Winter Carnival

I find Winter Carnival a most interesting film for many reasons, some of which have nothing whatever to do with the plot, as flimsy but sorta fun as it is. One wonders about whatever input, if any, was done by F. Scott Fitzgerald, and why did he choose to do a film about Darmouth's famed Winter Carnival. It is enjoyable to see what might well be some of the actual footage of the Carnival -- many years ago, it was shown live from the campus on TV. Then, too, it's nice watching Ann Sheridan relax through a clean, interesting role. It is also intriguing to search for Robert Walker in one of the few things he did before heading back to Manhattan to find better roles on the stage. And watching a very very young Joan Brodel is a charmer -- she is enchanting, funny, cute -- and, soon, would change her name to Joan Leslie to become a delightful comedienne and dancer and actress-of-depth, though still under-appreciated. See the film, and enjoy.

The previous comments about Co-eds is rather ridiculous as the women in this movie are visiting their boyfriends at Dartmouth, not going to school there. Overall, except for the historic importance regarding Dartmouth Winter Carnival, this movie is awful. Winter Carnival A horrible movie about the Dartmouth Winter Carnival which starred Ann Sheridan, I believe. It was filmed in 1939 on the Dartmouth campus. The script was written by F. Scott Fitzgerald who was drunk the whole time the movie was filmed on campus. Budd Schulberg wrote a great piece about this in his book Writers of America. he was also fired off the film with Fitzgerald. They finished the film, but the background was reflected in it's rather lame production. It includes footage of the old ski trains, too.

Glamor girl Ann Sheridan has made excellent newspaper copy, including marrying a count and getting a divorce almost immediately. She's on her way to Dartmouth College for the Winter Carnival, and Richard Carlson; when she was Queen of the Carnival he and she were a number, and he's still nursing a grudge over being dumped. Or is it something else?

As I write this, Dartmouth is about to throw its 125 Winter Carnival. Although it's changed, with no ski jumping nor formal dance, it seems to still be a major event for the college. F. Scott Fitzgerald and Budd Schulberg were dispatched by B. P. Schulberg to head up to Hanover to pick up local color.... with a bottle of champagne, which means that Fitzgerald was canned. The result is a decent if rather unexceptional movie, enlivened by Miss Sheridan throwing herself, as usual, into her role, as well as an assortment of up-and-coming young players, like Helen Parrish, Joan Leslie, Marsha Hunt, and Peggy Moran. Robert Armstrong has a sizable part, and I spotted an uncredited Robert Walker.

To anyone who knows Dartmouth, the idea that the female characters in this film, which is set in the 1930s, would have been students at the college is laughable. Dartmouth did not accept women as full-time degree candidates until 1972. The film gets it right: Ann Baxter and her sister were visitors to the campus (of whom there are many during Winter Carnival) who competed to be named Queen of the Snows. That said, it's hard to believe anyone not connected with Dartmouth would find anything interesting about this film. But for those who have "the granite of New Hampshire in their muscles and their brains" (as the Alma Mater goes), it is a treat, albeit a very kitschy one.

The 1939 Dartmouth Winter Carnival Poster appears in the Train Station in a couple of scenes in the movie.

The poster features a mostly blue background with a skier flying through a hole in the background. It also has a large flag with the text Dartmouth Winter Carnival and a date of February 10, 11 1939

Its mounted on archival cloth and is in great condition.

If you are interested in an original 1939 poster, contact me. There are reproductions, but this is an original.

Be reminded of this movie all week long in your office or ski house. Own a piece of history.

Also, if you want a copy of the movie on DVD, I will include it with the poster.