Customer Reviews

Home Town Story

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Hometown Story (1951) features Marilyn Monroe in one of her earliest roles, and while Marilyn probably fuels most of the sells for this item, the movie itself is actually quite good in its own right. Jeffrey Lynn plays Blake Washburn, a newly un-elected state senator who returns home with quite an electoral chip on his shoulder. He's not above punching a guy for joking about the election, and even his old friends are likely to be met with a cold shoulder. Washburn takes over his uncle's newspaper, but all he cares about is starting an editorial crusade that will help him win his Senate seat back. Slim Haskins (a young Alan Hale, Jr. of Gilligan's Island fame), his best friend and lead reporter, grows increasingly frustrated at Washburn's politicized agenda, and even Washburn's long-suffering fiancé Janice (Marjorie Reynolds) cannot get through to him, even when she threatens to call the whole thing off. Undaunted, Washburn rakes big business up and down the coals of his editorial pages, even after one local businessman, John McFarland (Donald Crisp), gives him an Economics 101 lecture on the importance of big business and its products in everyday life.

Then Washburn's little sister Katie (Melinda Plowman) enters an old mine to retrieve her new puppy and becomes the victim of a terrible cave-in. The wealthy Mr. McFarland comes to Katie's aid in a very big way, as does big business itself through a number of its mechanical and life-saving products. Hometown Story carries an important message, and it delivers this message in a quite moving and certainly entertaining manner. As for Marilyn Monroe, she plays Washburn's secretary Iris; it is by no means a large part, but she does appear in several scenes. Her acting skills are not very polished at this stage of her career, but she certainly accomplishes her main task of making tight sweaters look absolutely amazing. Alan Hale's character has the hots for Iris, and I cannot help but get a kick out of watching "the Skipper" trying to put the moves on Marilyn Monroe.

This two-tape set is a must for Marilyn Monroe completists everywhere. 1) The 1951 film "Hometown Story" stars Jeffrey Lynn as a bitter ex-politician who goes to work for his uncle's newspaper. Monroe has a small but very amusing and memorable role in the picture. 2) "The Marilyn Monroe Story" is one of the best documentaries about the legendary sex goddess ever put together. John Huston, who directed Marilyn in her first really well-known film(THE ASPHALT JUNGLE) as well as her last film(THE MISFITS), takes us on an incredible journey through this remarkable woman's life.

There seems to be some confusion here. There are apparently two movies called Hometown Story. One with Marilyn Monroe and one with John Wayne. This is the one with Marilyn.

It was filmed early in her career and she only has a small role in it. She plays the secretary to a newspaper editor that is trying to take down what he thinks is a corrupt businessman. The story is a typical post-WWII melodrama and doesn't really have any hold any cinematic history other than casting Marilyn.

A must-have for the true Marilyn fan (in DVD, which is rare in the first place), other more popular movies might be better for the casual fan.

Another person to look for is Alan Hale Jr. as the veteran reporter. He played the Skipper on Gilligan's Island years later and is very young here.

Overall, Marilyn fans and film buffs will enjoy, others may just find it boring.

Niche market mfrs. such as this one offer no commentary, deleted scenes or other bonus features. Dubs are "best available source" and can vary from very good to only fair.


Before HOME TOWN STORY, Marilyn Monroe had minor parts in a dozen pictures, most notably THE ASPHALT JUNGLE (1950) and ALL ABOUT EVE (1950). With her Triton Oil TV spot straight-haired coif, Marilyn's role is peripheral here, as well. "Home Town Story" is a ''B" grade MGM programmer.

SYNOPSIS--
Newly out-of-office Blake Washburn (Lynn) believes the son of a wealthy businessman tricked the electorate into voting for him. Blake uses his editor's position on the family newspaper to search for dirt on his victorious opponent. His columns attack the new senator and companies owned by the man's dad.

Blake's hostilities soon extend to local corporations. Star reporter Slim Haskins (Hale) doesn't like it and gets punished for saying so with menial story assignments. When Blake admits to fiancée Janice Hunt (Reynolds) that he's broken a promise to work for the people and is using the paper only to get re-elected, she threatens to leave him. Slim and Blake argue and start throwing punches. Their personal business is interrupted by a visitor, plus news of a school outing tragedy involving Blake's kid sister.


Parenthetical number preceding title is a 1 to 10 imdb viewer poll rating.

(5.3) Home Town Story (1951) - Jeffrey Lynn/Donald Crisp/Marjorie Reynolds/Alan Hale Jr./Marlyn Monroe (uncredited: Hugh Beaumont/John Archer/Hal Taggart/Tom Keene)

Before HOME TOWN STORY, Marilyn Monroe had minor parts in a dozen pictures, most notably THE ASPHALT JUNGLE (1950) and ALL ABOUT EVE (1950). With her Triton Oil TV spot straight-haired coif, Marilyn's role is peripheral here, as well. "Home Town Story" is a 'B' grade MGM programmer.

