Hold That Co-ed (1938)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

George Marshall

Writers:

Karl Tunberg (screenplay) &
Don Ettlinger (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

16 September 1938 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

While running for governor a politician aids a needy college by plotting to assure victory for their football team...

Plot Keywords:

Governor | College | Football | Protest | Riot

Cast

John Barrymore	...	Governor Gabby Harrigan
George Murphy	...	Rusty Stevens
Marjorie Weaver	...	Marjorie Blake
Joan Davis	...	Lizzie Olsen
Jack Haley	...	Wilbur Peters
George Barbier	...	Major Hubert Breckenridge
Ruth Terry	...	Edie
Donald Meek	...	Dean Fletcher
Johnny Downs	...	Dink
Paul Hurst	...	Slapsy
Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams	...	Mike Wurgeski (as Guinn Williams)
The Brewster Twins	...	College Students (as Brewster Twins)
William 'Billy' Benedict	...	Sylvester (as Bill Benedict)
Frank Sully	...	Steve Wurgeski
Charles C. Wilson	...	Coach Burke

Also Known As:

Hold That Girl (UK)

Runtime:

80 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #4447) | USA:TV-PG (TV rating)

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Several people are in studio records/casting call lists as cast members, but they did not appear or were not identifiable in the movie. These were (with their character names): Russell Hicks (President), Ruth Warren (Mother), Forbes Murray (Otis), Harry Hayden (Spokesman) and Clem Bevans (Judkins). A modern source states that John Barrymore's wife, Elaine Barrie was to be in the film, but her scenes were cut.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): Donald Meek is credited onscreen as "Dean Fletcher," but he is called Dean Thatcher throughout the film.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Sports on the Silver Screen (1997) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Harrigan

Fun

Hold That Co-ed (1938)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Political and sports satire about a Governor (John Barrymore) running for a seat on the Senate who comes up with a scheme to get more votes. He decides to pump money into a low class college and turn their football program into one of the best in the nation. This film is rather hit and miss but Barrymore is right on the target with his maniac-style performance. He's certainly over the top but he doesn't go too far out there and he manages to bring several laughs to the rather standard screenplay. A special note must also go towards his wickedly funny looking hair cut. The supporting cast includes George Murphy, Joan Davis, Jack Haley and Donald Meek. The satire works just fine but there are a couple really horrid moments in the film including a couple musical sequences, which just stop the film dead in its tracks. One of these sequences is perhaps the worst musical number I've seen in any film. Another problem is the final football game, which uses wind as a major factor but this comes off very unhappy and ends the film on a rather sour note. George Marshall directs.