Customer Reviews

College Swing [VHS]

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

 

 

Never a consistent director, Raoul Walsh permits this collection of set-pieces to proceed in a disjointed manner as a means of showcasing Paramount contract players. The scenario is inordinately silly but provides substantial roles for Gracie Allen, Bob Hope, Martha Raye, Edward Everett Horton, John Payne, and Betty Grable. Hope's performance in BIG BROADCAST OF 1938 was reviewed very favorably by Damon Runyon, a friend of producer Lewis Gensler, who remembered the comedian from Broadway and vaudeville, and who is responsible for significantly enhancing Hope's part in COLLEGE SWING. Allen's ability for making communicable to audiences her giddy semantic high jinks is in full array, with her partner and husband George Burns serving, as is usual, as her straight man, as does Horton,but the talented comedienne nearly steals the film with her performance of an Irish jig, danced for no apparent reason at all. The 21-year-old Betty Grable, already a veteran of more than 30 films thanks to the studio contract system, performs with unalloyed enthusiasm and has an opportunity to display her hoofing, sometimes partnered by her first husband, Jackie Coogan. Lovely lyric soprano Florence George, well-known in opera and on radio, makes her cinematic debut, romantically paired with success opposite John Payne, and although her film career was very brief and not promoted, that could not have been due to her showing here. The committee responsible for this effort wisely decides to unbridle zany Martha Raye, as she irrepressibly dominates those scenes in which she appears and sings very well, indeed. Despite its low budget, the work benefits from excellent art direction, and plaudits must be handed to the outstanding costume design by Edith Head. In sum, COLLEGE SWING is only a minor attempt, but is laden with a cast of diverse abilities, which acts with carefree enthusiasm.

"College Swing" was a movie I had high expectations for. I originally wanted to see it because of Bob Hope. Of course when I bought the movie and saw the rest of the cast which includes George Burns and Gracie Allen (Who actually get top billing!), Martha Raye, Edward Evertt Horton, Betty Grable, John Payne, and Jackie Coogan not to mention it was directed by Raoul Walsh well, just try and guess how high my expectations were now! And sadly it just doesn't live up to what it could of been.

Most moviefans like myself who enjoy older films will think to themselves the movie can't go wrong. With a big all-star cast like the movie is probably a lot of fun to watch. But, that's really the problem with this movie. It's too big and splashy. There is just too much going on. And because of that no one is really allowed too much screentime. Everything has to be divived so everyone gets a chance to be onscreen. I felt disappointed not seeing enough of Bob Hope. Which is why I wanted to see the movie in the first place. He doesn't have many funny lines. Now, if I can't see a lot of Bob Hope, that's fine, then show me George Burns and Gracie Allen, I like them too. But, no! They don't have enough screentime either. Because of all the stars the movie can't really have too strong of a story because it wouldn't have enough time to really develop anything. The way the movie is now it has about 3 or 4 stories going on and not many scenes are given so the story-lines can be drawn out. What the movie basically is, is just an excuse to have a lot of song and dance numbers. Which I don't mind, but, the movie is just too much for it's own good.

The main premise for the movie has Gracie Allen playing a young student who has never passed her final exams. 200 years ago a bet was made stating that if someone from Gracie's family would never pass an exam than that same family would donate the family money to the school. But, if someone in the family can actually pass an exam then the family can take control of the school.

I'd be lying if I said the movie doesn't have some bright spots. A duet between Hope and Raye singing "How'dja Like To Love Me?" I swear it looks as if Hope is actually laughing while doing the number. Allen, when given the chance does provide some laughs. And I did like hearing some of the songs.

If you enjoy classic Hollywood movies, which I bet you do because you wouldn't be looking up this movie if you didn't then you'll probably get some fun out it. Mind you, it's not that I think the movie is bad, I'd watch it again, but I just think that too much is going on at once to really be enjoyed. ** 1\2 out of *****

Bottom-line: A fast and wild 30's comedy. Lots of stars to keep your eyes out for. But, the movie just has too much going on and a lot of scenes don't even do anything for the movie. It's all just an excuse to sing and dance.

This film is really good. I'm telling you its worth having it in your collection. Bob Hope, Gracie Allen, George Burns and Martha Raye is funny as usual. Betty Grable in this film dancing it up. She isn't her usual pin-up girl self but if you want to see the early years of her, this is it. This film is a good film to watch you can kind of see what the 30s and 40s were about, the music and dancing, they way they talked, the slang they used. Out of all the films, I think this if the film that will let you see the culture of the 30s and 40s, and how they were young and wild, not much has changed. Just different music and dancing. The songs in this movie are great, Martha Raye singing How D'Ja Like To Love Me, What A Rumba Does To Romance. Great Fun.

Paramount continued its string of all-star, mostly forgettable musical/comedies with this sparkling gem. Mostly curiosity pieces now, these silly plotlines were mainly a gimmick on which to hang Paramount's roster of stars. Watch Bob Hope trying not to crack up as he and zany Martha Raye sing a duet. Anytime you can catch Hope and Raye on the same bill, you're in for some laughs. Betty Grable hoofs it up with then-husband Jackie Coogan. Burns & Allen add tons of fun, although curiously not working as a team. The music as typical swing of the 1930s, but the zest, energy, and pure fun with which it's performed makes this a very pleasant entertainment.

Paramount continued its string of all-star, mostly forgettable comedies with this sparkling gem. Mostly curiosity pieces now, these silly plotlines were mainly a gimmick on which to hang Paramount's roster of stars. Watch Bob Hope trying not to crack up as he and zany Martha Raye sing a duet. Anytime you can catch Hope and Raye on the same bill, you're in for some laughs. Betty Grable hoofs it up with then-husband Jackie Coogan. Burns & Allen add tons of fun, although curiously not working as a team. The music as typical swing of the 1930s, but the zest, energy, and pure fun with which it's performed makes this a very pleasant entertainment.

This is a pretty non-sensical little flick for enthusiasts of vintage corn! Gracie Allen is cast as the dumb-bell ancestor of a founder of a University. Whether she passes her exam or not will determine the future of the college. Burns and Allen are only okay here, given a mediocre script and not-too-funny situations (the one-joke theme loses its novelty quickly, unfortunately). Bob Hope is easily the best thing about the film, which isn't saying all that much, as his material is mediocre as well. The loud, obvious, sometime hilarious Martha Raye is at her most forced here, and there is ample support from Edward Everett Horton (he has a morbid fear of women but somehow succumbs to the - ah - charms of Gracie!) The cast includes a curvaceous 22 year-old Betty Grable (here she dances with her then real-life love Jackie Coogan who was Charlie Chaplin's THE KID in 1921 and Uncle Fester in THE ADDAMS FAMILY in 1964!) Richard Denning is also seen in this very mild, sometimes amateurish looking diversion from the era of Swing, which - in its day - was obviously aimed at young audiences.