Speak Easily (1932)

A timid professor inherits a large sum of money and decides to fund a terrible musical.

Director:

Edward Sedgwick

Writers:

Clarence Budington Kelland (from the story by), Ralph Spence (dialogue continuity)

Stars:

Buster Keaton, Jimmy Durante, Ruth Selwyn

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Buster Keaton	...	Prof. Post
Jimmy Durante	...	James
Ruth Selwyn	...	Pansy Peets
Thelma Todd	...	Eleanor Espere
Hedda Hopper	...	Mrs. Peets
William Pawley	...	Griffo
Sidney Toler	...	Stage Director
Lawrence Grant	...	Dr. Bolton
Henry Armetta	...	Tony
Edward Brophy	...	Reno

Storyline

Naive, bookish Professor Post (of Potts College) inherits a huge amount of money and decides that now he can afford to go out and enjoy life. He falls for a dancer in a bad stage show, and with his new money decides to buy the show and take it to Broadway. Will the Professor prove too nice to succeed in show business? Or will he triumph over bill-collectors, critics, and sexy vamp Eleanor Espere?

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Plot Keywords:

professor | new york city | manhattan new york city | inheritance | broadway manhattan new york city | 

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Taglines:

A Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Laugh Riot.

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

Passed

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 August 1932 (USA)

Also Known As:

Der Theaterprofessor

Filming Locations:

Chatsworth Depot, Chatsworth, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

81 min (Turner library print) 82 min (DVD)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Despite an onscreen copyright statement, a copyright was never registered; the movie is in the Public Domain.

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Goofs

While Professor Post (Buster Keaton) is dragged by the train, clutching his luggage, his hat flies off and he is unable to grab it. In the next shot, his hat is once again firmly on his head.

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Quotes

Jenkins: Professor, if you'd only go out and find life, you'll enjoy living it.
Professor Post: Oh, but, Jenkins, how often have I told you, that requires money. And I have saved, in 12 years, exactly $4,564.23. I'm saving that for a rainy day.
Jenkins: Yes sir. Poor Professor Pervison said that and it rained the day they buried him.

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Connections

Featured in 100 Years of Comedy (1997)

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Soundtracks

Singin' in the Rain
(1929) (uncredited)
Lyrics by Arthur Freed
Music by Nacio Herb Brown
Performed by Jimmy Durante

User Reviews

Poor, poor Buster

T.Z. Post, college professor, receives a false letter stating he inherited $750,000. Now with financial means, he withdraws his life savings of $4,000, and decides to finally going out & live. After having his baggage sent on a train to Chicago, he meets a traveling vaudeville troupe, and decides there good enough for him to put on a show on Broadway. The night of the show, poor Prof. Post has to hide from his creditors, settle the relationship woes between girlfriend Pansy and & floozy diva Eleanor, and still make sure the show must go on. After watching many of Keaton's silent gems, this one is a pain to sit through, but I felt, it could have been a lot worse. Supporting cast Durante, Todd, & Selwyn come off very annoying at times, but still likeable. A pre-Charlie Chan Toler is good as the frustrated show director. 90% of the script is badly written as MGM is trying to pass this off as a poor man's Marx Bros. film where many of the sight gags fall flat from the beginning. Compiled with Keaton's drinking problems at the time, this movie just is a sad moment in Buster's life. Rating- 3.