High Time (1960)

The problem with films where an older person decides to go back to college is that they obviously can't rely on academics that much and bring out the idea that college is for fun, dances, and other nonsensical things. "High Time" falls for this as well. As always, you never saw the academic year to go by so quickly.Bing Crosby first sings a little more than an hour, as he croons Love's Even Lovelier the 2nd Time Around. Nicole Maurey, who co-starred with Crosby in the wonderful "Little Boy Lost," is his romantic interest in this film. She's the French-literature teacher, who might have to leave when Crosby's jealous daughter tries to create the usual scandal.Needing a break from the intense "Diary of Anne Frank," Richard Beymer was probably happy to be in this film. Other than a little dancing, he contributes very little as is the case with co-stars Tuesday Weld and Fabian.Gavin MacLeod is the idiotic chemistry teacher. Isn't the case with most chemistry teachers?Crosby dresses up in drag and he looks like a civil war Agnes Morehead in the process. With confederate dressing and a band wearing wigs of George Washington's era, the whole thing is one silly mess.Crosby's valedictorian speech at the end is uplifting, but by then, you can't wait for this film to end.

Restaurateur Bing Crosby enrolls as a freshman in college. One-idea comic concept is as flimsy as it sounds, with Bing--living in the boys dormitory--ingratiating himself to the students by passing out the occasional cigar, acting younger than his age, participating in the pep rally bonfire, and by doing chin-ups in Phys Ed (which, the filmmakers tell us, is mandatory in college!). The real teenagers all act like they're still in grade school, and the university's faculty fare no better. Before you can even begin to wonder why director Blake Edwards was attracted to this material (except for, perhaps, the money) comes the proverbial comical dream sequence and, worse than that, a high society ball which requires Crosby to dress in drag. It's a drag, all right. * from ****

I caught this movie on the AMC morning movie yesterday. It was charming, bouncy and fun- everything a good, clean comedy should be. I enjoyed the music and the wholesome-ness of the show. Too bad we don't have movies like this made any more. The cast is full of fresh faced kids (Richard Beymer, Tuesday Weld, Fabian) who later went on to bigger projects. The storyline is upbeat and it is a pleasure to watch the time progress in the movie by using holidays and activities as a dateline. Ben Crosby is generally not a favorite of mine, but I actually enjoyed him in this role. High Times made me yearn for the days of simpler times (bonfires, hay rides, cotillions). The remake (Back to School) is just not the same. High Time is a thoroughly enjoyable movie to watch!

This movie does two things to you after you have seen it. It make you feel good and makes you want to go college. Besides being a feel good movie, it also teaches us a lesson that it is never too late to go forward in life no matter what age you are as Bing Brosy did so well in this movie. A good cast and script, some good music and you have a winner of a movie. No violence and it does very well for itself. I wish they would make more movies like this now