SYNOPSIS--
Newly out-of-office Blake Washburn (Lynn) believes the son of a wealthy businessman tricked the electorate into voting for him. Blake uses his editor's position on the family newspaper to search for dirt on his victorious opponent. His columns attack the new senator and companies owned by the man's dad.

Blake's hostilities soon extend to local corporations. Star reporter Slim Haskins (Hale) doesn't like it and gets punished for saying so with menial story assignments. When Blake admits to fiancée Janice Hunt (Reynolds) that he's broken a promise to work for the people and is using the paper only to get re-elected, she threatens to leave him. Slim and Blake argue and start throwing punches. Their personal business is interrupted by a visitor, plus news of a school outing tragedy involving Blake's kid sister.


ALPHA VIDEO offers bargain priced, often hard-to-find vintage movies that are ideal for those willing to skip DVD extras. Their transfers show no evidence of restoration, so quality varies from one title to the next, with "fair to good" being the average.

Also from ALPHA:
DELINQUENT DAUGHTERS (1944) features glamorous Fifi D'Orsay. Known as the French Bombshell, Fifi was actually Canadian.


Parenthetical number preceding title is a 1 to 10 imdb viewer poll rating.

(5.3) Home Town Story (1951) - Jeffrey Lynn/Donald Crisp/Marjorie Reynolds/Alan Hale Jr./Marlyn Monroe (uncredited: Hugh Beaumont/John Archer/Hal Taggart/Tom Keene)

Before HOME TOWN STORY, Marilyn Monroe had minor parts in a dozen pictures, most notably THE ASPHALT JUNGLE (1950) and ALL ABOUT EVE (1950). With her Triton Oil TV spot straight-haired coif, Marilyn's role is peripheral here, as well. "Home Town Story" is a ''B" grade MGM programmer.

SYNOPSIS--
Newly out-of-office Blake Washburn (Lynn) believes the son of a wealthy businessman tricked the electorate into voting for him. Blake uses his editor's position on the family newspaper to search for dirt on his victorious opponent. His columns attack the new senator and companies owned by the man's dad.

Blake's hostilities soon extend to local corporations. Star reporter Slim Haskins (Hale) doesn't like it and gets punished for saying so with menial story assignments. When Blake admits to fiancée Janice Hunt (Reynolds) that he's broken a promise to work for the people and is using the paper only to get re-elected, she threatens to leave him. Slim and Blake argue and start throwing punches. Their personal business is interrupted by a visitor, plus news of a school outing tragedy involving Blake's kid sister.


ALPHA VIDEO is a provider of vintage programming that's often unavailable elsewhere. Alpha's prices are fair, but so is transfer quality of some of their offerings. None have undergone restoration, yet this product's rareness and reasonable cost make it a worthwhile purchase.

Also from ALPHA:
DELINQUENT DAUGHTERS (1944) features glamorous Fifi D'Orsay. Known as the French Bombshell, Fifi was actually Canadian.


Parenthetical number preceding title is a 1 to 10 imdb viewer poll rating.

(5.3) Home Town Story (1951) - Jeffrey Lynn/Donald Crisp/Marjorie Reynolds/Alan Hale Jr./Marlyn Monroe (uncredited: Hugh Beaumont/John Archer/Hal Taggart/Tom Keene)

The 1951 film, Home Town Story, was never released commercially. This film was produced by General Motors with the intent to propagandize American industry. Home Town Story is about a secretary (Marilyn Monroe) to a politician who is convicted that Big Business is behind his election loss. Marilyn does not have a significant amount of screen time. Out of 61 minutes, Marilyn is only present in approximately 1 minute and 40 seconds. However, this film is not utterly nor completely horrible. Perhaps Home Town Story is not a great first impression of a Marilyn Monroe film, but for an avid fan it is not her worst work.

The 1951 film, Home Town Story, was never released commercially. This film was produced by General Motors with the intent to propagandize American industry. Home Town Story is about a secretary (Marilyn Monroe) to a politician who is convicted that Big Business is behind his election loss. Marilyn does not have a significant amount of screen time. Out of 61 minutes, Marilyn is only present in approximately 1 minute and 40 seconds. However, this film is not utterly nor completely horrible. Perhaps Home Town Story is not a great first impression of a Marilyn Monroe film, but for an avid fan it is not her worst work.

The more I delve into Mariln Monroe's video library, the more I am finding movies advertised as a Marilyn Monroe, where she makes a mere cameo appearance. This is such a movie. However, I thoroughly enjoyed this movie's story and the DVD quality.

Most movies made today are so politically left-leaning that it is tough to find one that is pro-Capitalism. Interestingly, this movie was made when young people wanted to find ways to help themselves, instead of looking for ways to get others to help them. I wish there were more like this one!