Free and Easy (1930)

A bumbling manager tries to get a small town beauty contest winner into the movies.

Director:

Edward Sedgwick

Writers:

Richard Schayer (scenario), Paul Dickey (adaptation),

Stars:

Buster Keaton, Anita Page, Trixie Friganza

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Buster Keaton	...	Elmer J. Butts
Anita Page	...	Elvira Plunkett
Trixie Friganza	...	Ma Plunkett
Robert Montgomery	...	Larry Mitchell
Fred Niblo	...	Himself - Director Niblo
Edgar Dearing	...	Officer
Gwen Lee	...	Participant in Bedroom Scene
John Miljan	...	Participant in Bedroom Scene
Lionel Barrymore	...	Director in Bedroom Scene
William Haines	...	Himelf - A Guest
William Collier Jr.	...	Himself - Master of Ceremonies
Dorothy Sebastian	...	Participant in Cave Scene
Karl Dane	...	Participant in Cave Scene
David Burton	...	Himself - Director Burton

Storyline

Gopher City Kansas hosts a beauty contest. The winner, Elvira Plunkett, and her mother go to Hollywood. The Chamber of Commerce also provides Elvira with an agent, Gopher City's own Elmer J. Butz. Elmer likes Elvira and the shy Elvira likes him, but Mrs. Plunkett, a formidable woman, has little use for hapless Elmer. On the train west, they meet movie star Larry Mitchell, who takes a shine to Elvira and helps her meet MGM directors once they get to Tinsel Town. Elmer, meanwhile, wants to help Elvira with her career and he also wants to be her man. Movie stardom does come to the Gopher City entourage, but to whom is a surprise. And who will win the lovely Elvira's hand?

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Plot Keywords:

train | studio cop | camel | explosion | chauffeur | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English German

Release Date:

22 March 1930 (USA)

Also Known As:

Easy Go

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.20 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The three main characters of the film - Elmer Butts, and Elvira and Ma Plunkett - come to Hollywood from Gopher City, Kansas. Trixie Friganza, who plays Ma Plunkett, was in fact from Kansas.

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Goofs

At approx. 1h 25min in, after the clown is pulled up, the circle of girls waits for him to come back; they turn to run off stage; cut to new film, they are still waiting for clown to return, then they turn to run off stage again.

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Quotes

Elmer Butts: Oh woe is me, the queen has swooned, after you.
Fred Niblo: The queen didn't swoon after me!
Elmer Butts: She swoon after me?
Fred Niblo: She didn't swoon after anybody!
Elmer Butts: Then why all the excitement?

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Connections

Featured in That's Entertainment! (1974)

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Soundtracks

"The Free And Easy"
(1930) (uncredited)
Lyrics by Roy Turk
Music by Fred E. Ahlert
Played during the opening credits
Sung and danced by Buster Keaton, with Marion Shilling and chorus
Copyright 1930 Robbins Music Corporation

User Reviews

Slow and Dreadful!

Keaton had been able to maintain some control over his first two films at MGM,which were his last silents,but the studio foisted this TURKEY on him,and as it was a financial winner he lost any say over his final six films for the studio. This is perhaps the most leaden film Keaton ever made! It is incredibly slow and dull,with only minimal patches of action ,and nothing really funny for Buster to do. The dance numbers performed by the chubbiest dance line I've ever seen,are incredibly bad! It's interesting to compare them to the ones in "Speak Easily" (perhaps his best MGM sound film.) One can understand Buster's drinking and depression after making something as bad as this!