Money from Home (1953) User Reviews

Funny routine

[gregorhauser · 7/10 · 2 May 2002]

This one is a typical Martin/Lewis vehicle. They are cousins who have to manage a lot of troubles. Jerry gets his satirical performances, Dino gets his songs - they would manage their roles asleep and have a lot of self-ironic.

But there are still more positive aspects: It is the team´s first picture in color; George Marshall directs with sure hand and the supporting cast is very good although there are no big names in it; The first sequence in the movie where Dean is threaten by "Chambo Schneider" is a first class parody on gangster movie cliches of the Thirties;

To sum it up it is a pleasure for fans like me. 7/10.

They've been funnier and better

[bkoganbing · 5/10 · 7 August 2012]

Money From Home was Martin&Lewis's first film in color and it is set during the Roaring Twenties and based on a Damon Runyon story from that era. With such character players as Sheldon Leonard, Robert Strauss, and Jack Kruschen playing Runyon's classic gambler creations of the era you know that at least that part of the film is more than satisfying.

Dean Martin always casts well as that type and seeing Money From Home was a painful reminder of what a shame it was that Dino never got to play Sky Masterson in a planned TV special that never got off the ground in the middle Sixties. What a perfect part that would have been for him. His part in this film is a Sky Masterson type, a smooth talking lady's man who is dispatched to Maryland to fix a steeplechase race either by persuading owner Marjie Miller to scratch the horse or by having his dopey cousin, veterinarian trainee Jerry Lewis dope the horse.

Money From Home never quite gets off the ground in terms of comedy. Jerry has been far funnier in other films both with Dean and one his own. The steeplechase race climax where Jerry substitutes for perpetually inebriated jockey Richard Haydn is lifted straight from the Marx Brothers classic A Day At The Races. As for Dean's singing he gets some truly forgettable numbers which he never recorded for Capitol records and he also sings I Only Have Eyes For You for which Paramount must have ponied some big bucks to Warner Brothers for the rights. Sad Dino never recorded that one because it fits him well.

Not the team's best effort.

Where are the laughs?

[planktonrules · 5/10 · 1 December 2010]

This is an odd Martin & Lewis film because while it's pleasant enough viewing, it really didn't seem like a comedy. After all, isn't a comedy supposed to have some laughs? Well, this one didn't and sure could have used an infusion of humor. Now this is not to say it's a terrible film, but inserting a gimmicky 'funny' race at the end just was too little too late for the humor department.

The film begins with Dean playing his usual sort of role--a heal. He is in debt to gamblers who are ready to beat him senseless (or worse) but decide to give him one more chance. If he agrees to fix an upcoming horse race, they'll not beat him half to death! So, having little choice, he decides to enlist the help of his spastic cousin (Jerry). However, Jerry really is just a nice animal lover and wants nothing to do with Dean's dirty tricks. Why Jerry eventually agrees to help him seemed a bit confusing, but help him he did. Along the way, both meet pretty ladies and fall in love. Eventually, Jerry poses (badly) as an English rider--but near the end of the film, the mob and Dean's new girlfriend learn of this and the two guys will be lucky to get out of this alive.

The film is pleasant but not funny. Compared to most of their films, it's a bit flat...but at least it's in nice color! Not terrible...just one of their better films.

Below average Martin & Lewis pic

[vincentlynch-moonoi · 7/10 · 18 October 2014]

Although this begins as a Runyonesque story, that disappears rather quickly as the film transforms itself in a somewhat typical Martin & Lewis film.

There's some pleasant tomfoolery on a train with Dean as a sort of sultan and Jerry as a woman in a harem. And later a humorous ants in their pants dance. The race finale is well done.

"Moments Like This" is a nice song for Dean, but the version on Capitol Records had a better arrangement and vocal.

Some of the scenes on the DVD were a little less than crisp, probably a result of this having been a 3D release back in 1953. Interestingly, Dick Stabile is not conducting the orchestra in the various scenes where an orchestra was involved.

Pat Crowley is along as a vet and love interest for Jerry. Richard Haydn plays an alcoholic British jockey. Sheldon Leonard plays the head gangster.

This is far from my favorite Martin & Lewis films, but it has its moments.

They got the jockey right here!

[mark.waltz · 7/10 · 1 July 2022]

I normally wouldn't praise the screenwriters for a Martin and Lewis movie, but this colorful adaption of a Damon Runyeon story is very refreshing in the Lewis and Martin canon of films. Coming just three years after the success of "Guys and Dolls" on Broadway, this has a large number of fabulously garish characters in those outrageous suits and spouting some very funny double talk. Lewis is posing as a famous British jockey, and Martin of course aides and abets him. Richard Hayden, as the real jockey, is constantly inebriated, so Lewis has planned to take his place in an upcoming race.

With Marjie Miller and Pat Crowley as the two love interests and Sheldon Leonard (who would later appear in the movie version of "Guys and Dolls") and Robert Strauss as two heavy's, this captures the world of Damon Runyon perfectly even though most of the musical sequences aren't very good. Lewis's big number is stolen by a bunch of dogs, baseball Martin sings very well, for the most part, he doesn't have great material to work with. But the rest of the film, originally made in 3-d, is a lot of fun, truly colorful and with great credits showing Manhattan all in green.

