Merton of the Movies

In addition to binge watching Netflix, I've been watching quite a few pre-code Hollywood films that are available for viewing on the Internet - if you're willing to put forth a wee bit of effort.

My favorite star at the moment is Joan Blondell. I hadn't realized until recently, that Blondell had appeared in so many films with James Cagney.

One film, which does not include Cagney, is a wonderful comedy from 1932, Make Me a Star. The film also stars Stuart Erwin. Erwin is an actor whom I've enjoyed watching in a number of films, although I honestly never knew his name until a few days ago.

Blondell and Erwin are wonderful in this film. I enjoyed the movie so much, that I immediately began a web search on what I could learn about it.

The movie is based on a 1922 comic novel by Harry Leon Wilson, Merton of the Movies. The description of the novel on wikipedia follows below:

"Small-town bumpkin Merton Gill fantasizes about joining the glamorous world of silent films, and takes a correspondence school course in acting. He travels to Hollywood, where he is disillusioned by the foibles of his screen idols. He is befriended by comedienne and stuntwoman Flips Montague, who helps him land a bit part, which he bungles so badly with his comically inept acting that the studio is inspired to use him for comedy. Gill becomes a comedy star, delivering lines that he thinks are serious straight drama."

After watching the Blondell/Erwin film, I downloaded the novel as a mobi from Project Gutenberg. I'm currently reading the novel. I can recommend it as well.

One thing I can't recommend, however, is the 1947 film, Merton of the Movies starring Red Skelton and Virginia O'Brien. Skelton does passably well in his part, but I did not like O'Brien at all. She doesn't hold a candle to Joan Blondell. Sadly, the plot deviates from the original.

Again, find the novel on Project Gutenberg - locate the Blondell/Erwin film online, but pass on the Red Skelton version.