Bubbly Dorothy McNulty and vibrant Bessie Love are the real reason to watch this film that was the stage origin for all those collegiate musicals. By the time MGM bought "Good News" to the screen it was not only compared badly to other college films around (the stage show had been the instigator) but people thought it was old hat!! What was worse was that originally it had been advertised as containing no fewer than 15 songs but as the studio became worried over the dive in popularity that musicals were taking, many of the already filmed production numbers were canned. The two that were retained were the show's highlights. Bubbly Dorothy McNulty from the Chicago production played flapper collegiate Flo who's "let's make Tate known for the Varsity Drag" - as desks are cleared away for dancing co-eds (Ann Dvorak among them) to take centre stage which includes frenetic Flo with tapping so energetic, shoes start to smoke!! and she is wheeled off at the end, exhausted through so much energy!! Even Harry Earle jumps out of a paper bin!
Forget the leading lady - Mary Lawlor was from the original Broadway cast but her role could have been played by any half decent ingénue - she plays Connie, a "four eyes" college swat ridiculed for her dowdy dress sense but within minutes of being assigned to help Tom (Stanley Smith) pass his astronomy (!!!) exam so he can play in the big game, is given a make over by Flo and Tom realises that she is the girl for him. Alas, he has already pledged his love to Pat (Lola Lane who is very cute) who is holding him to his promise of marriage - if he wins the big game!!! As Ukelele Ike sings "I'm Pessimistic".... about how this will all pan out!!
Far more interesting is zippy Bessie Love as Babe, the campus vamp - "I'm not hard to get but hard to get away from"!!! She sets her cap at Bobby Randall who for all his years at college has never been called to play and he is getting pretty fed up. Gus Shy was also from the original Broadway cast and probably the oldest looking college kid on film - he was in his mid thirties and didn't look a day over 40!! He reminded me of a youngish Harry Green. but he and Bessie were responsible for "Gee, But I'd Like to Make You Happy", first reprised in a risqué version then sung straight with a cute novelty dance. "Ladies Man" is featured as background music as Bobby sorts through photos of his "would be" romantic conquests and the lovely "The Best Things in Life Are Free" is thrown away as Smith sings one verse and then is cut off. The "Good News" number is filmed as it was on the stage with lots of zippy tapping college cuties led by Flo with front flips and splits then Al "Rubberlegs" Norman comes on for a "you'll have to see it to believe it" eccentric dance!! Lost is the Technicolor "Football" "jazz wedding" finale where all the muddled love affairs are sorted out. And Thomas Jackson who was so memorable as the detective in "Little Caesar" plays the football coach!!
Even though at just under 90 minutes it played a bit disjointedly, Variety said "it's too fast, too peppy and too entertaining to flop" and I reckon they were right!!!
Highly Recommended.
Forget the leading lady - Mary Lawlor was from the original Broadway cast but her role could have been played by any half decent ingénue - she plays Connie, a "four eyes" college swat ridiculed for her dowdy dress sense but within minutes of being assigned to help Tom (Stanley Smith) pass his astronomy (!!!) exam so he can play in the big game, is given a make over by Flo and Tom realises that she is the girl for him. Alas, he has already pledged his love to Pat (Lola Lane who is very cute) who is holding him to his promise of marriage - if he wins the big game!!! As Ukelele Ike sings "I'm Pessimistic".... about how this will all pan out!!
Far more interesting is zippy Bessie Love as Babe, the campus vamp - "I'm not hard to get but hard to get away from"!!! She sets her cap at Bobby Randall who for all his years at college has never been called to play and he is getting pretty fed up. Gus Shy was also from the original Broadway cast and probably the oldest looking college kid on film - he was in his mid thirties and didn't look a day over 40!! He reminded me of a youngish Harry Green. but he and Bessie were responsible for "Gee, But I'd Like to Make You Happy", first reprised in a risqué version then sung straight with a cute novelty dance. "Ladies Man" is featured as background music as Bobby sorts through photos of his "would be" romantic conquests and the lovely "The Best Things in Life Are Free" is thrown away as Smith sings one verse and then is cut off. The "Good News" number is filmed as it was on the stage with lots of zippy tapping college cuties led by Flo with front flips and splits then Al "Rubberlegs" Norman comes on for a "you'll have to see it to believe it" eccentric dance!! Lost is the Technicolor "Football" "jazz wedding" finale where all the muddled love affairs are sorted out. And Thomas Jackson who was so memorable as the detective in "Little Caesar" plays the football coach!!
Even though at just under 90 minutes it played a bit disjointedly, Variety said "it's too fast, too peppy and too entertaining to flop" and I reckon they were right!!!
Highly Recommended.