MONEY FROM HOME

US, 1953, 90 minutes, Black and white.
Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Pat Crowley, Marjie Millar, Robert Strauss, Richard Haydn.
Directed by George Marshall.

Another of the very popular Dean Martin-Jerry? Levis comedies with music of the early fifties. George Marshall directed many of these. This one is distinguished by its being based on a Damon Runyon story with the overtones of the American conmen, the gangsters, the racecourse. There are some funny routines and Dean Martin sings melodiously as usual. Response depends on audience liking of this comedy team so representative of American comedies of the early fifties.

1. The significance of the title, gambling, racing, criminals? An entertaining Martin and Lewis comedy?

2. The popularity of Jerry Lewis and his style of comedy? The blend with Dean Martin as hero, singing style? A comic team? Conventional comic material?

3. Colour photography, New York, Maryland? The songs? Jerry Lewis' comic style, imitating Dean Martin, Dean Martin's romantic songs?

4. The Damon Runyon style of comedy? New York criminals, the tough posers, the control of the racing game? The high society of Maryland and the racing fraternity? The background of Virgil as a vet. and Orton as vet? The British jockey?

5. Virgil as hero - Jerry Lewis as the little man, as a vet and kindness to animals, to the horse, the impersonation of the English? The riding of the horse to victory?

6. Dean Martin as Honeytalk Nelson, getting Virgil into a situation to save himself, romance and telling the truth, redeeming the situation? Comic routines with Jerry Lewis?

7. The heroines? racing society and enterprise, the vet, with the ambitions to build a hospital?

8. The British jockey and his British style, being drunk, missing out on the race? Comic routines with Jerry Lewis?

9. The Damon Runyon criminals and the variety of names, attitudes?

10. The Arabs and the harem, comedy routines, the climax with the horse race?

11. Basic American comedy?