Mister Universe (film)
| Mister Universe | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Joseph Lerner |
| Written by | Searle Kramer |
| Produced by | Rex Carlton Joseph Lerner |
| Starring | Jack Carson Janis Paige Vince Edwards |
| Cinematography | Gerald Hirschfeld |
| Edited by | Geraldine Lerner |
| Music by | Dimitri Tiomkin |
Production company | Laurel Films |
| Distributed by | Eagle-Lion Classics |
Release dates | |
Running time | 87 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Mister Universe is a 1951 American comedy film directed by Joseph Lerner and starring Jack Carson, Janis Paige and Vince Edwards. It was produced independently and distributed by Eagle-Lion Films. A number of professional wrestlers of the era appear as themselves, and Joan Rivers can be briefly seen as a teenage girl in the audience.[3]
Plot
Honest "Mister Universe" winner Tommy Tompkins is recruited by a dishonest wrestling promoter and wins a series of matches. Tommy is horrified when he is told to throw a match and proves that he is unable to do it because of his natural honesty.[4]
Cast
- Jack Carson as Jeff Clayton
- Janis Paige as Lorraine
- Vince Edwards as Tommy Tompkins
- Bert Lahr as Joe Pulaski
- Robert Alda as Fingers Maroni
- Maxie Rosenbloom as Big Ears
- Joyce Mathews as Maroni's Moll
- Harry Landers as Henchman
- Donald Novis as Singer
- Murray Rothenberg as Reporter
- Dennis James as Himself
Reception
In a contemporary review for The New York Times, critic Howard Thompson called the film "a transparent, soft-pedaled little spoof" and wrote: "[T]he actors scamper around with offhand raucousness, and the restrictions of Searle Kramer's script and Mr. Lerner's own direction, while original, make the picture seem a lot breezier than it actually is. Whether intentional or not, however, it's the good-natured air of the cast that pulls the picture along."[1]
Picturegoer wrote: "True, much of the fun springs from the mauling of stooges, but the humour is no less effective for being elementary, or rather primitive."[5]
Comic-book adaption
A comic-book adaptation of the film was published by Eastern Color in the December 1950 issue of the anthology comic book Movie Love.
References
- ^ a b Thompson, Howard (March 23, 1951). "The Screen: Little Spoof on Wrestling". The New York Times. p. 16.
- ^ Scheuer, Philip K. (April 19, 1951). "'I Can Get It for You Wholesale' Bitter but Entertaining Film Play". Los Angeles Times. p. 11, Part III.
- ^ Langer, Emily (September 4, 2014). "Joan Rivers, comedian who skewered everyone, including herself, dies". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 2, 2019.
- ^ "Mr. Universe". Variety. January 17, 1951. p. 11.
- ^ "Mr. Universe". Picturegoer. July 28, 1951. p. 16. Retrieved December 27, 2019 – via Proquest Entertainment Industry Magazine Archive.