Reviews

This movie and other MGM musicals in particular should be viewed by anyone who thinks they want to produce a film musical today. Watch the Pass That Piece Pipe number and the Varsity drag. Pretend you are the camera and take note of the long uninterrupted takes and the fluid motion of the dancing in concert with the camera. Then look at the musical numbers from Chicago . . . where all they did was cheat and all the action was produced in the cutting room . . the skill is gone. It is a lost art, along with dancing which has been replaced by callesthenics.

Also, if you look closely to the left of the screen in the early part of The Varsity Drag, you will see one of the dancers hold her head and drop to the floor. She does not reappear in the remainder of the shot. June and Peter are the perfect couple and he is totally light on his feet unlike Richard Gere who was so lauded for being a non-dancer who was now "dancing" . . . ha! Now Peter was actually a non-dancer who was dancing and doing a good job of it without cheating, just as Frank Sinatra did in Take Me Out to the Ballgame.

Had always heard how rotten this film was. Imagine my surprise when I finally saw it and found it one of the most enjoyable of the Warner's 30's comedies. Marion is a delight, totally natural . . . which is why I guess, they never thought she could act! The film has a great supporting cast. Louise Fazenda has a hilarious role as Abigail Beldon the book publisher, and Merle Oberon look alike, Marcia Ralston makes a vicious "other woman". The whole thing is fun. Take it for what it is . . . just entertainment.

Oh yes, plot is Marion makes herself over to be plain and ugly to get a job and falls for Robert Mongomery, her employer.

This is the film version of the Ethel Merman Broadway hit.Not a very good film. Lillian Roth got a second chance to behave and make good in Hollywood with this one and she is the best thing about this dull mess. Good prints are rare because this is a FOX film and they don't give a damn about their past.

Look for young Vivian Vance (Ethel Mertz) in the Eadie Was a Lady Number . .. she get a chorus or two standing on the stairs. Very unexpected.

Buddy Rogers is not a very good actor but at least he's still alive!

Helen Kane steals the whole show at Pelham College. She does the "Prep-Step" with Jack Oakie and watches the boys from a tree . .. until she gets caught.

Lots of good songs. Nancy Caroll sings "My Sweeter Than Sweet" and Helen sings "He's So Unusual" later made famous again by Cyndi Lauper.

They used to show TV prints of this one but now . . .who knows where it is. Paramount films are disintegrating fast.