So This Is College
Plot
College roommates Eddie (Elliott Nugent) and Biff (Robert Montgomery) are star football players and best friends at their university until they both fall for the same beautiful coed, Babs (Sally Starr). Their friendship becomes strained as they compete for her affection, leading to various comedic and dramatic situations on and off the football field. The film follows their rivalry through college life, including parties, classes, and football games, with musical numbers interspersed throughout. Eventually, the friends must reconcile their differences when their football team faces a crucial championship game that requires their cooperation. The film culminates in a resolution where friendship triumphs over romantic rivalry, and the characters learn valuable lessons about loyalty and maturity.
About the Production
This was one of MGM's early experiments with full-synchronized sound musical comedy. The film was produced during the critical transition period from silent to sound cinema, when studios were rapidly adapting to new technology. The production incorporated both dialogue and musical numbers, requiring complex sound recording equipment that was still in its infancy. The football sequences were particularly challenging to film with sound equipment, as the microphones had to be carefully placed to capture both action and dialogue.
Historical Background
1929 was a pivotal year in American cinema and history. The film was released just months before the stock market crash of October 1929, which would usher in the Great Depression and dramatically change the film industry. The transition to sound was revolutionizing Hollywood, with studios scrambling to convert their productions and theaters to accommodate the new technology. College films were extremely popular during this period, reflecting America's fascination with higher education and the carefree lifestyle of youth before the harsh realities of the Depression set in. The film captures the optimistic spirit of the Roaring Twenties, with its emphasis on college life, sports, and romantic comedy, representing a final burst of pre-Depression exuberance. The movie also reflects the changing social dynamics of the era, with college becoming increasingly accessible and representing upward mobility for many Americans.
Why This Film Matters
So This Is College holds significance as an early example of the college musical genre that would flourish throughout the 1930s. The film helped establish many of the tropes that would become standard in college films: the rivalry between friends over a girl, the importance of the big game, and the musical numbers that express student life. It represents an important transitional work in cinema history, demonstrating how studios were adapting to sound technology while still incorporating visual storytelling techniques from the silent era. The film also reflects the cultural importance of college football in American society during the 1920s, when the sport was rapidly growing in popularity. As one of Robert Montgomery's early starring roles, it marks the beginning of a career that would make him one of the most popular leading men of the 1930s and 1940s.
Making Of
The production of 'So This Is College' occurred during one of the most tumultuous periods in Hollywood history - the transition from silent films to talkies. MGM invested heavily in sound technology, and this film was one of their early showcases for the new medium. The cast had to adapt to the challenges of early sound recording, including staying close to hidden microphones and speaking clearly without the exaggerated gestures common in silent films. The musical numbers presented particular technical difficulties, as the orchestra had to be recorded simultaneously with the performers, a process that required precise timing and coordination. Director Sam Wood, who had begun his career in silent films, had to quickly learn the new techniques required for sound production. The football sequences were especially complex to stage, as the early sound equipment was bulky and immobile, limiting camera movement. The film's success helped demonstrate that musical comedies could be profitable in the new sound era, encouraging MGM to produce more films in this genre.
Visual Style
The cinematography by Leonard Smith reflects the transitional nature of early sound films. The camera work is more static than in late silent films, as the early sound recording equipment limited camera movement. However, Smith manages to create visual interest through careful composition and lighting, particularly in the musical numbers and football sequences. The film uses a combination of long shots and medium shots to establish the college setting and capture the action on the football field. The lighting techniques show the influence of silent film aesthetics, with dramatic use of shadows and highlights in interior scenes. The cinematography successfully balances the technical constraints of early sound recording with the visual storytelling needs of the narrative, creating a look that is both functional and artistically pleasing for its time.
Innovations
The film represents an important technical achievement in early sound cinema. It was one of the first productions to successfully integrate dialogue, music, and sound effects in a feature-length narrative. The Western Electric sound-on-film system used by MGM for this production was state-of-the-art for its time, allowing for better synchronization between picture and sound than earlier sound-on-disc systems. The musical numbers presented particular technical challenges, requiring the careful placement of microphones to capture both vocals and instruments while minimizing background noise. The football sequences demonstrated innovative solutions for recording outdoor action with sound equipment, which was typically designed for studio use. The film also experimented with early techniques for post-production sound mixing, combining live recordings with pre-recorded musical elements. These technical innovations helped establish standards that would influence sound recording in cinema for years to come.
