The Male Animal (1942)

The trustees of Midwestern University have forced three teachers out of their jobs for being suspected communists. Trustee Ed Keller has also threatened mild mannered English Professor ... See full summary »

Director:

Elliott Nugent

Writers:

Julius J. Epstein (screenplay), Philip G. Epstein (screenplay),

Stars:

Henry Fonda, Olivia de Havilland, Joan Leslie

1 win.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Henry Fonda	...	Tommy Turner
Olivia de Havilland	...	Ellen Turner
Joan Leslie	...	Patricia Stanley
Jack Carson	...	Joe Ferguson
Eugene Pallette	...	Ed Keller
Herbert Anderson	...	Michael Barnes
Hattie McDaniel	...	Cleota
Ivan F. Simpson	...	Dean Frederick Damon (as Ivan Simpson)
Don DeFore	...	Wally Myers
Jean Ames	...	Hot Garters Gardner
Minna Phillips	...	Mrs. Blanche Damon
Regina Wallace	...	Mrs. Myrtle Keller
Frank Mayo	...	Coach Sprague
William B. Davidson	...	Alumnus
Bobby Barnes	...	Nutsy Miller

Storyline

The trustees of Midwestern University have forced three teachers out of their jobs for being suspected communists. Trustee Ed Keller has also threatened mild mannered English Professor Tommy Turner, because he plans to read a controversial piece of prose in class. Tommy is upset that his wife Ellen also suggested he not read the passage. Meanwhile, Ellen's old boyfriend, the football player Joe Ferguson, comes to visit for the homecoming weekend. He takes Ellen out dancing after the football rally, causing Tommy to worry that he will lose her to Joe.

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Plot Keywords:

football | teacher | breaking glass | literature | college football | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 April 1942 (USA)

Also Known As:

Assim é que Elas Gostam

Filming Locations:

Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Don Defore created the role of "Wally Myers" in the original Broadway cast. When this movie was remade as the musical, "She's Working Her Way Through College," Defore took the role based on "Joe Ferguson."

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Quotes

Ellen Turner: You'd better take a hot water bottle to bed with you.
Prof. Tommy Turner: Nice of you to arrange for a substitute.

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Connections

Featured in AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Henry Fonda (1978)

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Soundtracks

"The Old Grey Mare"
(uncredited)
Traditional
Played during the opening credits and later sung with modified lyrics as a football fight song

User Reviews

Football vs. academics...excellent performances by Fonda, de Havilland and Carson...

Debate over whether a professor should be allowed to read a controversial letter to his class forms the subject for this spirited football vs. academics comedy originally a stage play by Elliot Nugent and James Thurber. The screen version moves briskly but it's all played at a "full steam ahead" kind of tempo popular at Warner Bros. Henry Fonda is excellent as the mild-mannered professor resentful of his wife's ex-boyfriend (a football jock) and Olivia de Havilland is radiant as his supportive wife. Jack Carson is ideally cast as the ex-football player still in love with Fonda's wife and his bombastic approach to comedy serves him well in this role. Joan Leslie is a little too coy as de Havilland's sister (a role played on the stage by Gene Tierney). It passes the time but is little more than a mildly entertaining comedy with too many dull stretches to make it truly satisfying. Fonda and de Havilland later played husband and wife again on Broadway in 'A Gift of Time' (1962). Elliot Nugent's direction is brisk but it still seems rather stagebound. Nugent himself played the role of the professor on Broadway.