One for the money...not much else

[ryancm · 3/10 · 17 August 2008]

Pretty lame Martin and Lewis feature. The pair get tied up with mobsters and horse racing. Could have been better. Lots of Jerry Lewis antics and scenes are manufactured so that Jerry can do his thing. Must have been funny back when, but now his comedy seems like he's retarded and not as funny. The character he plays would have been institutionalized if any one acted that way today. But I forgot, this is a comedy "fantasy" where anything goes. Looks like a lot was left out as scenes don't match and they jump around out of order. At one point they seem to kidnap the Richard Hayden character and drive away. Later they seem to be back at the SAME HOTEL. The harem music was playing at the Hotel of the abduction, then the harem music and girls are at the place where the gangsters kidnapped two characters. Just doesn't make sense as do other editorial flaws. The color is nice, and one nice song with two attractive leading ladies. Now available on DVD and if you're a REAL Martin and Lewis fan, I guess it would be a almost must see!!!

Money From Home

[cynthiagarrett8 · 10/10 · 11 March 2005]

I am a huge fan of Martin and Lewis and this is one of their best movies ever. The chemistry between them was phenomenal, and will always be remembered with nothing but the greatest respect from me. The other reason I liked it was the music in it, Dean had such a sexy voice and Jerry provided the comedy behind it. The color detail was superb, and the entire ensemble cast was really good. The horse in the movie did a really good job too, it amazes me the way they can train animals to do the things they do. I enjoyed the scenes Jerry had with all the animals he took care of, it was just fun. All in all, I recommend this movie to anyone who likes Martin and Lewis, it's a must see.

Money from Home is the best Martin & Lewis comedy I've seen yet

[tavm · 10/10 · 26 August 2011]

Just watched this first color Martin & Lewis feature on YouTube. In this one, they're running afoul of some gangsters as they get involved with a certain horse those hoods don't want to win. The owner of that horse is a woman named Phyllis Leigh (Marjie Millar) who's in some financial trouble. Dean, of course, romances her. Jerry, who's sort of an animal lover, ends up falling for a female veterinarian named Dr. Autumn Claypool (Pat Crowley). Among the bad guys I alluded to are Jumbo Schneider (Sheldon Leonard) and one of his henchmen played by Richard Strauss in his third go-around in an M & L movie. Leonard, by the way, is another of the players from my favorite movie-It's a Wonderful Life-that has appeared with the boys during this period. He was also a recurring player from both the radio and television versions of "The Jack Benny Program" as was Frank Nelson who's the voice of an instructor on the radio who gives directions that causes Jerry into hilarious positions. Another familiar player to me that I enjoyed seeing was Richard Haydn, who I remember as Finchley in a "Twilight Zone" ep, as Edwin Carp on "The Dick Van Dyke Show", and as Max Detweiler in The Sound of Music, here playing the supposed jockey Bertie Searles. One more player I want to acknowledge is Bobby Barber, a court jester on Abbott & Costello sets who often made cameos in their pictures and TV shows, who also makes one here as a bald man in a restroom. In summary, this was the most hilarious of the M & L features I've seen yet and both Ms. Millar and Ms. Crowley made very appealing leading ladies for Dean and Jerry, respectively. If there were any creative flaws, I certainly didn't notice them so on that note, I highly recommend Money from Home.

Lots of Fun in Three Dimensions or Two

[tvman-3 · 8/10 · 11 October 2013]

One of my two favorite Martin & Lewis films (the other being Artists and Models), this one was originally released in 3-D. I had the pleasure of seeing it that way a few years ago at the first 3-D fest held at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood, but the added depth really didn't make that much difference in being able to enjoy it.

Based on material by Damon Runyon (Guys & Dolls), much of it is typical Martin & Lewis fare, re-teaming them with heavy Robert Strauss and with Sheldon Leonard thrown into the mix for good measure. This may not be their absolute best, but it would be worth seeing if only for the scene that spoofs Cyrano de Bergerac to hilarious effect as Dean croons "I Only Have Eyes For You" before things go off the rails for Jerry.

Dean sings, Jerry gets the laughs

[raskimono · 8/10 · 18 July 2002]

Dean is in trouble. He owes money from gambling debts. (Why he doesn't pay off the debts by crooning those songs he's going to sing is a wonder). Jerry is an animal lover apprenticing with a vet. The mob as Dean to fix a horse they don't want to win. Dean is going to use Jerry to do this without telling him. Laughs ensue, there's two girls for the guy and a final race track scene that is up there with the great slapsticks of the Marx Bros, Chaplin etc

Grand Lewis and Martin movie!

[Irishchatter · 8/10 · 27 December 2015]

I loved seeing the amount of animals on this since Jerry Lewis' character was based on an apprentice vet. I loved the scene at the beginning where he clumsily fell down the steps and the poodle he dropped off started licking him like crazy. I thought that was just so adorable and the dog was absolutely gorgeous. I would have loved to have gotten all the dogs and gave them a cuddle if I was alive in that era haha!

As usual, I always was so thrilled to hear Dean Martin sing his heart out and always getting the girl he loves. Of course we can't forget about the other legend Jerry Lewis and his tricks! We all could admit that he gets the girl too since he's also a charmer!

It's a good movie, especially people who love horses!