MERTON OF THE MOVIES

US, 1947, 76 minutes. Black and white.
Red Skelton, Virginia O Brien, Gloria Grahame, Leon Ames, Alan Mowbray, Hugo Haas.
Directed by Robert Alton.

Merton of the Movies is based on a play by George S. Kaufman and was filmed in 1924 with Stuart Erwin. This vehicle for Red Skelton capitalises on his screen persona, his comic style, mimicking and mime, pratfalls – with the touch of stupidity. He portrays a young man from the Midwest who is enthusiastic about the movies – it is 1915. He knows the movies by heart, can imitate all the characters (to the neglect of his duties in the cinema). About to be fired, he imitates some of the actions from a film, from his admired star Lawrence Rupert (Leon Ames) and foils a robbery. He becomes a hero. He then is feted by Hollywood, brought to Los Angeles, linked publicly with the actor – who then ignores him. The young man hopes for a movie career but is continually sent away from the gates, his phone calls not answered. He encounters a stuntwoman, played by Virginia O’ Brien, who is sympathetic to him and helps him. In the meantime, he becomes entangled with the femme fatale of the studios, played by Gloria Grahame.

Ultimately he gets a chance to act in the movies, is hopeless, forgetting his lines, ruining shots, destroying machinery – until finally, an exasperated director and producer decide that they will make a comedy out of it. He is mortified – as is the actor who was meant to be his patron. When the public enjoy the film, everybody is satisfied and there is public recognition. He is on his way.

Typical enough for a Red Skelton comedy. But also interesting in its portrait – only thirty years later - of the silent film era, the subject of the later Singin’ in the Rain and comic films like The Perils of Pauline and serious films like the Taviani brothers’ Goodbye Babylon about the making of Intolerance at this period.

1. An entertaining Hollywood comedy? About Hollywood?

2. The black and white photography? The cinemas in 1915, life in the Midwest? The contrast with Los Angeles, the city environment? The film studios? The lots, the sets? The musical score?

3. The film as portrait of the silent film industry? The technical side, the style of making films, the role of the director, the sets, the performances? The stars and their pride? The people aspiring to get into the movies? An affectionate yet critical look?

4. Merton, his life in the Midwest, a foolish young man? Infatuated with the movies? Admiring Lawrence Rupert? Making a mess of his job, to be fired, his imitating the techniques, locking the robbers in the cupboard, becoming a hero by foiling the robbery? His becoming everybody’s hero?

5. Hollywood capitalising on this, Lawrence Rupert persuaded to take on Merton? Becoming his protégé? Merton and his travelling to Los Angeles, wanting to be in the movies? The meetings with Rupert?

6. Rupert, the arrogant film star (allegedly based on John Barrymore)? His performances, popularity, interactions with his manager? His interactions with Beulah? His forgetting about Merton, then trying to ignore him? Irritated by him?

7. Beulah, the parody of the femme fatale, with Merton, with Phyllis? Her film roles? Phyllis doubling for her? Her sorting things out pleasantly by the end?

8. Phyllis, her background, doing the stunts, the detailed look at her way of doing the stunts? Standing in for Beulah? Her friendship with Merton, having the meals with him, talking, encouraging him? Her getting him the big chance?

9. Merton and his big chance? Wanting to be serious, making a mess of every take, Red Skelton’s comedy, mixing up the lines, tripping over furniture?

10. The agents, their concern about Lawrence Rupert? Concern about Merton? The budgets for the film? The heads of studios? The director?

11. The decision to film Merton as he was, the decision to make a comedy rather than serious? Merton and his being surprised, horrified?

12. The audience at the preview, everybody laughing? Merton having to accept this, then warming to the idea? Lawrence Rupert and his reputation, finding it intact, on stage with Merton – and a happy ending and a future?

13. An entertaining film about Hollywood itself?


MERTON OF THE MOVIES

US, 1947, 82 minutes, Black and white.
Red Skelton, Virginia O'Brien, Alan Mowbray.
Directed by Robert Alton.

Merton of the Movies is a pleasant Red Skelton vehicle, based on a play by Miles Connelly and George Kaufman. It was directed by choreographer Robert Alton. It gives Red Skelton and opportunity to do some of his comic routines in the context of silent filmmaking. Gloria Grahame enjoys herself as the movie femme fatale. Leon Ames is the fickle movie hero. Virginia O'Brien has a good role as a stuntwoman turned leading lady and Red's romantic interest. The film re-creates the atmo6phere of the early studios in Hollywood, the deals, the styles of film-making, stardom.

1. Enjoyable comedy? Piece of Americana? Red Skelton vehicle?

2. Black and white photography, the re-creation of Hollywood in 1915, the Hollywood studios and sets? Filmmaking?

3. Red Skelton and his comic style, earnest, pratfalls and comic action, his comic dialogue? The picture of him as the simple man, laughed at, innocent, earnest and serious? And yet comic nonetheless?

4. The old story of the usher who trained to be an actor, was a ham, got in everybody's way, foiled a robbery attempt by using his hero's methods and is taken to Hollywood? He is feted but ignored by the star? Who stays in Hollywood to get a job, is unemployed, gets mixed up in various films and routines? Becomes a star and a success?

5. The humorous scenes: Merton watching the cinema, foiling the robbery, the photos with Rupert, fixing the light at the men's club and his fall, the routine of phoning to get into the filming, diving for Beulah, the cat as his hat, taken to be an extra and having to play dead, drinking with Beulah, the filming of the mock-heroics for his film, the hiccups, the film preview, being chased under the rows of seats and the carpet? The finale?

6. Merton as a character? Nice,. hopes, believing everyone? Phyllis and her friendship, liking Merton, helping with the movie, not telling him the truth, finally revealing it ? and his being persuaded? Beulah and the send-up of the vamp? Rupert and the send-up of the star who drinks? His bodyguards and thugs? The directors and their treatment of the stars, the
scenes? The producers?

7. The film's comment on the popular entertainment of the time and the perspective of 30 years later?