"A Yank at Eton" is an MGM comedy drama very similar to the studio's 1938 hit film, "A Yank at Oxford," that starred Robert Taylor and Vivien Leigh. Although the characters and backgrounds are different, the story line is generally the same. An American attends a top British school, where he clashes with some of the Brits, makes friends with a couple, and competes in and wins athletic events; eventually to fit in and be heartily accepted by his British schoolmates. The two schools - Oxford and Eton, are at different levels, of course, and the story details differ, including some of the sports competitions. The one that is the same is a running race. But here at Eton, the Yank gets into European football; while at Oxford, he competed in rowing.
Where the collegiate-level Oxford film also had a romantic aspect, this film has more of the school and house structure and its politics. From what I have read, MGM apparently made this film as a sort of compatriot propaganda film. American forces were descending on England to build up for the Allied assault of Germany. So, this film portrayed the friendly relations between the English and Americans. Of course, the war in Europe was raging at the time. The U. K. had survived the German bombings in 1941. So, it is strange that this film doesn't even have a hint of the war going on.
The Oxford film of 1938 was made in England. It was the first one out of MGM's newly established English studio. But, this film was made entirely in Hollywood. The entire cast gave very good performaces. Mickey Rooney gave a believable performance as a talented athlete. He's a young American, Timothy Dennis, who longed to play football at Notre Dame, but finds himself in a prep school in England after his widowed mother marries a prominent Englishman. So, the story isn't about Mickey Rooney, the very short actor. And the scenes of his sports on the field, and his racing are well acted and filmed. If there is a fault here, it's in portraying Ronnie Kenvil in the steeplechase as being so hesitant and fatigued.
Edmund Gwenn is the one key cast member who played a similar role as a school master in this film, to the one he had in the 1938 film. And, of course, this is one of Peter Lawford's very early films - just his sixth. Except for his quite distinct voice, I wouldn't have recognized the youthful 18-year-old Lawford who plays Ronnie Kenvil. Other familiar actors of note in this film are Ian Hunter, Alan Mowbray and Freddie Bartholomew.
"Yank at Oxford" had been a big hit at the box office in 1938 - finishing 29th for the year in ticket sales. This film wasn't as big a hit (well, it didn't have Robert Taylor and Vivien Leigh) but was a success and finished the year 60th in box office receipts, It didn't pass the earlier film, but it also had much greater competition with films of all types, including war-related. This was the year of such all-time classics as "Casablanca" and "Mrs. Miniver," and a host of fine musicals, dramas, comedies and other war-related stories.
This is an enjoyable film that reflects something of the time and higher end of English culture of the day. It's a good family film and one most people should still be able to enjoy well into the 21st century.
