Cast: Phillip Hubbard, Margaret McWade, Claire Windsor, Louis Calhern, Marie Walcamp
Sounds like a science fiction film, doesn't it? Well, actually, this film is a drama.
PLOT: The film begins as kind of a silent version of ANIMAL HOUSE, with a bunch of college students goofing off in front of their professor in a church-like lecture hall. The story, however, focuses on three of these students, Phil West (Louis Calhern), Bert Gareth and Walt Lucas. Parallels are drawn between a college student of 1921 and a college student of today: they hate class.
Phil is in love with his professor's daughter, Amelia Griggs (Claire Windsor). Only one problem: her father (Phillip Hubbard) and her mother (Margaret McWade) are dirt poor and to rub it in, they live next door to a rich shoemaker. They can't even make good enough food ("weak tea with a poor cream substitute and a piece of toast with butter on the side"). Meanwhile, in the life of Animal House, Juanita Claredon (Marie Walcamp) asserts that she has top claim to Phil. She even stalks him, following him to the library, where she thinks he's picking up books, but really he's trying to pick up Amelia. He offers to take her home and she agrees. However, another man is vying for Amelia's affection: Peter Olsen, the shoemaker's son.
Phil meets Reverend Gates and spends some time with him at his home and they become fast friends. That night, Mr. Olsen spends his time being a grumpy old man is usual while the kids have a party across the street. When the party moves to his place, he says "screw this" and leaves. Meanwhile, Peter has no one to party with. Hans, his father, sees Mrs. Griggs opening his trash can to feed her cat and feels sorry for her and decides to help her.
Amelia falls ill and Phil decides to be a nice guy and bring her flowers. The Reverend comes to do the same and the tension and rivalry increases. Meanwhile, Mrs. Olsen is being a bitch and rubbing it in to Mrs. Griggs that her family is well-fed and the latter's isn't. Mrs. Griggs decides to go into debt and ask for credit. However, she has a hard time buying chicken at the store because they don't take credit. So what doe she do? Well, like any good poor person, she steals the Olsen's chicken before giving it back, but not before she is discovered.
Amelia feels well enough to go back to work at the library and Phil is there to see her home. He visits his father and demands that Dr. Griggs be paid more. The film ends rather strangely: at a gathering of the night class at the Griggs' home, Reverend Gates sees Phil with Amelia and decides to give her up to him. The film ends with him walking away from the Griggs' home, depressed.
REVIEW: Despite the ending, I wouldn't call this film "strange" at all. It in fact is quite useful; if you're looking to throw a 20s-themed party or are looking for 20s-themed clothes for whatever reason, this film has some GREAT examples of the flapper lifestyle, and also the fashions that were popular for men at the time. I liked the clash between upper-middle and lower class. After a while, though, it got boring, so 4 out of 5 stars.
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