One of the early talkies for Buster Keaton. In Free and Easy, local girl Elvira Plunkett (Anita Page) heads to Hollywood with Mom (Trixie Friganza) and manager Elmer Butts(Keaton) to break into Hollywood. Several folks have mentioned that this isn't as good as Keaton's earlier works, but in many of those, he had written and directed his own works, and he does neither one in "Free and Easy". In addition, it is was one of the earliest talkie movies for Hollywood, so I'm sure the big shots were just worried about how the sound would come over to worry too much about the plot. They even use caption-cards in several places. Also has several Busby Berkeley type musical numbers staged by Sammy Lee. Several running gags - Keaton, Elvira's manager, is always being denied entrance to trains and studios; the loud, overbearing mother, and of course, Keaton's own physical comedy. Robert Montgomery is Larry Mitchell, fighting Keaton for Elvira, in one of his first starring roles. Some great cameos by all the stars of the day. Also keep in mind this was pre Hayes Code, so everything doesn't have to stay prim and proper... including when Buster Keaton says "I kissed her, right on the back porch!" Not a bad film -- Definitely worth watching!
Review of Free and Easy
