College Humor (1933)
6/10
Sex and Football
16 November 2018
With a title based on the popular magazine founded in 1920, COLLEGE HUMOR is a major ensemble piece with the rapidly rising Bing Crosby singing several songs. The plot, such as it is, concerns Mary Carlisle (in the first of three pairings with Der Bingle) pursuing professor Crosby, with him much in favor of the idea and football player Richard Arlen unhappy over the couple. Jack Oakie is Carlisle's brother, on the varsity team and paired with Mary Kornman. Burns & Allen are also around for laughs and singing.

Paramount was still unsure about how to deal with Crosby, and of his three musical numbers, two are elaborately shot production numbers and the romantic "Moon Struck" is staged to feature Miss Carlisle's figure. Cinematographer Leo Tover uses a lot of back-lit high lighting.

Looking back 85 years, it's a sentimental and stereotypical college musical of the era, in which academia is all about sex and football, but director Wesley Ruggles directs as if these are the important things about college. The result is a very amusing bit of fluff.
5 out of 7 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

Recently Viewed