Local Boy Makes Good (1931)

First, I have to disagree strongly with one of our reviewers who claimed that Joe E. Brown was "a minor film comic". Really? In 1933 and 1936, he was one of the top ten money makers in American cinema.It's a tricky business introducing pathos into a film comedy. How much is too much? In this film the pathos outbalances the comedy...but it works. True, this is not one of Brown's funniest films, but it may be his most endearing portrayal -- a college botanist who is remarkably timid, especially around girls. Ironically, Brown was 42 when he played a college student here, but his real natural athletic ability made him seem far younger.Most viewers probably won't recognize any of the other actors in the film, but they all do what they need to do to make this film so much more substantial than Brown's films even one year previous.The film is humorous rather than out-and-out funny, but Brown's acting is probably better here.I enjoyed it a lot!

Although Joe E. Brown was pretty popular in the 1930s, I have never been a huge fan as too often his character has been pretty hard to like. Too often he played cocky characters--ones you really DIDN'T want to see have a happy ending. Films like "Alibi Ike" and "Elmer the Great" present Joe as a blow-hard--which is interesting, as these are two of his more popular bigger movies. Now this does not mean he always played this sort of guy--but it was very, very common. Here in "Local Boy Makes Good", fortunately, he's very likable--the sort of guy you pull for and want to succeed.Brown plays a nerd. He's very bookish, loves botany and wears thick geeky glasses. Other college students make fun of him and girls pretty much ignore him. However, his quite world is thrown for a loop when two girls come into his life. His pen pal (Dorothy Lee), decides to come watch him at the next track meet. The problem, however, is that he's NOT an athlete and he lied to her about this to impress her. His new co-worker (Ruth Hall) obviously likes Joe but he doesn't notice. She likes him enough to try to help him and suggests he goes out for the track team. He's in big trouble because an errant javelin he threw nearly gores the star of the team. And when the star of the team chases him, he runs so fast that the coach is convinced Joe will be their next star. But, when the coach and players look for him, Joe hides--he thinks he's in trouble and they want to beat him up! Eventually, they find him and convince him they DON'T want to hurt him and offer to put him on the team. And, in the mean time, Lee arrives and helps them convince Joe to join. It seems that she's quick to forgive him for lying and is still quite impresses...even though he's a mild-mannered geek. Can Joe make good on the team? And, which girl will get Joe--the popular pen pal or the sweet co-worker? Overall, this is a very enjoyable film. While it's not among the funnier films of the era, it is a nice film--with very likable characters. My only complaint is the scene following Hall kissing him--it did seem WAY overdone. Still, it's a nice little film from start to finish.By the way, Dorothy Lee is a familiar face if you have watched some Wheeler & Woolsey films. This high-pitched lady appeared in nearly all of the team's films as Wheeler's love interest--and they sang a lot of duets together. She was quite cute, though apparently rather humble--as she once said she had no idea what people saw in her in these films! FYI--I just checked her biography and was surprised to see that she was married six times...yikes.Also, while you might look at Brown and wonder why they cast him in the film in a role playing a star athlete, he actually was amazingly talented when it came to sports.By the way, they were able to sneak one past the censors on this one. Again and again, Joe referred to a plant he was working on--the 'Zinnia Coptafeel'. I wonder how many people understood what he was saying here?!

Despite the other reviewer's opinion, as far as pathos goes, this is easily one of Joe E. Brown's best films, and easily outshines "The Freshman" (which, imho, was one of Lloyd's poorest films).We've all been in situations where we're afraid of something/someone, and have to meet it, face it, if we are to move ahead in Life. Brown is the Every Man in this film, and we can all identify with him. (Much moreso than Lloyd).Dorothy Lee & Ruth Brown are (as they would say in the 30's)"easy on the eyes", as well (!) and it's interesting to hear Lee talk about "sex", "libido", etc back then.

Joe E. Brown was the biggest comic of the late twenties/thirties with Harold Lloyd on the wane and Chaplin in semi-retirement. This is far from one of his best, though it has a Lloyd's "Freshman" feel to it. It has a shy boy/geek tells girl back home, he's a jock. Girl is coming over and he has to prove he's a jock. I remember a few laughs, cheap laughs that is, of the Adam Sandler variety. The trademark yodel/yelp of the star which he did in all his movies is fun when it's done. It has the lack of movement of early talkies and surprisingly, very perfunctory direction by Mervyn Leroy. All in all, 6/10. But I think kids will love it.