College Swing

It's 1738, and schoolmaster Edward Everett Horton tells dimwitted student Gracie Allen (as a character named Gracie Alden) that he doubts if she could get her diploma in one hundred years. She is not discouraged: "Well, perhaps not that suddenly, doctor, but in 200 years I'll wager I couldst." --Fast forward to 1938, and a descendant—also named Gracie—is attempting once again to pass the graduation examination from Alden College.

Fast-talking agent Bob Hope has convinced Gracie to hire him as a tutor of sorts; as his fee depends on her successfully graduating, Hope naturally sets out to prepare her for the exam…by stealing a copy of the test questions.

Martha Raye is on hand as a would-be professor with a ridiculous phony French accent. She and Hope quickly strike up a romance and the chemistry between the two lights up their scenes together.

Soon enough, Edward Everett Horton returns to the action, this time around as an eccentric millionaire whose fear of women has kept him as far from civilization as possible. He is back at Alden College to monitor Gracie's exam and is accompanied by wry assistant George Burns.

George and Gracie have a good scene together during the examination: "What is it that runs across the floor like a goldfish?" she asks. (We never find out the answer.) Gracie also has some sweet scenes with Horton, who is charmed by her in spite of himself and his woman-phobia.

John Payne and Florence George play the handsome young romantic couple (and sing "What Did Romeo Say to Juliet?"). Betty Grable and Skinnay Ennis supply some swinging tunes and a great dance ("College Swing"). Hope and Raye also do a great duet—"How'dja Like To Love Me" is cute, bouncy, and really sweet, a highlight of the picture.

All in all, it's not much of a plot, but who cares? The songs are catchy and the entire cast is so much fun to watch: Hope is at his sharpest. Edward Everett Horton is perfect. Gracie is hilarious, Grable is lovely, and Raye is in superb voice. And that's not even mentioning supporting bits from Ben Blue as a mischievous "gym instructor," or the Slate Brothers as singing-and-dancing waiters. (Their "I'm tired" bit is another highlight.)

Mostly just silly stuff—but what fun.

Never a consistent director, Raoul Walsh permits this collection of set pieces to proceed in a disjointed manner as a means of showcasing Paramount contract players. The scenario is inordinately silly but provides substantial roles for Gracie Allen, Bob Hope, Martha Raye, Edward Everett Horton, John Payne, and Betty Grable. Hope's performance in BIG BROADCAST OF 1938 was reviewed very favorably by Damon Runyon, a friend of producer Lewis Gensler, who remembered the comedian from Broadway and vaudeville, and who is responsible for significantly enhancing Hope's part in COLLEGE SWING. Allen's ability for making communicable to audiences her giddy semantic high jinks is in full array, with her partner and husband George Burns serving, as is usual, as her straight man, as does Horton, but the talented comedienne nearly steals the film with her performance of an Irish jig, danced for no apparent reason at all. The 21-year-old Betty Grable, already a veteran of more than 30 films thanks to the studio contract system, performs with unalloyed enthusiasm and has an opportunity to display her hoofing, sometimes partnered by her first husband, Jackie Coogan. Lovely lyric soprano Florence George, well-known in opera and on radio, makes her cinematic debut, romantically paired with success opposite John Payne, and although her film career was very brief and not promoted, that could not have been due to her showing here. The committee responsible for this effort wisely decides to unbridle zany Martha Raye, as she irrepressibly dominates those scenes in which she appears and sings very well, indeed. Despite its low budget, the work benefits from excellent art direction, and plaudits must be handed to the outstanding costume design by Edith Head. In sum, COLLEGE SWING is only a minor attempt, but is laden with a cast of diverse abilities, which acts with carefree enthusiasm.

This is an oddball, star-studded Paramount musical, frivolously directed by Raoul Walsh, in one of handful of fluffy star vehicles he churned out in the period after his Fox tenure and before he settled at Warners. I saw it because of the music and director Walsh, and I was thoroughly pleased with it.

"College Swing" is one of numerous entertaining musicals set on campus that were popular in the 30s. Including this one, there were also "College Humor"(1933), "College Rhythm"(1934), "Old Man Rhythm" (1935),"College Holiday"(1936), and "Pigskin Parade"(1936) among others. These are feathery, inadvertently escapist froths that are generally characterized by zesty songs, funny one-liners, and implausible boy-meets-girl romance.

I tend to agree with the other users that plot of "College Swing" is inordinately silly and weak; however, that doesn't make it unwatchable. The songs and dance numbers have their own peculiar excitement. The number in the beginning featuring the young, up-and-coming Betty Grable and fellow students dancing at a pub is particularly delightful. I also liked the funny scenes between Bob Hope & Martha Raye. Florence George & John Payne make nice young romantic couple. Gracie Allen & George Burns continue their raucous shenanigans, though their comic acts tend to slow down the plot as much as enliven it.

Worth seeing if you like this sort of fluff.

This is a hodgepodge of various skits and songs haphazardly put together by a wisp of a plot of Gracie Allen inheriting a college by getting all her answers right after 200 years of her descendants doing the opposite. Ms. Allen does appear with husband and performing partner George Burns here but not all the way through as she also does scenes with Edward Everett Horton and Bob Hope, whose second feature this was for him. There's also Martha Raye and Ben Blue for additional comedy relief. Romantic leads are John Payne and Florence George though there's very little of that. Oh, and Betty Grable and then-husband Jackie Coogan also cut the rug quite nicely. In summary, this was quite entertaining and if you don't really care about the "plot", College Swing should go down real easy for you.

"College Swing" is one of the many comedy-musical films that Hollywood produced during the 1930s. Once sound was added to motion pictures, it seems as though the public couldn't get enough of the variety type of musicals. As with most others, the plot is very thin, and in this one, very goofy. But it's just there to string together a number of very good songs, dance numbers and comedy routines. And "College Swing" is loaded with these and a great cast to carry them out.

Many big names of entertainment and the silver screen are in this film, most credited but some not. Films like this let the public see and hear a variety of otherwise unknown talents and groups perform. The band at the heart of the review numbers in the film is Skinnay Ennis. He didn't achieve the big-time fame of the likes of Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller, Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey, Harry James, or some others. But his orchestras was a regular feature of Bob Hope's radio show, and later the Bud Abbott and Lou Costello radio show. His popularity from those led to solid bookings on the road circuit during summers.

Gracie Allen is the principal comedy character in "College Swing," followed by Martha Raye who also has some good musical numbers. Bob Hope's role was more as an emcee, although his character, Bud Brady, cooks up most of the shenanigans that provide some of the laughs. This film has a great supporting cast as well as some younger stars in small roles, such as Betty Grable and Jackie Coogan. This is a good film for those who enjoy swing music, especially as it was played and performed in its heyday.