Monday September 19, 2005 7:00pm The Seattle Paramount Theater
"Young man, it's time you graduated. You've been here seven years."
Ronald (Keaton) delivers his High School valedictory speech on the "Curse of Athletics" in "College" and his girl (Anne Cornwall) wants nothing more to do with him. "When you change your mind about athletics, then I'll change my mind about you." Off he goes to Clayton College (USC) with a suitcase full of sporting goods and a picture of his sweetie only to fail miserably at every sport and every job he tries. His less than successful attempt as a soda jerk is particularly funny. Buster answers an ad for a "colored waiter" in blackface, an unfortunate and regrettable sign of the times. When the Dean, played by Keaton regular Snitz Edwards, forces the crew to use Buster as coxswain or "coaxer" in competition, he sinks the first boat and ends up steering with the rudder tied to his backside. Buster's crew wins and his rival kidnaps the girl out of jealousy. In his race to rescue her Keaton ironically displays the athletic skills of a champion! Most notable is the use of Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, built just five years earlier, for the hysterical track sequence and the extremely rare use of a stunt double in a pole vaulting shot made with 1932 Olympic gold medallist Lee Barnes. The name of the ill-fated first boat in the crew sequence is an amusing inside joke.
"Young man, it's time you graduated. You've been here seven years."
Ronald (Keaton) delivers his High School valedictory speech on the "Curse of Athletics" in "College" and his girl (Anne Cornwall) wants nothing more to do with him. "When you change your mind about athletics, then I'll change my mind about you." Off he goes to Clayton College (USC) with a suitcase full of sporting goods and a picture of his sweetie only to fail miserably at every sport and every job he tries. His less than successful attempt as a soda jerk is particularly funny. Buster answers an ad for a "colored waiter" in blackface, an unfortunate and regrettable sign of the times. When the Dean, played by Keaton regular Snitz Edwards, forces the crew to use Buster as coxswain or "coaxer" in competition, he sinks the first boat and ends up steering with the rudder tied to his backside. Buster's crew wins and his rival kidnaps the girl out of jealousy. In his race to rescue her Keaton ironically displays the athletic skills of a champion! Most notable is the use of Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, built just five years earlier, for the hysterical track sequence and the extremely rare use of a stunt double in a pole vaulting shot made with 1932 Olympic gold medallist Lee Barnes. The name of the ill-fated first boat in the crew sequence is an amusing inside joke.