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Movie promo from jazzage1920s.com
Date of Release: Nov 8, 1929
Studio: MGM
Director: Sam Wood
Screenplay: Al Boasberg, Delmer Daves
Music: Al Boasberg, Martin Broones, Fred Fisher, Charlotte Greenwood, Jesse Greer, Raymond Klages
Leading Actors: Elliott Nugent, Robert Montgomery, Cliff Edwards, Sally Starr, Phyllis Crane, Dorothy Dehn, Max Davidson, Ann Brody, Oscar Rudolph, Gene Stone, Polly Moran, Lee Shumway
So This is College, along with Sweetie (Paramount’s contribution to the college movie musical genre), was one of the more profitable films of 1929. Although an MGM production, the film has been made available on DVD through the Warner Bros Archive. It is a fun comedy that, apart from pervasive sexism, holds up surprisingly well over time.
The comedic skills of all involved are evident in So This is College. Boasberg and Daves’ witty script, and deft performances from the whole cast, save what is otherwise a formulaic and predictable plot. The film centers around two University of Southern California (USC) footballers, close friends Biff (Robert Montgomery) and Eddie (Elliot Nugent) who compete for the affections of the same girl, Babs (Sally Starr). Underscored by (an unseen) marching band fanfare, the opening scenes of college students returning to college after summer vacation are boisterous and fun. Particularly noteworthy is a sketch-like scene involving two desperate-to-please freshmen (including a young Oscar Rudolph who later made his name directing The Lone Ranger, Batman, The Donna Reed Show and The Brady Bunch) carrying a trunk up a flight of stairs.
The score is comprised almost entirely of upbeat and lively jazz, composed by a team of Tin Pan Alley writers, (you may recognize Charlotte Greenwood's name from So Long Letty, though So This is College appears to be her only songwriting credit). Although the style and flavor of the music is consistent, there is no through-voice pulling the songs together. As a result, the songs appear inserted into the film for the sake of including popular music, rather than for any story-telling devices. Early in the film, Eddie sings, “I don’t want your kisses, if I can’t have your love,” featuring some (rather unconvincing) scat singing. At the song’s conclusion Babs wittily retorts, “That’s a great song, I’d love to hear somebody sing it.”
The only ballad occurs in the frat dining hall. The boys are gathered waiting for their evening meal, and sing their house song, “Friends Until the End.” The sobriety of the song is humorously undercut by the playful banter between Biff and Eddie. The song is later reprised to surprising dramatic effect when Biff and Eddie’s friendship is tested and they part ways. This kind of juxtaposition between song and action is used effectively at the school dance during the reprise of “I don’t want your kisses,” with a lovely tender moment between Babs and Eddie.
A college musical wouldn’t be a college musical without a school dance. Unfortunately So This is College is not nearly as slick as Sweetie in the dance department, though it is certainly as enthusiastic. Exactly like Sweetie, the scene begins with the lead female, Babs, surrounded by boys, singing about the school dance, “Campus Capers." The song leads into a frenzied foxtrot, full of energetic, almost violent, bouncing and waving of arms. The result is amusing, though not particularly noteworthy for its choreography or camera work. The costume design in the dance does nothing to help. While the rest of the cast are in standard 1920s flapper dresses and suits, our eye is continually pulled from the dancing, and drawn to the sparkles of Babs’ uniquely spangly flapper dress.
The pace drags in the second half, unassisted by several scenes featuring secondary characters. Ann Brody, Max Davidson, and Polly Moran were all well-known vaudeville and silent movie stars and their appearances, though funny, distract from the plot. Brody and Davidson are sweet as the Jewish laundry proprietors, but we have no reason to invest in their characters. Moran, playing the poorly treated house cook, Polly, is a genuinely funny comedic actress. She shines in a late scene listening to the big game on the wireless, tears streaming down her face as she laments for her boys, only to discover she is holding an onion to her cheek. Although the performances are fun to watch, these side characters could be cut from the film and nothing would be lost from the story.
The same could be said of the final scenes at the big football game. Filmed at an enormous stadium complete with thousands of cheering spectators, the footage is from newsreel of a real football match between USC and Stanford in 1928. Although the editing is quite clever, the newsreel images are grainy, and the sheer scale is inconsistent with the rest of the film.
