The Big Game (1936)
** (out of 4)
Forgotten football film from RKO about a popular quarterback (Phillip Huston) who gets involved with gamblers. This film is pretty uneven from start to finish because it doesn't know if it wants to be a cute comedy, a bland melodrama or some sort of crime picture. Sadly, it doesn't do any of the three very good and in the end we're left with a pretty boring film that drags even at just 73-minutes. WIth that said, there are a few reasons that make this a must see. For starters, a lot of actual football players are used in the film including members of Stanford, Notre Dame and Ohio State. Another thing worth noting is that Jay Berwanger, the first Heisman Trophy winner, is also in the picture. Yet another thing that will be interesting to football buffs is the fact that footage from the 1935 Rose Bowl is used as stock footage. And finally, Irwin Shaw wrote the screenplay. If you don't know who that is just Google the name and you'll see the impressive work that he'd go onto do. Back to the negative stuff, the story itself just tries to do way too much and the "B" material just isn't there. The entire stuff dealing with the gambling in sports is rather interesting and certainly when you considering what is currently going on with college sports. It's fun getting to see some of this old time football being played and you have to laugh when characters brag about the sport making the schools around one million dollars each year. The performances really aren't all that memorable with everyone pretty much playing roles that they've done throughout their careers. June Travis plays the love interest. James Gleason, Bruce Cabot and Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams are also in the cast as is Andy Devine whose comedy just doesn't work. THE BIG GAME isn't really going to appeal to movie buffs but those interesting in old time football should find enough interesting bits to make it worth watching once.
** (out of 4)
Forgotten football film from RKO about a popular quarterback (Phillip Huston) who gets involved with gamblers. This film is pretty uneven from start to finish because it doesn't know if it wants to be a cute comedy, a bland melodrama or some sort of crime picture. Sadly, it doesn't do any of the three very good and in the end we're left with a pretty boring film that drags even at just 73-minutes. WIth that said, there are a few reasons that make this a must see. For starters, a lot of actual football players are used in the film including members of Stanford, Notre Dame and Ohio State. Another thing worth noting is that Jay Berwanger, the first Heisman Trophy winner, is also in the picture. Yet another thing that will be interesting to football buffs is the fact that footage from the 1935 Rose Bowl is used as stock footage. And finally, Irwin Shaw wrote the screenplay. If you don't know who that is just Google the name and you'll see the impressive work that he'd go onto do. Back to the negative stuff, the story itself just tries to do way too much and the "B" material just isn't there. The entire stuff dealing with the gambling in sports is rather interesting and certainly when you considering what is currently going on with college sports. It's fun getting to see some of this old time football being played and you have to laugh when characters brag about the sport making the schools around one million dollars each year. The performances really aren't all that memorable with everyone pretty much playing roles that they've done throughout their careers. June Travis plays the love interest. James Gleason, Bruce Cabot and Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams are also in the cast as is Andy Devine whose comedy just doesn't work. THE BIG GAME isn't really going to appeal to movie buffs but those interesting in old time football should find enough interesting bits to make it worth watching once.