“College Coach” on TCM
On December 9, 2013 by Christina Rice With 6 Comments
- TV Screenings
Year of Ann Dvorak: Day 343
College Coach is going to be on Turner Classic Movies on Wednesday, December 11th at 5:30PST.
I usually post these film airings the day before, so please note that is is earlier than usual because tomorrow’s post is already spoken for.
Go here to see my previously posted thoughts on College Coach.Â
Despite the tepid reviews … I’m IN on finally seeing this.
7:30 am CST for moi.
Gracias for the heads up.
And at a *slightly* decent hour.
I liked this one a little more than you did. Director William Wellman appears to have handled the chicanery of the ‘business’ of college football in something of the same manner in which he handled the chicanery of the newspaper business in “Nothing Sacred” — as a ‘racket’. But things moved so quickly you got past a lot of the holes in the script.
Ann looks fabulous throughout. Wowsa! And she got to wear some nice outfits and interesting hats. Really liked her snappy wisecracks to Lyle Talbot aboard the train in the beginning. Her character kind of made me think of Dean Wormer’s wife in “National Lampoon’s Animal House”
Some other random thoughts on this one —
Had to chuckle at Pat O’Brien, as the head coach, appearing to not even know what plays were being run by his offense in the climactic ‘big game’ at the end …
Lyle Talbot was just such a lovable ass in this. His character’s name, ‘Buck Weaver’, was that of one of the infamous Chicago ‘Black Sox’ — the Chicago White Sox players who were named as being implicated as throwing the 1919 World Series to gamblers. Coincidence? …
Speaking of the repartee between Ann and Lyle, did she really making a reference to him about ‘scoring’? …
Notice they worked in a little number for Dick Powell to sing during the proceedings? …
Ann looks fabulous throughout …
Had to love the male students of ‘Calvert College’ seen wearing jackets and ties to class …
A Ward Bond sighting …
Berton Churchill, Donald Meek and the cameo of the young John Wayne gives “College Coach” a kind of a “Stagecoach” flavor …
Did I mention Ann looked fabulous throughout?
Finally, if you’ve followed the recent fortunes of my alma mater, the University of Kansas, in the sport of college football … we might be desperate enough to hire ‘Coach Gore’.
Yup, you did like this one more than me! Football is just not my thing, and its elevated importance on college campuses has always baffled me. I would much rather watch Horsefeathers. And yes, Ann does look fabulous.
Agree with your opinion on “College Coach”, Scott. A first viewing for me, too (I dvr’ed and watched late last nite); it has a surprisingly contemporary feel. Seems nothing much has changed in college football, except that the money’s bigger now.
So what did you think of Ann’s appearance in the movie, Scott? A wiggle of my little finger to ya for your fine little review.
Hey, Mike — in several of the scenes in “College Coach” they showed a group of sports reporters following Pat O’Brien or Lyle Talbot’s characters. His name isn’t listed in the IMDb as appearing in this, but one of them looked, to me, like a younger Walter Brennan. Which would have been at around the same time he was still doing unbilled extra parts.
Look at it again some time and tell me if you agree.
But we all agree with regard to Ann looking fabulous throughout.