the original. Even though Dean and Jerry were only given fourth and fifth billing in the picture, because they were still so new in the industry, Jerry Lewis clearly ends up stealing the whole show! In between Dean Martin's dulcet tones as he sings some original songs in the film, Jerry is at his peak, complete with his legendary, goofy humor, delayed-reaction one-liners, and prat falls. He's probably the most valuable asset of the film. But this isn't to undermine the performances of the lead actors, who are also fabulous! Especially the dead-on, hilarious portrayal of Irma, the dizzy blonde, by Marie Wilson. Her character's innocent and gullible absent-mindedness which lands her in so much trouble will definitely provide some GOOD laughs...Definitely! This is the first review of this film on this site, and therefore the first one people will see when they look up this reference page, so I'm really trying to do it justice in my review. Let me just say that this movie is most probably the funniest picture of its era, and you can quote me on that. Way ahead of its time, it's hard to believe that this was produced half a century ago! Even my seven-year-old sister loves it, and it's HARD to win her over! Please give it a chance. I can promise that if you have even an inkling of a sense of humor inside you, you'll laugh so much that it'll be hard to find time for eating popcorn between chuckles! My rating for My Friend Irma Goes West, a solid, perfect 10. But 10 isn't really high enough for it. My own opinion of it surpasses 10 ineffably.