This is a very poor movie. In fact, it screams "super-low B-movie" from start to finish. Even though the film was made by a respectable studio, Warner Brothers, not a single person in the film is a star. The closest they have, ironically, are the Black actors used for comic relief. Eddie "Rochester" Anderson and Hattie McDaniel appear before they became famous and it's nice to see them. Other than that, the film is anchored by a very young William Hopper--who has the personality of toast. Tall, wimpy looking and lacking all ability to project--I am amazed they let him star in the film and perhaps having Hedda Hopper as his mother didn't hurt. Later--much later, he would achieve some notoriety as Perry Mason's investigator (though once again, he was a bit bland).
Now the blandness of Hopper was only a minor problem. The biggest problem is that if you've seen a few college football movies from the 1930s, you'll notice that almost the entire film is one cliché after another--like you are seeing a film you've already seen a bazillion times. For example:
--The star player says he won't play and all are a dither. But, when his best girl gives him the okay, he's ready for the big game.
--Thugs are sent out to make sure the same guy doesn't make it to the game--something I saw in many films including a parody of these films, the Marx Brothers' film HORSEFEATHERS as well as a Three Stooges and Wheeler and Woolsey film.
--The big star arrives just in the nick of time in the second half. And, he manages to himself kick the winning extra point as time ticks off the clock (such as in GRIDIRON FLASH and COLLEGE COACH).
There are certainly many more clichés, such as the dippy room mate who is always getting in trouble. Just suffice to say that there was nothing truly original about the film other than the brave notion to let a piece of toast play the masculine leading role. Frankly, this film was dull and predictable from start to finish and honestly looked like Warner didn't care in the least.
Now the blandness of Hopper was only a minor problem. The biggest problem is that if you've seen a few college football movies from the 1930s, you'll notice that almost the entire film is one cliché after another--like you are seeing a film you've already seen a bazillion times. For example:
--The star player says he won't play and all are a dither. But, when his best girl gives him the okay, he's ready for the big game.
--Thugs are sent out to make sure the same guy doesn't make it to the game--something I saw in many films including a parody of these films, the Marx Brothers' film HORSEFEATHERS as well as a Three Stooges and Wheeler and Woolsey film.
--The big star arrives just in the nick of time in the second half. And, he manages to himself kick the winning extra point as time ticks off the clock (such as in GRIDIRON FLASH and COLLEGE COACH).
There are certainly many more clichés, such as the dippy room mate who is always getting in trouble. Just suffice to say that there was nothing truly original about the film other than the brave notion to let a piece of toast play the masculine leading role. Frankly, this film was dull and predictable from start to finish and honestly looked like Warner didn't care in the least.