College Swing (1938)

Gracie Alden tries to graduate on college to get an inheritance.

Director:

Raoul Walsh

Writers:

Walter DeLeon (screenplay), Francis Martin (screenplay),

Stars:

George Burns, Gracie Allen, Martha Raye

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
George Burns	...	George Jonas
Gracie Allen	...	Gracie
Martha Raye	...	Mabel Grady
Bob Hope	...	Bud Brady
Edward Everett Horton	...	Hubert Dash
Florence George	...	Ginna Ashburn
Ben Blue	...	Ben Volt
Betty Grable	...	Betty
Jackie Coogan	...	Jackie
John Payne	...	Martin Bates
Cecil Cunningham	...	Dean Sleet
Robert Cummings	...	Radio Announcer
Skinnay Ennis	...	Skinnay - Orchestra Leader
The Slate Brothers	...	Waiters
Robert Mitchell	...	1738 Boys Choir (as Bob Mitchell and St. Brendan's Choristers)

Storyline

Gracie Alden tries to graduate on college to get an inheritance.

---

Plot Keywords:

college | swing

---

Genres:

Comedy

---

Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 April 1938 (USA)

Also Known As:

Jazz Academia

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

One of over 700 Paramount Productions, filmed between 1929 and 1949, which were sold to MCA/Universal in 1958 for television distribution, and have been owned and controlled by Universal ever since.

---

Goofs

In the "You're a Natural" number, as Gracie gets out of the car and continues to sing, two members of the crew can be glimpsed briefly in the reflection on the car door.

---

Connections

Featured in The Love Goddesses (1965)

---

Soundtracks

"I Fall In Love With You Every Day"
Words by Frank Loesser
Music by Manning Sherwin
Copyright 1938 by Famous Music Corporation
Performed by Florence George and John Payne

User Reviews

Entertaining All-Star Musical with Some Nice Tunes

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.