Old Man Rhythm (1935)

Old Man Rhythm is one of those silly college musicals that were so popular during the Thirties. The plots are almost the same in every one of them, but they were diverting. One of the main differences in this one was that it had no football game or hero in it. But like all the others it had very little learning as well. In fact I can't recall a scene with a classroom. The leads in Old Man Rhythm are an over the hill Buddy Rogers who was going on the downside of his film career. He's the son of wealthy toy manufacturer George Barbier and he's living it up real high on the hog in college. He's got two girl friends, good girl Barbara Kent and bad girl Grace Bradley. Grace is one of those who makes no bones about going to college to find a rich husband and she's got a prime prospect in Rogers.All this is real unsettling to Barbier who decides to abandon his business even though he's in a battle with a hostile takeover by Erik Rhodes. But he's going to go back to school in any event.The plot barely gets in the way of a whole lot of musical numbers which are serviceable for the plot, but nothing truly memorable comes from the score. The music is by Lewis Gensler and the lyrics are supplied by the great Johnny Mercer. This was one of the earliest film scores that Mercer did in his career and we do get the added treat of seeing him as a performer as well. Though he wrote some of the greatest songs of the last century, Mercer was a fine performer who for some reason rarely appeared on the big screen.Old Man Rhythm also has some of the best character actors from the studio era in the cast. Besides those I already mentioned you can also enjoy Donald Meek and Eric Blore. Betty Grable has a featured role in this film as well as one of the shapely coeds and in a bit part you can spot Lucille Ball if you scan carefully. Of course the film is utter nonsense, but it's delightful nonsense and easy to take.

Any RKO movie with ERIC BLORE and ERIC RHODES in the supporting cast can't be all bad. This is a strictly second-rate little college musical with a trivial plot and a bevy of harmless tunes typical of the swing mood that was on the horizon. Vivacious BETTY GRABLE has one of her early campus sweetheart roles (sings a little, dances a little), and if you look hard enough you can spot LUCILLE BALL among the extras, the girl who would go on to buy the studio one day.GEORGE BARBIER is the senior who wants to be a freshman (he wants to keep an eye on his son, BUDDY ROGERS) whom he thinks is failing subjects because his mind is on girls. Rogers is a blank in a colorless role. The female lead (unknown today) is pretty brunette BARBARA KENT. Silly nonsense with Barbier becoming a freshman subjected to student pranks with more attention on random song numbers than a plot.The songs are strictly a blend of the type popular at the time but have the benefit of lyrics by Johnny Mercer which helps a lot and its surprising to see that the B&W photography is by Nick Musuraca who did all those great film noirs later at RKO.Summing up: Harmless fun that passes the time quickly in 75 minutes.

This is a small and harmless RKO musical galvanized by some tuneful (though unmemorable) songs and rhythmic dances. It is mostly set on campus and captures the youthful zest of its largely unknown players, including Betty Grable, Lucille Ball, George Barbier, Charles Rogers, Barbara Kent, Johnny Mercer, Eric Blore, John Arledge and Sonny Lamont. For one thing, it is great to watch a very young Betty Grable with her exuberant dancing and carefree enthusiasm before stardom. This is one of her earliest movies I've seen along with 1938's "College Swing"(also a campus musical). George Barbier as the rich and overprotective father who enrolls in college to watch for his son's social life is cool especially in the "Old Man Rhythm" number. Sonny Lamont is amusing as the heavy-set college boy who does some back flips and acrobats. The song that opens the movie, set on the train where all the college students are singing and dancing is quite catchy. But my favorite numbers are "What Would You Suggest?" and "When You Are in My Arms".

The plot is silly and the songs are mostly unmemorable, but there are small pleasures to enjoy in this film. First, there's fifth-billed Betty Grable, who is featured in several songs. And she does a rapid-fire tap dance on her toes, ballet style, that seemed very difficult. I never thought her talent extended to the tips of her toes. Next, there's a character called "Blimp," played by heavy-set Sonny Lamont. He does acrobatic dancing usually reserved for people much lighter on their feet. I also enjoyed seeing the great lyricist, Johnny Mercer, in the first of his two acting roles. He seemed to have a natural acting talent that made me wonder why he didn't appear in more films. Finally, there was the challenge and pleasure in spotting Lucille Ball in an early uncredited nonspeaking part. She's there, but I had to re-run the tape and take my focus away from the action and look in the background.