Music
The film features several musical numbers composed by various songwriters of the era, performed primarily by Cliff Edwards. The soundtrack includes both original songs written for the film and popular contemporary tunes. Edwards performs with his signature ukulele accompaniment, showcasing the musical style that made him famous. The musical numbers are integrated into the narrative as performances at college events or spontaneous expressions of character emotions. The score also includes background music that enhances the dramatic and comedic moments of the film. As an early sound production, the film uses music extensively to demonstrate the capabilities of the new sound technology, with the recording quality reflecting the technical limitations of the period but still managing to capture the energy and enthusiasm of the performances.
Did You Know?
- This was Robert Montgomery's second film appearance and one of his earliest leading roles, helping launch his successful career as a romantic leading man.
- Cliff Edwards, known as 'Ukulele Ike,' performs several musical numbers and would later gain lasting fame as the voice of Jiminy Cricket in Disney's 'Pinocchio' (1940).
- The film was released during the height of the college film craze of the late 1920s, capitalizing on the public's fascination with campus life.
- Director Sam Wood would go on to direct many Hollywood classics including 'A Night at the Opera' (1935) and 'For Whom the Bell Tolls' (1943).
- The football sequences were filmed using actual college football players as extras to ensure authenticity.
- This was one of the first films to use the new Western Electric sound recording system that MGM had recently adopted.
- The film's success helped establish the college musical as a viable genre during the early sound era.
- Elliott Nugent, who plays Eddie, was also a successful playwright and would later become a film director himself.
- The movie was originally conceived as a silent film but was quickly adapted to include sound when MGM decided to embrace the new technology.
- The campus scenes were shot on MGM's backlot, where an elaborate college set was constructed specifically for this film and several other college-themed productions.
What Critics Said
Contemporary critics generally praised the film as an entertaining example of the new sound musical comedy genre. The New York Times noted its lively musical numbers and the chemistry between the leads, particularly highlighting Robert Montgomery's screen presence. Variety magazine called it 'a pleasant college romp with some good musical interludes.' Modern critics view the film primarily as a historical artifact, valuable for its place in the transition to sound and as an early example of the college film genre. While some of the humor and situations may seem dated to contemporary audiences, film historians appreciate the film's technical achievements in early sound recording and its role in establishing conventions that would influence countless later college films. The performances, particularly by Montgomery and Edwards, are often cited as examples of early sound acting that successfully bridged the gap between silent and talking film techniques.
What Audiences Thought
The film was generally well-received by audiences in 1929, who were still excited by the novelty of sound films and musicals. College students and young adults particularly enjoyed the film's depiction of campus life, which resonated with their own experiences or aspirations. The musical numbers performed by Cliff Edwards were especially popular, as his ukulele playing and distinctive voice were already familiar to audiences from his radio appearances and recordings. The football sequences appealed to sports fans, while the romantic comedy elements attracted the typical moviegoing audience. The film's success at the box office encouraged MGM to produce more college-themed musicals throughout the early 1930s. While the film may not have achieved blockbuster status, it performed solidly enough to be considered a successful production for MGM during this experimental period of sound cinema.
Film Connections
Influenced By
- College films of the silent era
- Broadway musical comedies
- Popular college songs of the 1920s
This Film Influenced
- The Freshman
- 1930
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- Horse Feathers
- 1932
- ,
- College Swing
- 1938
- ,
- Best Years of Our Lives
- 1946
- ],
- similarFilms
- The Varsity Show,1937,,,Pigskin Parade,1936,,,Good News,1947,,,The Big Man on Campus,1958,],,famousQuotes,College isn't just about books, it's about learning how to live!,A good friend is worth more than any girl, even if she is the prettiest on campus.,In football and in life, you've got to know when to pass and when to hold on to the ball.,memorableScenes,The opening musical number where Cliff Edwards performs with his ukulele at a college party, establishing the film's musical comedy tone and showcasing his signature performance style.,The climactic football game sequence where Eddie and Biff must overcome their rivalry to work together for the team's victory, combining athletic action with dramatic tension.,The romantic confrontation scene in the campus garden where both friends declare their feelings for Babs, leading to their temporary falling out.,preservationStatus,The film is preserved in the MGM/ Warner Bros. archive. While not considered a lost film, complete high-quality copies are rare. The film has survived in various formats including 35mm prints and has been digitized for preservation purposes. Some sequences may show signs of deterioration typical of films from this era, particularly in the sound elements. The film is occasionally screened at classic film festivals and archives but is not widely available on home media.,whereToWatch,The film is occasionally broadcast on Turner Classic Movies (TCM),Available for viewing at the Library of Congress and major film archives,Some public domain versions may be found on internet archive sites,Rare 16mm and 35mm prints exist in private collections and film archives