Back to School Again - Good News (1947)

MGM, 1947
Starring June Allyson, Peter Lawford, Joan McCracken, and Patricia Marshall
Directed by Charles Walters
Music and lyrics by various

We celebrate the start of the school year in my part of the US with two vintage musicals about college in simpler times. This was a huge hit on Broadway in 1927, and for many years was considered to be the musical about college. MGM had already adapted it in 1930, but there had already been a run of imitation school-themed musicals and it only did fair at the box office. They tried again in color seventeen years later, with a slightly updated story and a cast of up-and-comers, including newly varnished director Walters. Is it "good news," or does it fumble the football? Let's head to a rally at Tait College and find out...

The Story: Tommy Marlowe (Lawford) is the golden boy of Tait, it's most beloved football star and popular student. He considers himself to be a major ladies man, until pretty and snooty co-ed Pat McClellen (Marshall) turns him down. She's only interested in men with money. Poor scholarship student Connie Lane (Allyson) is pretty much the only girl who isn't swayed by Marlowe's charm. She's top at languages, and it's to her that Tommy turns when Pat kisses him off with a French insult. She gives him an impromptu French lesson, after which, he joins a French class and she's smitten. Unfortunately, Connie's best friend Babe Doolittle (McCracken) tells Pat that Tommy's rich...and now, Pat's after him. Tommy breaks a date with Connie and lets his grades slide to be with her. His French grades are so bad, Connie has to tutor him in order for him to be in the big game. She thinks he wants Pat, but he's having second thoughts.

Meanwhile, Tommy's football buddy, perennial bench-warmer Bobby Turner (Ray McDonald), is trying to avoid Babe, but Babe has a crush on him and keeps trying to get his attention. He's avoiding her because she already has a guy, the possessive football player Beef (Loren Tindall). It's Connie who finally comes up with a brilliant plan that gives everyone what they want.

The Song and Dance: High-energy chorus routines and some terrific choreography gives this one a lot of vitality. Everyone's having a great time with the vivacious numbers, including sassy Allyson, suave Lawford, goofy McDonald, and especially McCracken. It's a shame she didn't do more movies. She'a a ball to watch as Babe, especially when she's trying her hardest to pursue the man of her dreams. She also gets one of the funniest bits in the movie when she's hiding in Bobby's car to get a chance to talk to him, and half the football team ends up sitting on her when they're driving to the local soda shoppe. Her reaction after they arrive is priceless. I also love that it's Connie who settles everything, and shows just how important using your head to solve a problem can be.

Favorite Number: As mentioned, it's the chorus numbers where this really shines. McCracken and McDonald leads everyone through a whirling "Pass That Peace Pipe" at the soda shoppe, while Allyson teaches Lawford and the students how to do "The Varsity Drag" in the finale. A young Mel Torme joins Lawford to encourage McDonald to "Be a Ladies' Man," has a nice segment in the ensemble number "Lucky In Love," and get to run through "The Best Things In Life are Free" in the end.

Roger Edens, Betty Comden, and Adolph Green wrote three songs directly for the film; "Pass That Peace Pipe" and "The French Lesson" made it in. "French Lesson" is just that, as Allyson gives willing pupil Lawford a fast lesson in the basics of French. He takes to it faster than expected in a funny and tongue-twisting number.

Trivia: Good News originally debuted on Broadway in 1927. It was one of the major hits of the late 20's, bringing all the rah-rah enthusiasm of the era to the Big White Way. A revival in 1974 starring Stubby Kaye and Alice Faye didn't do anything resembling as well.

The 1930 Good News does exist, but its color finale is lost. It's only available in part on the DVD for the remake. Also on that DVD is the remaining new song from Edens, Comden, and Green, "An Easier Way," that was dropped from the movie.

That was actually Lawford teaching Allyson French in their song! In real life, he was a cultured Brit who spoke French fluently and taught it to her for the film.

"Pass That Peace Pipe" was nominated for an Oscar.

What I Don't Like: Obviously, the story is not the strongest in the world. This is just a fluffy bit of nostalgic fun. None of the film versions (or later stage rewrites) use the entire original score, and it might have been nice to hear. While the costumes and settings do look vaguely collegiate, they don't really look 20's. The boys are all right, but other than some low-slung dresses during the party scenes, the girls' outfits, hair, and makeup are pure 1947. And speaking of the costumes, if Connie is supposed to be poor, how can she afford the three fancy dresses she wears in the formal sequences? Borrowed them from her fellow co-eds?

While most of the song is performed to an instrumental break and nonsense words, some of the lyrics and choreography in the early goings of "Pass That Peace Pipe" may be considered more than a little bit in Native American stereotype territory nowadays.

The Big Finale: Colorful and energetic, this is a fun romp for lovers of dance, the cast, or MGM musicals.

Home Media: Currently on DVD via the Warner Archives and on several streaming companies.

DVD
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