Spring Madness (1938)

A young college man and his best friend both vie for the affections of the same woman while on their Spring Break vacation.

Director:

S. Sylvan Simon

Writers:

Edward Chodorov (screen play), Philip Barry (based on the play by: "Spring Dance"),

Stars:

Maureen O'Sullivan, Lew Ayres, Ruth Hussey

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Maureen O'Sullivan	...	Alexandra Benson
Lew Ayres	...	Sam Thatcher
Ruth Hussey	...	Kate McKim
Burgess Meredith	...	The Lippencott
Ann Morriss	...	Frances
Joyce Compton	...	Sally
Julie Bishop	...	Mady Platt (as Jacqueline Wells)
Frank Albertson	...	Hat
Truman Bradley	...	Walter Beckett
Marjorie Gateson	...	Miss Ritchie
Renie Riano	...	Mildred (as Renee Riano)
Sterling Holloway	...	Buck
Dick Baldwin	...	Doc

Storyline

A young college man and his best friend both vie for the affections of the same woman while on their Spring Break vacation.

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Plot Keywords:

college | newspaper publisher | new york city | dance party | poetry | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 November 1938 (USA)

Also Known As:

Cinq jeunes filles endiablées

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

67 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Philip Barry's play, "Spring Dance", opened on Broadway in New York City, New York, USA on 25 August 1936 and had 24 performances. The opening night cast included José Ferrer (The Lippencott), Tom Neal (Doc Boyd), Philip Ober (Walter Beckett) and Mary Wickes (Mildred).

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Quotes

Mildred the Maid: Miss Benson... it's HIM.

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Soundtracks

"The Volga Boatman"
(uncredited)
Composer unknown
In the score for the Soviet State Travel Bureau

User Reviews

College Girl Faces Big Problem - How, Oh How, to Get Her Fellow to the Spring Dance

Very silly story about serious Harvard man, Sam (Lew Ayres), all set to go on a two year trip to Russia to study the economy and write a book on the youth movement. One problem though - his girlfriend Alex (Maureen O'Sullivan), student at a nearby girl's college, doesn't know he is going. Alex and her slang-talking gal pals at college seem to care about one thing and one thing only - the spring dance. Alex is determined to get her man to that dance, but he actually has plans, along with his chum "The Lippencott" (well played by Burgess Meredith), to leave college before graduation and get on that ship to Russia - and he'll be leaving just *before* the dance. Dear oh dear.

The plot of this film really just had nothing to hold my interest and most of the actors seem a bit long in the tooth to be realistic as college students. The only thing that saves this movie at all is some of the acting, especially by some of the character actors, which is pretty well-done. I like Joyce Compton as Sally, man crazy blonde who only comes to college for the weekend dances, and Sterling Holloway as a Yale man, who seems to mainly hang about in the girl's college dorm lobby. And, well, Lew Ayres does look kind of cute in his polka dot pajamas in one scene. All in all, though, this movie is really just plain dumb.