All-American Co-Ed (1941)

Director:

LeRoy Prinz

Writers:

Cortland Fitzsimmons (original screenplay)
Kenneth Higgins (adaptation)

Release Date:

31 October 1941 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical

Tagline:

HEY!...IT'S HERE...THE SEASON'S GAYEST MUSICAL!

Plot:

All-girl school Mar Brynn tries to get more pupils and publicity by making fun of the Quincton college...

Plot Keywords:

Impersonation | Cross Dressing | Physical Comedy | Fraternity | Contest

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars.

Cast

Frances Langford	...	Virginia
Johnny Downs	...	Bob Sheppard aka Bobbie DeWolfe
Marjorie Woodworth	...	Bunny
Noah Beery Jr.	...	Slinky
Esther Dale	...	Matilda Collinge
Harry Langdon	...	Hap Holden
Alan Hale Jr.	...	Tiny
Kent Rogers	...	Henry
Allan Lane	...	Second Senior
Joe Brown Jr.	...	3rd Senior
Irving Mitchell	...	Doctor
Lillian Randolph	...	Deborah, the Washwoman
Carlyle Blackwell Jr.	...	4th Senior
Mickey Tanner	...	Tanner Sisters Trio Member (as The Tanner Sisters)
Betty Tanner	...	Tanner Sisters Trio Member (as The Tanner Sisters)

Runtime:

53 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 #7585)

Company:

Hal Roach Studios Inc.

Trivia:

Debut of Marie Windsor.

Soundtrack:

The Poor Farmers Daughter

Campus a row of tents

What? this film is 65 years old? It plays like a sequel to PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT or a prequel to SOME LIKE IT HOT. Apart from WONDERBAR I have never seen such a gay movie...in fact the ad line in 1941 (!) was "The year's gayest comedy" . It is gay in the way gay is a modern GAY expression. The head of the girls school, a single matronly sort, (keen to rub one girl's 'chest') takes a look at a pic of one girl posing with vegetables and exclaims "Look at those beautiful tomatoes!" and on it goes. There's a song on a train that the girls sing to each other: "I am up at the crack of Dawn (because I have been dreaming of you)".. Honestly! Rude risqué and believe it or not, a full scale drag queen comedy. Apparently there is a university called Quinceton (as in Princeton for Queens) which has a fraternity of good lookin' fellas who all do drag. See that opening scene: They're all in it! Tutus and all... They decide to send one guy to the girls school...in full drag.... The big finale has a song in it about how the Farmer's daughter is alone on the farm since the men have gone to war. The lyric repeated over and over is that "she's can't just rumba with an old cucumber"...... it's not just ME is it ?...hearing this and gasping in laughter and astonishment? Is it? Why are these lyrics in this film this way.. and all the drag antics.... this film is as modern today as any other drag film... and as rude. This gay coded one sidestepped the Hayes office in a dress... and an old cucumber. Hilarious! the DVD is excellent quality too. The music score is terrific: 2 Oscar noms. Because the DVD is spotless this film looks like a new production; and the modern risqué mindset makes it absolutely almost up to date. What also helps is the cast of 20 somethings ...especially the boys each of whom have modern haircuts. Noah Beery Jnr turns up late in the film styled exactly like someone you would see in a magazine today. Incredible;a 65 year old drag show! yeesh! Silent star Harry Langdon is a treat to see too.