As Fox had featured some of it's new crop of stars in "Words and Music" (Lois Moran, Helen Twelvetrees, even John Wayne!), so MGM decided to do the same by featuring some up and comers in its rah rah college musical "So This Is College". It was the starting point for three young hopefuls - Robert Montgomery more than fulfilled the expectations that MGM placed on him, he even survived being in a rash of early musicals ("Love in the Rough", "Free and Easy" etc). Elliot Nugent was unforgettable (who wasn't?) in "The Last Flight", went on to directing and to continue as a playwright. Even Bruce was played by newcomer Joel McCrea who may have had the longest career of any. The only "newie" who didn't amount to much was Sally Starr. She wanted to and the fan magazines were full of her tips on how to keep her dewy eyed appearance in her quest for stardom. Like early to bed and early to rise and "there's plenty of time for whoopee after I'm a big success" etc, but unfortunately her career was over before it started - maybe she was compared to Clara Bow just once too often, also the fact that her character in this (her debut film) was just not very nice!!
Director Sam Wood had been scouting for new faces to appear in his film (originally called "Happy Days") about the ups and downs of a couple of Trojan football players who trade "girls like we share neckties"!! But Babs Baxter (Starr) "a sugar baby who certainly draws the flies" is different, a flirty little number who succeeds in driving a wedge between the two staunch friends, Biff (Montgomery) and Eddie (Nugent). Nugent may have been billed over Montgomery but Montgomery seemed more at ease among the college shenanigans.
This is just a fun packed movie that begins with lots of college humour and wisecracks like "watch your step you hillbilly you", "ask her if her daughter is free tonight!", "hey honey, I never direct 'em, I lead 'em", "someone took my last sock - ask Jack Dempsey for one", "it seems everything disappears around here except your nerve"!! Then along comes campus cutie Babs Baxter who bowls both boys over with her cuteness and charm but she seems to have eyes only for Biff. Their first date shows how busy she has been making dates with half the collegians (that should alert our heroes to her true nature) - she has to call on her girlfriends (Ann Dvorak is one) to help her out. It all ends in the very jazzy "Campus Capers" that has Sally singing (among the lyrics "I'm the Wampus baby from the Campus") and whooping it up in general with some crazy eccentric dancing in the style of Tom Patricola in "Happy Days". Saucy Babs is determined to wear Biff's pin which she acquires without too much trouble.
All roads lead to the Sophomore Prom and at last Ukelele Ike is given a role (as one of the over age collegians) that gives his talent free reign. From "College Days" sitting atop a piano, to "Sophomore Prom" where he is backed up by the college orchestra. Strangely though, not the film's song hit "I Don't Want Your Kisses" which is sung by everyone else in the cast including a nervous Nugent whose first chorus sounds dubbed (a distinctly operatic tone), the second chorus is obviously his own nasally twang. There is also a running gag about trousers. Biff and Eddie, now angry rivals, send each other's trousers to the cleaners with the upshot being Eddie is the one at the window looking on at all the fun - trouserless!!
The two chums finally come to an understanding about Babs. Biff declares his intentions are serious and Eddie (who is also pretty intense about her) like a true pal, stands aside - but Babs is not used to boys giving her the air and decides to make trouble between the pair by leading Eddie on. Only at the end when both boys hear her sweet talking to Bruce, who just happens to be her fiancée do they team up as pals and help their struggling U.S.C. to win the football pennant - and yes, the exciting game (of which bits of the real 1928 U.S.C./Stanford contest is spliced) takes up the closing reel.
Highly Recommended.
Director Sam Wood had been scouting for new faces to appear in his film (originally called "Happy Days") about the ups and downs of a couple of Trojan football players who trade "girls like we share neckties"!! But Babs Baxter (Starr) "a sugar baby who certainly draws the flies" is different, a flirty little number who succeeds in driving a wedge between the two staunch friends, Biff (Montgomery) and Eddie (Nugent). Nugent may have been billed over Montgomery but Montgomery seemed more at ease among the college shenanigans.
This is just a fun packed movie that begins with lots of college humour and wisecracks like "watch your step you hillbilly you", "ask her if her daughter is free tonight!", "hey honey, I never direct 'em, I lead 'em", "someone took my last sock - ask Jack Dempsey for one", "it seems everything disappears around here except your nerve"!! Then along comes campus cutie Babs Baxter who bowls both boys over with her cuteness and charm but she seems to have eyes only for Biff. Their first date shows how busy she has been making dates with half the collegians (that should alert our heroes to her true nature) - she has to call on her girlfriends (Ann Dvorak is one) to help her out. It all ends in the very jazzy "Campus Capers" that has Sally singing (among the lyrics "I'm the Wampus baby from the Campus") and whooping it up in general with some crazy eccentric dancing in the style of Tom Patricola in "Happy Days". Saucy Babs is determined to wear Biff's pin which she acquires without too much trouble.
All roads lead to the Sophomore Prom and at last Ukelele Ike is given a role (as one of the over age collegians) that gives his talent free reign. From "College Days" sitting atop a piano, to "Sophomore Prom" where he is backed up by the college orchestra. Strangely though, not the film's song hit "I Don't Want Your Kisses" which is sung by everyone else in the cast including a nervous Nugent whose first chorus sounds dubbed (a distinctly operatic tone), the second chorus is obviously his own nasally twang. There is also a running gag about trousers. Biff and Eddie, now angry rivals, send each other's trousers to the cleaners with the upshot being Eddie is the one at the window looking on at all the fun - trouserless!!
The two chums finally come to an understanding about Babs. Biff declares his intentions are serious and Eddie (who is also pretty intense about her) like a true pal, stands aside - but Babs is not used to boys giving her the air and decides to make trouble between the pair by leading Eddie on. Only at the end when both boys hear her sweet talking to Bruce, who just happens to be her fiancée do they team up as pals and help their struggling U.S.C. to win the football pennant - and yes, the exciting game (of which bits of the real 1928 U.S.C./Stanford contest is spliced) takes up the closing reel.
Highly Recommended.