RyothChatty ridiculous rating

InformationRap This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

Verity Robins Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.

Marva-nova Amazing worth wacthing. So good. Biased but well made with many good points.

JohnHowardReid NOTES: Dedicated to Virginia Military Institute, "The West Point of the South", the stage play by two former cadets opened on Broadway at the Biltmore on 16 December 1936, running a most successful 575 performances. It starred Eddie Albert, Jose Ferrer and Frank Albertson. The producer-director was George Abbott. Although it failed to achieve the topmost ranks at the domestic box-office, the movie was certainly as popular, inspiring both a sequel Brother Rat and a Baby and a re-make About Face.COMMENT: Well, here we are in back in the barracks at yet another Military Academy. This one is called the West Point of the South and there are the usual scriptural tributes to the Dedication and Courage of its graduates.The undergrads lead much the same sort of life as in countless other Hollywood films and the way the film starts off we seem to be in for a very boring session indeed. However, the film suddenly starts to improve, doubtless due to the fact that the screenwriters give up trying to open out the original text and let the stage play speak for itself. We actually begin to take a shine to the film's three main characters - Reagan, Morris and Albert - something we didn't think could happen from the film's first 15 minutes. Admittedly, we don't get nearly so interested in the three girls. Priscilla Lane tries too hard to win our interest, Jane Bryan is a dull mouse and Jane Wyman is as unattractive as the script forces her to appear. She doesn't get any better later on either. But the supporting characters are great, especially William Tracy's delightfully enacted Bottom and the delicious interpretation of his room-hopping, impoverished companion, and also the taken-in Officer of the Day, plus Henry O'Neil with his delightful retort, "Highly unorthodox," which gives the film its amusing conclusion. Keighley's direction is skillful, except in his attempts to integrate studio material with location-shot footage. Not a single one of the players went on location, so long shots are clumsily cut into the studio footage, or even worse, glaringly obvious process screens are used.

dougdoepke Military schools are not exactly known for madcap antics. Here there's a great deal of fun and delight in breaking the many rules in whirlwind fashion. I suspect those shenanigans came across much funnier in 1938 than they do now. The comedy antics revolve around Wayne Morris's cadet Randolph. The trouble is that Morris and/or director Keighley seem to think that there's something automatically funny about being loud and obnoxious, such that one particularly lengthy scene is almost exhausting in pretended hilarity. William Tracy's sadsack new cadet is funnier, but then Tracy is a comedian by nature.Unfortunately, this is not a movie that takes advantage of Ronald Reagan's natural charm and easy smile. His cadet Crawford is something of a sober-sides and is clearly a secondary role to Morris. Actually, it's Jane Wyman who I think comes across best. Her Claire Adams may be a plain-jane bookworm, but when she takes off her glasses the screen really does light up— no wonder Reagan married her. On the other hand, Eddie Albert is really good at looking confused or perplexed. The trouble is that his dour cadet appears to be in a more serious movie than the one here. I expect one reason the film has lost impact is a shift in public mores over a 70-year period. I doubt that audiences find the various boy-girl situations as scandalously funny now as they did then. Anyway, regardless of comedic skills, the real-life Wayne Morris was a distinguished military man and authentic war hero, making his role here rather ironical. Too bad that today he's almost totally forgotten.

MartinHafer While this is far from a must-see film, it is a lot of fun. This is due to the intense energy in the movie and the cute chemistry between the cadets. Wayne Morris, Eddie Albert, Ronald Reagan, Priscilla Lane, Jane Wyman and the rest really try hard! While it is entertaining, I also must admit that this is a pretty insignificant film--fun to watch but not one to change your life. It's sort of like a really really good B-movie with a lot of up and coming actors. Plus, if you think about it, considering how young and inexperience these mostly future stars were, this is sort of like a YOUNG GUNS movie of the late 1930s. A cute time-passer.UPDATE--I saw this film again recently and have a rather different reaction. Instead of enjoying it, I now saw the film as more ponderous and limp. In particular, Wayne Morris' character was so obnoxious and totally unlikable I wonder why I didn't hate the film the first time I saw it. Perhaps I am more of a grouch these days, but I really hated him and think his character was not a 'lovable rogue' but an irresponsible idiot!! And why would Reagan and Albert listen to such a sociopath?! And, more importantly, why would VMI allow such a jerk to graduate from the school? Heck, I'm a little surprised that VMI didn't sue because of this film!

gnrz The misadventures of three VMI roommates during the latter part of their final year in school forms the backdrop for a round of typical 1930's type problems, most caused by the devil-may-care attitude of the cadet played by Wayne Morris. The other two roomies are played by Ronald Reagan, who tries very hard to be the voice of reason and Eddie Albert, having problems throughout the entire film. It's kind of fun watching these three get in and out of jams with their superiors. But, one word of caution: If whining annoys you (as it does me)you may have a little problem with Eddie Albert because, except for the very first scenes, his dialog for the remainder of the movie consists of whining that would do a 5 or 6 year old child proud. However, overall, if you want a few laughs and like happy endings, this film is for you....