What really drags So This is College down is the pervasive sexism. Polly appears in the dining room, and the boys prompt her to say, “Polly wants a…[cracker].” When she relents, the boys gleefully throw fistfuls at crackers at her until she retreats back into the kitchen. Babs is twice referred to as a “lovable little mutt”, and despite making her feelings for Biff clearly known, Eddie continues to make unwanted moves towards her. When Babs finally declares, “I don’t know why I’m letting you get away with this,” we wonder the same thing.
Despite her sole purpose in the film as a love interest, Babs is not without agency. She gets her own back when we discover she has invited just about every boy on campus to pick her up at 8 o’clock, and that her flings with both Eddie and Biff are just part of a larger scheme. Through her snappy one-liners and knowing wink, we understand that boys and dating is all just a game to her.
The AFI classifies So This is College as a “comedy with songs”, though it is no more or less a musical than the “musical” Sweetie. Despite this, So This is College is more memorable as a comedy than a musical.
The film marked the beginning of several successful Hollywood careers, though not in movie musicals. Director Sam Wood became a prolific director, well known off-screen for his conservative politics. Scriptwriter Al Boasberg would go on to become a highly influential comedic writer, script doctor and director. Songwriter Fred Fisher penned many hit songs including “Chicago,” “Come Josephine in my Flying Machine,” “And the band played on,” and “I’m on my way to Mandalay”. Actor Robert Montgomery eventually became an award winning actor and director (and father of Elizabeth Montgomery - Samantha in Bewitched). Cliff Edwards, better known as Ukulele Ike, appeared in over 100 films, and is perhaps best remembered as the voice of Jiminy Cricket in Pinocchio. Phyllis Crane became famous for her appearances in the Three Stooges comedies.
Studio: MGM
Director: Sam Wood
Screenplay: Al Boasberg, Delmer Daves
Music: Al Boasberg, Martin Broones, Fred Fisher, Charlotte Greenwood, Jesse Greer, Raymond Klages
Leading Actors: Elliott Nugent, Robert Montgomery, Cliff Edwards, Sally Starr, Phyllis Crane, Dorothy Dehn, Max Davidson, Ann Brody, Oscar Rudolph, Gene Stone, Polly Moran, Lee Shumway
So This is College, along with Sweetie (Paramount’s contribution to the college movie musical genre), was one of the more profitable films of 1929. Although an MGM production, the film has been made available on DVD through the Warner Bros Archive. It is a fun comedy that, apart from pervasive sexism, holds up surprisingly well over time.
The comedic skills of all involved are evident in So This is College. Boasberg and Daves’ witty script, and deft performances from the whole cast, save what is otherwise a formulaic and predictable plot. The film centers around two University of Southern California (USC) footballers, close friends Biff (Robert Montgomery) and Eddie (Elliot Nugent) who compete for the affections of the same girl, Babs (Sally Starr). Underscored by (an unseen) marching band fanfare, the opening scenes of college students returning to college after summer vacation are boisterous and fun. Particularly noteworthy is a sketch-like scene involving two desperate-to-please freshmen (including a young Oscar Rudolph who later made his name directing The Lone Ranger, Batman, The Donna Reed Show and The Brady Bunch) carrying a trunk up a flight of stairs.
The score is comprised almost entirely of upbeat and lively jazz, composed by a team of Tin Pan Alley writers, (you may recognize Charlotte Greenwood's name from So Long Letty, though So This is College appears to be her only songwriting credit). Although the style and flavor of the music is consistent, there is no through-voice pulling the songs together. As a result, the songs appear inserted into the film for the sake of including popular music, rather than for any story-telling devices. Early in the film, Eddie sings, “I don’t want your kisses, if I can’t have your love,” featuring some (rather unconvincing) scat singing. At the song’s conclusion Babs wittily retorts, “That’s a great song, I’d love to hear somebody sing it.”
The only ballad occurs in the frat dining hall. The boys are gathered waiting for their evening meal, and sing their house song, “Friends Until the End.” The sobriety of the song is humorously undercut by the playful banter between Biff and Eddie. The song is later reprised to surprising dramatic effect when Biff and Eddie’s friendship is tested and they part ways. This kind of juxtaposition between song and action is used effectively at the school dance during the reprise of “I don’t want your kisses,” with a lovely tender moment between Babs and Eddie.
