My Friend Irma (1949)

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(219 ratings)

My Friend Irma was supposed to be a straightforward adaptation of the popular radio sitcom of the same name. The film's focus therefore was supposed to be on air-headed Irma Peterson (Marie Wilson), her levelheaded roommate, Jane Stacy (Diana Lynn, taking over from the radio series' Cathy Lewis),… More My Friend Irma was supposed to be a straightforward adaptation of the popular radio sitcom of the same name. The film's focus therefore was supposed to be on air-headed Irma Peterson (Marie Wilson), her levelheaded roommate, Jane Stacy (Diana Lynn, taking over from the radio series' Cathy Lewis), and their various romantic misadventures. But the audience tended to ignore Irma, Jane, and the others in favor of two movie newcomers: Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, cast respectively as would-be singer Steve Laird and dumb-dumb restaurant employee Seymour. Having risen to the top of the heap in the nightclub world, Martin and Lewis were discovered for films by producer Hal Wallis, who decided to test the boys out in secondary roles in an established property. Wallis felt that while Martin had potential as a singing star, Lewis was hopelessly inept as an actor. As the whole world knows by now, it was Lewis who ended up as the team's main attraction with his own inimitable brand of wacko humor. Even as early as Irma, Lewis manages to dominate every scene he's in, often by sheer force of will. Pretty soon, the viewer has forgotten the gossamer-thin plot (Irma's Runyonesque boyfriend, Al, played by John Lund, tries to promote Dino into stardom) and is waiting anxiously to get back to Jerry. When time came for the 1950 sequel, My Friend Irma Goes West, virtually the entire plot revolved around Martin and Lewis, with the official "stars" relegated to supporting roles. Like Marie Wilson, several of the My Friend Irma cast members were holdovers from the radio series, including Hans Conried as Professor Kropotkin. Felix Bressart had originally been slated to play Kropotkin on film, but when he died during shooting, Conried was brought in to complete his scenes (Bressart can still be glimpsed in a few medium and long shots). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 43 min.
Directed By: George Marshall, Hal Walker
Written By: Cy Howard, Parke Levy
Genres: Romance, Classics, Comedy

In Theaters: Oct 14, 1949 Wide
On DVD: Oct 25, 2005

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Cast

            John Lund as Al

            Diana Lynn as Jane Stacey

            Don DeFore as Richard Rhinelander

            Marie Wilson as Irma Peterson

            Dean Martin as Steve Baird

            Jerry Lewis as Seymour

            Hans Conried as Prof. Kropotkin

            Kathryn Givney as Mrs. Rhinelander

            Percy Helton as Mr. Clyde

            Ernö Verebes as Mr. Chang

            Margaret Field as Alice

            Felix Bressart
            
            Charles Coleman as Butler

            Nick Cravat as Mushie

            Jimmie Dundee as Wallpaper man

            Maggie Mahoney as Alice

            Tony Merrill as Newspaper man

            Ken Niles as Announcer

            Howard Mitchell as Man in Parking Lot

            Jack Mulhall as Photographer

            Francis Pierlot as Income Tax Man

            Joey Ray as Sam the Pet Shop Man

            Dewey Robinson as Truck Driver

            Billy Snyder as Butcher

            Douglas Spencer as Interior decorator

            Chief Yowlachie as Indian

            Bill Meader as Customer

            Gloria Gordon as Mrs. O'Reilly

            Corinne Calvet
            
            Don Porter
            
            Lloyd Corrigan
            
See full cast

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