MartynGryphon I use the above Summary because it is not only a good description of the plot but also the movie going public's reaction to two of it's stars.Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis's nightclub act had first convulsed audiences back in July 1946 at Skinny D'Amato's notorious 500 Club in Atlantic City, since then, they had become the hottest act to see, with their audiences far exceeding even Sinatra's. It was natural that Hollywood would be the next logical link in the chain, and in 1949, Paramount got their signature's on the dotted line. (It is worth noting that both MGM & Columbia had previously tested and subsequently rejected Dean Martin in the early 1940's whilst he was still a solo singer).The debut vehicle they chose was a radio show spin-off movie 'My Friend Irma', a show that had been on the air since 1947 with Marie Wilson as the dizzy blonde air head who's good intentions always outstripped her intelligence. The film also starred John Lund as Al, Irma's shady boyfriend who's always one small step ahead of the G-Men but one giant leap away from the next money making scheme. Diana Lynn plays Jane, Irma's worldly wise house mate who's intent on marrying a millionaire, but a millionaire she loves so she cannot be branded a gold digger.Al & Irma meet Steve Laird,(Martin) and Seymour, (Lewis) at an orange juice stand where the pair work. and as Martin croons away while serving drinks, Al becomes convinced that he can make a fortune by promoting Steve as the new singing sensation.Meanwhile Jane has just become the secretary to millionaire Richard Rhinelander III, (Don DeFore), and is in a prime spot to put her marriage plans in action. However, it takes one evening with Steve, for Jane to realise that it's hard to make your heart follow where your head is telling it to go.The film is both funny and romantic and contains some brilliant crooning by Dino, however, Paramount nearly dropped Jerry from the production and it's easy to see why, as he is nothing more than a 'Red Skelton' here, a wacky distraction from the main plot and it still amazes me to this day that Jerry was actually considered the most talented of the two stars.My Friend Irma is a great debut with some great laughs and some great songs and one for all the family.Enjoy!!

bkoganbing 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.

russellkishi This is a strange little comedy in which the appearances of Dean and Jerry almost seem an afterthought. "My Friend Irma" was already a successful radio comedy featuring the brilliant Marie Wilson. Marie played a hard core scatterbrain who had a knack for getting herself into and out of trouble. When it was decided to bring Irma to the big screen, I think Paramount decided to hedge their bets by including Dean and Jerry. This unlikely trio of comedians seems occasionally at odds struggling for whatever laughs might exist in this thin script. But there are some definite highlights for all of them, and the climax presents a bizarre commentary on how much the effects of consumerism had absorbed the American culture just a few years after World War II. The dippy Irma wins a radio contest by accident, and the last scene milks every last ounce of joke material out of the fact that she has been rewarded with a mountain of expensive presents.

ajohns1 This is one of my 2nd favorite Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin movies the only one that is better is The Caddy. This movie was also the first of D/M & J/L that I had ever seen. It's quiet little movie but with so many good songs and lots and lots of great laughs by Jerry and a couple of laughs from Irma. This comes highly recommended by me and I hope that you see it after you've read my comment. 9/10