A college musical wouldn’t be a college musical without a school dance. Unfortunately So This is College is not nearly as slick as Sweetie in the dance department, though it is certainly as enthusiastic. Exactly like Sweetie, the scene begins with the lead female, Babs, surrounded by boys, singing about the school dance, “Campus Capers." The song leads into a frenzied foxtrot, full of energetic, almost violent, bouncing and waving of arms. The result is amusing, though not particularly noteworthy for its choreography or camera work. The costume design in the dance does nothing to help. While the rest of the cast are in standard 1920s flapper dresses and suits, our eye is continually pulled from the dancing, and drawn to the sparkles of Babs’ uniquely spangly flapper dress.
The pace drags in the second half, unassisted by several scenes featuring secondary characters. Ann Brody, Max Davidson, and Polly Moran were all well-known vaudeville and silent movie stars and their appearances, though funny, distract from the plot. Brody and Davidson are sweet as the Jewish laundry proprietors, but we have no reason to invest in their characters. Moran, playing the poorly treated house cook, Polly, is a genuinely funny comedic actress. She shines in a late scene listening to the big game on the wireless, tears streaming down her face as she laments for her boys, only to discover she is holding an onion to her cheek. Although the performances are fun to watch, these side characters could be cut from the film and nothing would be lost from the story.
The same could be said of the final scenes at the big football game. Filmed at an enormous stadium complete with thousands of cheering spectators, the footage is from newsreel of a real football match between USC and Stanford in 1928. Although the editing is quite clever, the newsreel images are grainy, and the sheer scale is inconsistent with the rest of the film.
What really drags So This is College down is the pervasive sexism. Polly appears in the dining room, and the boys prompt her to say, “Polly wants a…[cracker].” When she relents, the boys gleefully throw fistfuls at crackers at her until she retreats back into the kitchen. Babs is twice referred to as a “lovable little mutt”, and despite making her feelings for Biff clearly known, Eddie continues to make unwanted moves towards her. When Babs finally declares, “I don’t know why I’m letting you get away with this,” we wonder the same thing.
Despite her sole purpose in the film as a love interest, Babs is not without agency. She gets her own back when we discover she has invited just about every boy on campus to pick her up at 8 o’clock, and that her flings with both Eddie and Biff are just part of a larger scheme. Through her snappy one-liners and knowing wink, we understand that boys and dating is all just a game to her.
The AFI classifies So This is College as a “comedy with songs”, though it is no more or less a musical than the “musical” Sweetie. Despite this, So This is College is more memorable as a comedy than a musical.
The film marked the beginning of several successful Hollywood careers, though not in movie musicals. Director Sam Wood became a prolific director, well known off-screen for his conservative politics. Scriptwriter Al Boasberg would go on to become a highly influential comedic writer, script doctor and director. Songwriter Fred Fisher penned many hit songs including “Chicago,” “Come Josephine in my Flying Machine,” “And the band played on,” and “I’m on my way to Mandalay”. Actor Robert Montgomery eventually became an award winning actor and director (and father of Elizabeth Montgomery - Samantha in Bewitched). Cliff Edwards, better known as Ukulele Ike, appeared in over 100 films, and is perhaps best remembered as the voice of Jiminy Cricket in Pinocchio. Phyllis Crane became famous for her appearances in the Three Stooges comedies.
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Date of Release: Oct 26, 1929
Studio: MGM
Director: Nick Grinde
Leading Actors: Benny Rubin, Patricia Brox, Pietro Gentile, Myrtle McLaughlin
Apart from the AFI Catalogue listing, there is very little information currently available on The General. A different film from the 1926 Buster Keaton silent flick, The General appears to be a short, or “junior feature”, with a listed film length of just fifteen minutes.
Director Nick Grinde barely rates a mention in Barrios’ excellent history of early musical films A Song in the Dark, and the film is absent completely from the book. Grinde went on to direct 58 films, including Ronald Regan’s first film The Man they Could Not Hang. He was the co-writer on Laurel and Hardy’s Babes in Toyland.
The General may be a victim to MGM’s abysmal historical record. Over the years, MGM has literally thrown away files, film reels, props, and costumes. According to David J Hogan in his 2014 book on The Wizard of Oz, MGM hired people to “clean away the clutter”. If original set pieces from the land of Oz weren’t precious, then a 15 minute obscure short had zero chance of survival. In the 1970s, MGM auctioned off much of the costume store, and during MGM’s takeover by Turner in the late 1980s, miscommunication and thoughtless record keeping led to warehouses of archival material being discarded or destroyed. Even today, MGM does not have a fully centralized or comprehensive archive, though content is available at various libraries in the United States. For the studio most closely associated with movie musicals, this is utterly devastating.
