Search - Home Town Story on DVD

Enjoyable Marilyn Monroe Double Feature

Film Fanatic | Cincinnati, Ohio | 06/08/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"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."

A great film that also happens to feature a young Marilyn

Daniel Jolley | Shelby, North Carolina USA | 09/05/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"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."

Not extraordinary but entertaining.

Film Fanatic | 03/04/2001

(3 out of 5 stars)

"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."

Marilyn, not John Wayne

M. Trouvais | Minooka, IL USA | 02/22/2001

(3 out of 5 stars)

"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."