A Yank at Oxford (1938)

Lee Sheridan, a young American comes to study at Oxford University, but is instantly disliked by the other students, because of his brash and big-headed attitude. After several scrapes with... See full summary »

Director:

Jack Conway

Writers:

Malcolm Stuart Boylan (screen play), Walter Ferris (screen play),

Stars:

Robert Taylor, Lionel Barrymore, Maureen O'Sullivan

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robert Taylor	...	Lee Sheridan
Lionel Barrymore	...	Dan Sheridan
Maureen O'Sullivan	...	Molly Beaumont
Vivien Leigh	...	Elsa Craddock
Edmund Gwenn	...	Dean of Cardinal
Griffith Jones	...	Paul Beaumont
C.V. France	...	Dean Snodgrass
Edward Rigby	...	Scatters
Morton Selten	...	Cecil Davidson, Esq.
Claude Gillingwater	...	Ben Dalton
Tully Marshall	...	Cephas
Walter Kingsford	...	Dean Williams
Robert Coote	...	Wavertree
Peter Croft	...	Ramsey
Noel Howlett	...	Tom Craddock

Storyline

Lee Sheridan, a young American comes to study at Oxford University, but is instantly disliked by the other students, because of his brash and big-headed attitude. After several scrapes with the college professors, and the wife of the local book seller, he becomes a hero when he joins the rowing club, and coxes the boat crew to beat Cambridge, in the annual boat race.

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Plot Keywords:

rowing | oxford | book seller | college | small town | 

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Taglines:

Here's The Yankee Clipper Himself ! A two-fisted terror from the States . . . who landed in England with a chip on his shoulder . . . but let a blue-eyed beauty walk off with his heart ! Bob Taylor's Biggest Picture Hit !

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Genres:

Drama | Romance | Sport

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 February 1938 (USA)

Also Known As:

Der Lausbub aus Amerika

Filming Locations:

Denham Studios, Denham, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer British Studios

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The OUAC on the shirts of the track team stands for Oxford University Athletic Club.

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Connections

Remade as A Yank at Eton (1942)

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Soundtracks

"Battle Hymn of the Republic"
(circa 1856) (uncredited)
Music by William Steffe
Lyrics by Julia Ward Howe (1862)
Sung a cappella by students with modified lyrics

User Reviews

Distinctly anti-American comedy is easy to resist...

ROBERT TAYLOR is refreshingly natural in the role of a brash American Yank who immediately succeeds in alienating his fellow Oxford classmates to the extent that they play practical jokes on him. The entire tone of the film seems to want to portray Americans as distinctly out of their element among the British elite. There's a distinctly mean-spirited flavor to some of the proceedings.

MAUREEN O'SULLIVAN is pleasant as Taylor's chief love interest, but it's hard to detect any of the qualities VIVIEN LEIGH would later show as Scarlett O'Hara in her role as a flirtatious bookstore worker. Her pencil thin eyebrows and unflattering hairdo don't suggest any of the attractive make-up that transformed her into a Southern belle just a year later. She looks almost dowdy here before Hollywood gave her the glamor treatment.

Taylor and Leigh would exhibit much better chemistry in 1940's WATERLOO BRIDGE. Here she is somewhat irritating in a small role.

Sports-minded individuals will get more of a kick out of this than the casual movie-goer looking for a good romantic comedy.