College co-eds learn to handle the responsibilities of romance.College co-eds learn to handle the responsibilities of romance.College co-eds learn to handle the responsibilities of romance.
- Asst. Dist. Atty. Gifford
- (uncredited)
- Student
- (uncredited)
- Student at Dormitory
- (uncredited)
- Doctor
- (uncredited)
- Junior - A Student)
- (uncredited)
- Confused Student in Cafe
- (uncredited)
- Student at Dormitory
- (uncredited)
- Student at Dormitory
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaFirst film for Dorothy Wilson, who was "discovered" working as a secretary at RKO.
- Goofs(at around 28 mins) When Betty lays back after Mike kisses her, the ground can be seen moving under her head when she moves.
- Quotes
Dora Swale: [as Mike enters the restaurant where she is a waitress] Hello, pollywog.
Michael 'Mike' Harvey: Hello, Dora.
[while looking for an empty booth to sit in, he overhears a couple talking loudly]
Unseen Female I: Whaddyou care if they're sharp or not? You can rub your beard off with a towel.
Unseen Male I: Wait'll you start to shave. Alright, alright, what about free love?
Unseen Female I: There's nothing free about MY love, Romeo. Just remember that.
Unseen Male I: You for sale?
Unseen Female I: Let's broaden the conversation.
Unseen Male I: When I get on a subject I like to stay with it. Hey, how about that butter?
[Disgusted with what he's hearing Mike gets up and moves to a different booth]
Unseen Female II: Stop it!
Unseen Male II: [Brays stupidly] I'm gonna find out things for myself. How do I know? Ya may be knock-kneed.
[Brays again]
Unseen Female II: I thoughtcha came to college to develop your brain.
Unseen Male II: Aw, who cares about brains? I come from a long line of people who work with their hands.
[Brays yet again, and we hear a slap]
Unseen Male II: Alright, alright, whaddya wanna talk about?
[Girl giggles incessantly]
Unseen Male II: That's not so funny.
[Mike rolls his eyes and moves a second time]
Dora Swale: Are you working out for the track team or is this a new game?
Michael 'Mike' Harvey: I don't like free love with my meals.
Boy in next booth: Trouble is with you, you're old fashioned.
Girl in next booth: Maybe so, but what was good enough for my grandmother is good enough for me.
[She picks up her purse and starts to leave]
Boy in next booth: Well I don't want to be honorable with you unless it's absolutely necessary.
Girl in next booth: I'll call ya up sometime when I break training.
[laughs and walks out]
Michael 'Mike' Harvey: Don't they ever talk about anything else?
Dora Swale: What else is there to talk about? How about somethin' to eat?
Michael 'Mike' Harvey: Oh, I don't know what I want.
Dora Swale: Gimme three guesses?
Michael 'Mike' Harvey: People ever talk about marriage any more?
Dora Swale: Some of the older people.
Michael 'Mike' Harvey: Why don't you get married? What do you hang around a dump like this for?
Dora Swale: Scrambled eggs are nice.
- SoundtracksParadise
(1931) (uncredited)
Music by Nacio Herb Brown
Lyrics by Nacio Herb Brown and Gordon Clifford
Played at the dance and danced by Dorothy Wilson and Eric Linden and other couples
All of this angst leads Mike to drink heavily one night and fall for the charms of local waitress Dora Swale. Dora is OK with the fact that this is a one night stand, but just as Mike is getting ready to leave her house, Dora's dad appears, and he is not at all happy about the situation.
If this seems very frank and daring for 1932, it is. There are no big name stars in this film. The biggest name is John Halliday as Professor David Matthews who acts as a father figure to Mike, even though he is given to handing out confusing advice. He and Barbara act as an analog for the possible future Mike and Betty - they were in love and waited to finish their education. After graduation they found that there was nothing to pick up where they had left off, and are now heading into middle age alone. The best lines go to Arline Judge as Dora. She doesn't look like her, but Arline's voice, her movements, and definitely her attitude are precode Stanwyck.
I've already mentioned how things stay the same - the hormonal challenges of late adolescence/early adulthood. How things have changed is the lesson this film seems to teach - that college is optional and even a possible obstacle in seeking true happiness, and maybe it was in 1932 when people married earlier and needed less skill to make a living wage. Today, however, it is an essential rite of passage to a middle class lifestyle, and even then there are no guarantees.
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $125,000 (estimated)
- Runtime1 hour 3 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1