It is believed that of all films made before 1950, over half are irretrievably lost. Just within the last five years, more and more efforts have been made to not only preserve what is left of early films, but to make them accessible to a wide audience. Warner Bros has a particularly impressive catalogue available to the public, and YouTube abounds in clips posted by vitaphone and talkie fans.
History is a fascinating and fickle thing. Without records, or access to verbal history, whole stories, and in this case, films are lost forever. For a whole host of reasons, including education, entertainment, and understanding, it’s up to us to preserve our past. In the meantime, I will be yelling like Leo the Lion (pictured above) at the tragedy of MGM's lost past.
Studio: MGM
Director: Nick Grinde
Leading Actors: Benny Rubin, Patricia Brox, Pietro Gentile, Myrtle McLaughlin
Apart from the AFI Catalogue listing, there is very little information currently available on The General. A different film from the 1926 Buster Keaton silent flick, The General appears to be a short, or “junior feature”, with a listed film length of just fifteen minutes.
Director Nick Grinde barely rates a mention in Barrios’ excellent history of early musical films A Song in the Dark, and the film is absent completely from the book. Grinde went on to direct 58 films, including Ronald Regan’s first film The Man they Could Not Hang. He was the co-writer on Laurel and Hardy’s Babes in Toyland.
The General may be a victim to MGM’s abysmal historical record. Over the years, MGM has literally thrown away files, film reels, props, and costumes. According to David J Hogan in his 2014 book on The Wizard of Oz, MGM hired people to “clean away the clutter”. If original set pieces from the land of Oz weren’t precious, then a 15 minute obscure short had zero chance of survival. In the 1970s, MGM auctioned off much of the costume store, and during MGM’s takeover by Turner in the late 1980s, miscommunication and thoughtless record keeping led to warehouses of archival material being discarded or destroyed. Even today, MGM does not have a fully centralized or comprehensive archive, though content is available at various libraries in the United States. For the studio most closely associated with movie musicals, this is utterly devastating.
It is believed that of all films made before 1950, over half are irretrievably lost. Just within the last five years, more and more efforts have been made to not only preserve what is left of early films, but to make them accessible to a wide audience. Warner Bros has a particularly impressive catalogue available to the public, and YouTube abounds in clips posted by vitaphone and talkie fans.
History is a fascinating and fickle thing. Without records, or access to verbal history, whole stories, and in this case, films are lost forever. For a whole host of reasons, including education, entertainment, and understanding, it’s up to us to preserve our past. In the meantime, I will be yelling like Leo the Lion (pictured above) at the tragedy of MGM's lost past.
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Chronologically speaking, I am skipping a few films by jumping to The Broadway Melody. In between I have missed Syncopation, Fox Movietone Follies of 1929, and Innocents of Paris. All these films are potentially lost, and in a recent book Hollywood Musicals Year by Year (3rd Edition), do not even receive a mention. This is the frustration of living on the wrong side of the planet to the movie archives, and the limits of historical research. Not everything is available online, and not everything is even preserved!
The Broadway Melody of 1929 marks a leap in the style of the movie musical. It is the first 100% sound movie musical, the first musical to win Best Picture at the Oscar’s, and it is considered the first movie musical to use an integrated score. The score contains now well-known pieces such as “You Were Meant For Me”, “Wedding of the Painted Doll”, and of course, the title song “Broadway Melody”. It was the first movie musical, and indeed first talkie, for MGM, and already we can see the slick style, gorgeous costumes, and memorable tunes which later make MGM the leading producer of movie musicals. It was advertised as the first “ALL TALKING! AL SINGNG! ALL DANCING!” film, and by all accounts, audiences flocked to see it and loved it.
As a modern day viewer, I loved watching this film. Like all the other films watched thus far, the story focuses around backstage drama and the desire to be on Broadway. We have divas, flamboyant costume designers, tempers, glitz and glamour, and plenty of humour. The performances are lively and spirited. Unlike its predecessors, The Broadway Melody is not a star vehicle, and each actor shines in their role. Bessie Love as the determined Hank is gorgeous, and she was deservedly nominated for an Oscar for Best Actress for her performance. Charles King, an established Vaudeville and Broadway actor, as Eddie is charming, and Jed Prouty as Uncle Jed is endearing.
