Over the Goal

Over the Goal (1937)

* (out of 4)

Forgotten (and rightfully so) melodrama about a very rich man who dies and is willing to leave everything he owns to Carlton Collage but only if they beat their rival in an upcoming football game. This here should be easy to Carlton's star quarterback (William Hooper) decides that he doesn't want to play any more. Now everyone around him must try and make him change his mind before it's too late. Oh, the level of suspense. OVER THE GOAL is an incredibly bad movie full of incredible annoying characters and incredibly bad laughs. The film really doesn't have too much going on for it, although bad film buffs will probably get a kick out of at least watching it since, in reality, this decade didn't give us too many awful films. Hooper would become better known later in his career but his performance here is quite bland. I'm not sure if he just knew the material was bad and didn't give it any effort or perhaps he was a little tired throughout the making of the picture. The rest of the supporting cast are pretty much forgettable with the exception being Hattie McDaniel in an early role. There's really not a good story to be found here because we get our "hero" running into one person after another and each one has a new problem. They try to get him into the big game and he says no. The next person tries and then we go to rounds three, four and five. All of this film is just one big cliché without a single laugh to be had.

Injured Carlton State quarterback Ken Thomas (knee) makes a promise to his girl friend that he won't play again. Then, when she relents, he is kidnapped by crooks hoping to make money from the big game. Production values hurt the film in some scenes but there are a few enthusiastic performances, especially from Scat Davis. He displays penchant for comedy. Also, his fine singing voice and trumpet playing are featured in two short songs and in a production number near the middle of the film. Members of the USC football team also appear as it was partially filmed in the Rose Bowl. Marie Wilson and Jane Wyman appear briefly as co-eds.

This college football story has injured quarterback William Hopper promising girl friend June Travis that he wouldn't wreck himself any more. He has an injured knee from the last game.

But Hopper's Carlton College is facing the hated rivals at State in the last game of the season. There's a lot riding on this game. Carlton gets a generous alumnus endowment if they beat State.

The nefarious forces at State will do anything by hook or crook to keep Hopper out of the big game and do.

Over The Goal is a light and easy to take college film with lots of comedy provided by Johnnie Davis as Hopper's roommate. Eddie Anderson brings his Rochester character to his part as a groundskeeper with Hattie McDaniel as his overbearing wife.

Hard to recognize William Hopper who was in his salad days back then. He had a head of dark hair unlike the premature gray he had as Paul Drake on the Perry Mason Show. Only the voice gives him away.

Nothing special, but nice entertainment.

Bill hopper is ken, who has injured his knee playing football. He has promised his girl Lucy (june travis) that he will give up football. There's a weird moment when one of the guys starts singing about cuddling, and the only other person in the room is another male student Tiny ( John Davis).. unusual for 1937. The usual, boring freshman college hijinx. Big yawn. Lots of "swells", and college pranks. The acting is all pretty bland. Did college students really all wear beanies in the 1930s? Directed by noel smith. He started in 1917 in the silents. Story by bill jacobs. Imdb tells us scenes were filmed at USC and at the los angeles coliseum. Hopper, probably best known for perry mason, was the son of hedda hopper, and died young at age 55.