Speak Easily (1932) starring Buster Keaton, Jimmy Durante, Thelma Todd
In Speak Easily, thanks to his butler, a professor thinks he has inherited a fortune and lives it up. He invests in a failing show, and accidentally becomes the star attraction!
Review
Speak Easily is one of the Buster Keaton / Jimmy Durante comedy team ups. The comedy builds slowly. Although there are a fair number of comedy bits along the way, it really doesn’t get going until the final 30 minutes or so.
Comedy highlights
- Passing the baby around as a fight nearly starts at the train station. Then they leave the baby behind! And then the Professor’s dragged by the train, holding onto his luggage!
- Jimmy Durante “composing” the music for the show — Oh, Susanna! and Singin’ in the Rain
- Buster Keaton unintentionally getting himself and Thelma Todd drunk at her apartment.
- Jimmy Durante changing places with Buster Keaton when Thelma Todd’s trying to trick Buster into marriage!
- Buster Keaton goes onstage on opening night, becoming the comedy highlight of the show.
Cast of characters
- Buster Keaton (Sherlock Jr.) as Professor Timothy Post. The quiet, shy, and unhappy, college professor. His butler, Jenkins, is trying to help him not die from loneliness, like his predecessor. By faking his inheritance, to encourage him to go out & live! Which he does, meeting Pansy on the train. Then, following the show (and her) to Chicago. Where he has to financially bail them out. And he becomes the show manager! And he’s going to take the (bad) show to Broadway!
- Jimmy Durante (The Great Rupert) as James. The show’s comic, who becomes the Professor’s best friend. Composer for the show …. Not above stealing songs like “Singin’ in the Rain”.
- Ruth Selwyn (Polly of the Circus) as Pansy Peets. The pretty young dancer with the show. She begins falling for the Professor on the train. And later on, in New York. “Gee, you’re sweet.”
- Thelma Todd (The Bohemian Girl) as Eleanor Espere. The would-be star of the show on Broadway. She sets her eyes on the Professor’s money. And making Pansy jealous.
- Hedda Hopper (Sunset Boulevard) as Mrs Peets. Pansy’s mother.
- William Pawley (The Grapes of Wrath 1940) … Griffo
- Sidney Toler (Our Relations) … Stage Director. He helps recreate the (bad) show from the ground up. With some suggestions from the Professor. The poor man almost has a nervous breakdown on opening night!
- Lawrence Grant (Son of Frankenstein) … Dr. Bolton. The head of the college.
- Henry Armetta (Bogus Bandits) … Tony. Italian immigrant, part of the show troupe.
- Edward Brophy (The Thin Man) … Reno. Let’s be charitable and say that he doesn’t appreciate James’ comedy.
- Fred Kelsey (O. Henry’s Full House) … Process Server. Who may stop opening night before it’s started!
Songs
- Good Times Are Here Again (1932)
- Music by David Snell and Charles Maxwell
- Lyrics by Samuel Marx
- In the score during the opening credits and at the end
- Played on piano by Jimmy Durante and sung by the chorus at the opera house
- Played often in the score
- Oh! Susanna (1846)
- Written by Stephen Foster
- Heard when the Professor introduces Greek dancing to the girls
- Whistled and later hummed by Buster Keaton
- Played often in the score
- Singin’ in the Rain (1929)
- Lyrics by Arthur Freed
- Music by Nacio Herb Brown
- Performed by Jimmy Durante
- Can Broadway Do Without Me? (1929)
- Music and Lyrics by Jimmy Durante
- Performed by Jimmy Durante
- Rock-a-Bye Baby (1886)
- Music by Effie I. Canning
- Sung a cappella a bit by Thelma Todd
Editorial review of Speak Easily courtesy of Amazon.com
After being mistakenly informed of a $750,000 he will not actually inherit, naive Professor Potts (Buster Keaton) decides to live a little by quitting his university job, withdrawing his life savings and travel. Meeting a traveling vaudeville troupe on the train and being convinced by Jimmy the piano player (Jimmy Durante) that the show is a success, Potts decides to use his money to buy the show and bring it to Broadway. After discovering what type of show he bought during opening night, Potts attempts to apologize to the audience but instead becomes the hit of the show by accidentally stumbling into the production number and show effects. Potts must now contend with the show, the creditors looking for money as well as the affections of his home town sweetheart and the show’s leading lady.