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On Our Merry Way
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by Kino Video
Sales Rank: 46733
Price: $24.95
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Made during the heyday of Hollywood anthology films (such as <I>O. Henry's Full House</I> and <I>Tales of Manhattan</I>), this meandering movie is wound around the adventures of a lowly classified-ad clerk (Burgess Meredith, who also produced) who plays roving "man on the street reporter" for a day. He asks the question, "What influence has a baby had on your life?" and gets a collection of comical responses. Hapless jazz musicians Henry Fonda and Jimmy Stewart mistake the word "baby" for "babe" and describe how a shapely trumpet-playing dish upended their lives, movie star Dorothy Lamour remembers how a child star turned an Iowa day player into a South Seas screen goddess, and Fred MacMurray tells a story suspiciously similar to "The Ransom of Red Chief." It's fun to see Fonda stumble and stammer through a slapstick performance and Lamour spoof her Polynesian Princess image, but it's a lightweight lark with only fitfully funny stories.<P>Officially credited to King Vidor and Leslie Fenton, it also received uncredited assistance from John Huston and George Stevens in the Fonda-Stewart story. None of them show much facility for slapstick and their styles never meld. The film lurches from one gag to another, only settling down for MacMurray's story, where his easy delivery and chemistry with future "My Three Sons" costar William Demarest overcomes the clumsy direction. Paulette Goddard also rises above her material in a small role as Meredith's sharp and sexy wife. <I>--Sean Axmaker</I>
Viewer Reviews
Released by United Artists, On Our Merry Way boasts an all-star cast with a decent storyline. It might sound similar to some of the wartime films that were packed with stars but skimped on the plot, but this film really gives its players a chance to shine.
Oliver Pease (Burgess Meredith) works in the want-ads at the local newspaper, but he has told his wife (Paulette Goddard) that he is the roving reporter who interviews unsuspecting strangers with a single question of the day. She urges him to ask for a raise and to use her question that asks how a child has had an influence on your life. Stuck in an impossible situation, Oliver goes to work, dons a disguise, and convinces his boss to let him be the roving reporter for the day.
He gets to work and first discovers two musicians (Henry Fonda and James Stewart) who tell him about a baby and a music contest. It turns out the baby is a grown woman, but no matter. They agreed to fix the competition so the mayor's no-talent son (Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer) could win, but everything goes awry. Next, Oliver stumbles upon a movie star (Dorothy Lamour) who tells him about a child star who helped her to rise in her career. She shows off her skills in a sarong with a cute musical number as well. Last, Oliver interviews a man (Fred MacMurray) who tells the story of he and his friend's (William DeMarest) meeting with an impossible little boy. The boy is a runaway, but he is so troublesome that even his own uncle (Hugh Herbert) doesn't want him back.
Back to the newsroom with the article, but everything is not quite as it seems. The Pease family conclusion offers a nice bookend to the story. On Our Merry Way is unlike many Hollywood films of the time because it features so many famous stars but only gives them about a half hour each of screen time. Luckily, they all make the most of their time.
Unfortunately, this DVD has no special features whatsoever, but the picture quality is clear and crisp.
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On Our Merry Way
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