1h 15min | Comedy, Music | 2 August 1935
Director: Edward Ludwig
Stars: Charles 'Buddy' Rogers, George Barbier, Barbara Kent, Eric Blore, Eric Rhodes, Donald Meek.
Hermes Pan ... choreographer
Sam White ... dance numbers staged by
In the Tap! Appendix for Betty Grable (b. 1916), Sonny Lamont (ch14). She looks as young as she is.
Lucille Ball is easily spotted here during the first 2 songs, but she's anonymous, has no lines. Johnny Mercer sings his own lyrics; this and To Beat the Band ('35) are his only 2 acting credits.
It's very strange to have so many RKO players together again. (I'm watching this because it's on the same disc as that Condos film I discovered out of sequence. I should be finishing 1946 right now.)
It's very strange to have so many RKO players together again. (I'm watching this because it's on the same disc as that Condos film I discovered out of sequence. I should be finishing 1946 right now.)
Just saw Sonny Lamont again in Dancing Feet ('36), also while researching Condos Brothers. And he's in both movies on this disc, the other being To Beat the Band ('35). He's a very good dancer for his girth.
This is a college romcom with lots and lots of couples and singles. When they sing, the song gets sung by a dozen or more people, getting passed around as though they're imitating Isn't It Romantic from Love Me Tonight ('32). Oh, here's another Mamoulian imitation: in ch22, one of the dancers casts a huge shadow, which is what the framing indicates we should watch instead of her.
Songs performed (25 chapters, no menu):
- ch4. There's Nothing Like a College Education, Sung by Betty Grable, Joy Hodges, John Arledge, others, Eric Blore, Evelyn Poe, Johnny Mercer
- ch8. Boys Will Be Boys, Sung by Betty Grable, Evelyn Poe, Joy Hodges, others
- ch14. Comes the Revolution, Baby, Sung by Johnny Mercer, Evelyn Poe, others; BG tapping en point in toe shoes, then Sonny Lamont tapping, handsprings.
- ch18. I Never Saw a Better Night, Sung by Charles 'Buddy' Rogers, Grace Bradley, Johnny Mercer, others
- ch22. Old Man Rhythm, Sung by Grace Bradley, Betty Grable, others, tap-danced by Sonny Lamont with lots of gymnastics!, and tap-social danced by BG with an unknown partner (Boy, her style changes a lot from here to Fox c. 1940.)
- ch24. title song reprise, sung and danced by everyone
Very musical because the few songs go on and on. I have little idea what the plot was about (son convinces father to come attend college; his business suffers) or how the couples sorted. Just a pleasant romp with some future stars, and a lot of people who looked promising, but didn't make it to my memory banks. The plus is for the dancing.
RKO, dir. Ludwig; 6+