Historians point out that this is the first film to use an integrated score, however this only occurs once in the film. Most musical numbers are performances within the story, such as Eddie performing his new number for Mr Zanfield, and the Broadway revues, and the front on camera shots, as though filming a Broadway stage, reflect this. Almost an hour into the proceedings Eddie and Queenie are in a heated conversation and Eddie bursts into the song “You Were Meant for Me”, sharing his feelings for Queenie. This use of integrated song works well, however stands out because it is the only number used in such a way in the film. With music by Nacio Herb Brown and lyrics by Arthur Freed, the other aforementioned tunes throughout the film are gorgeous. Arthur Freed will keep popping up as we travel down this yellow brick road of movie musical history, as the producer of many MGM movie musicals including The Wizard of Oz, Singin’ in the Rain, Easter Parade, Meet Me in St Louis and On the Town to name just a few.
Two musical numbers from the show within the show, the Zanfield Revue, “Wedding of the Painted Doll” (apparently originally filmed in two-tone technicolour, but this footage has since been destroyed or lost), and “The Boy Friend” appear to be inserted into the film simply for the sake of having some sparkly song and dance numbers. They are lavish and beautiful, but do not progress the plot or give us insight to the characters. The dance numbers feature plenty of chorus girls in short shorts and stunning costumes and it is escapist entertainment at its best. My favourite dance number is a short tap routine on pointe. There is something unpolished and raw about the filming of the routine, and the performance itself, and it is exciting and pleasing to watch.
The plot drags slightly, and at times feels a little unbelievable, but the story is touching and full of heart. A fun film, and one that I feel really sets the ball rolling for the movie musical genre. Exciting times ahead!
The Broadway Melody of 1929 marks a leap in the style of the movie musical. It is the first 100% sound movie musical, the first musical to win Best Picture at the Oscar’s, and it is considered the first movie musical to use an integrated score. The score contains now well-known pieces such as “You Were Meant For Me”, “Wedding of the Painted Doll”, and of course, the title song “Broadway Melody”. It was the first movie musical, and indeed first talkie, for MGM, and already we can see the slick style, gorgeous costumes, and memorable tunes which later make MGM the leading producer of movie musicals. It was advertised as the first “ALL TALKING! AL SINGNG! ALL DANCING!” film, and by all accounts, audiences flocked to see it and loved it.
As a modern day viewer, I loved watching this film. Like all the other films watched thus far, the story focuses around backstage drama and the desire to be on Broadway. We have divas, flamboyant costume designers, tempers, glitz and glamour, and plenty of humour. The performances are lively and spirited. Unlike its predecessors, The Broadway Melody is not a star vehicle, and each actor shines in their role. Bessie Love as the determined Hank is gorgeous, and she was deservedly nominated for an Oscar for Best Actress for her performance. Charles King, an established Vaudeville and Broadway actor, as Eddie is charming, and Jed Prouty as Uncle Jed is endearing.
Historians point out that this is the first film to use an integrated score, however this only occurs once in the film. Most musical numbers are performances within the story, such as Eddie performing his new number for Mr Zanfield, and the Broadway revues, and the front on camera shots, as though filming a Broadway stage, reflect this. Almost an hour into the proceedings Eddie and Queenie are in a heated conversation and Eddie bursts into the song “You Were Meant for Me”, sharing his feelings for Queenie. This use of integrated song works well, however stands out because it is the only number used in such a way in the film. With music by Nacio Herb Brown and lyrics by Arthur Freed, the other aforementioned tunes throughout the film are gorgeous. Arthur Freed will keep popping up as we travel down this yellow brick road of movie musical history, as the producer of many MGM movie musicals including The Wizard of Oz, Singin’ in the Rain, Easter Parade, Meet Me in St Louis and On the Town to name just a few.
Two musical numbers from the show within the show, the Zanfield Revue, “Wedding of the Painted Doll” (apparently originally filmed in two-tone technicolour, but this footage has since been destroyed or lost), and “The Boy Friend” appear to be inserted into the film simply for the sake of having some sparkly song and dance numbers. They are lavish and beautiful, but do not progress the plot or give us insight to the characters. The dance numbers feature plenty of chorus girls in short shorts and stunning costumes and it is escapist entertainment at its best. My favourite dance number is a short tap routine on pointe. There is something unpolished and raw about the filming of the routine, and the performance itself, and it is exciting and pleasing to watch.
The plot drags slightly, and at times feels a little unbelievable, but the story is touching and full of heart. A fun film, and one that I feel really sets the ball rolling for the movie musical genre. Exciting times ahead!