Summary
The curtain rises not on a stage, but on the verdant grounds of a college, setting the scene for a farcical entanglement of forbidden love and spirited deception. At its core, the young, impetuous George Budd and the spirited Lou Ellen Carter yearn for marital bliss, a desire vehemently opposed by Lou's father, Judge Daniel Carter, the town's puritanical prohibitionist. His paternal veto stems from George's candid admission of occasional imbibing, a perceived moral failing in the judge's austere worldview. Defying patriarchal decree, the lovers clandestinely unite, their union necessitated by George's discovery of an impending financial severance from an eccentric maiden aunt, contingent upon his bachelorhood. Simultaneously, Judge Carter, embarking on a self-righteous crusade to unearth collegiate bacchanalia and illicit liaisons at the notorious College Inn, finds himself ensnared by the alluring actress Jackie Sampson. She, with artful manipulation, coaxes him into a compromising state of inebriation before deftly pilfering his meticulously crafted prohibition speech. The ensuing chase, a Keystone Kops-esque scramble led by the diligent Constable Simms, culminates in Jackie's desperate sanctuary within George's bungalow. The following dawn unveils a scene of domestic chaos: Lou and the judge stumble upon Jackie, their assumptions of infidelity swiftly condemning George, whose fervent explanations fall on deaf ears. The tide of misunderstanding begins to turn amidst the electric atmosphere of a pivotal football game, where Jackie, driven by a surprising sense of justice, meticulously elucidates George's innocence to a now-receptive Lou. The resolution of this comedic imbroglio arrives with a double-barreled blackmail: George's formidable aunt, comically deluded into believing she's enjoying a decorous tea, becomes gloriously intoxicated, inadvertently granting her matrimonial blessing. Concurrently, Judge Carter, his own hypocritical revelry exposed, succumbs to the threat of public humiliation, thus paving the way for the young lovers' open acceptance, their secret marriage finally brought into the light through a series of delightfully absurd compromises.
Synopsis
Albert Capellani is shown as an orchestra leader before an audience awaiting the curtain's rising on a musical comedy. After the curtain rises showing the grounds of a college, the story begins: undergraduates George Budd and Lou Ellen Carter want to marry, but Lou's father, Judge Daniel Carter, the town's prohibition leader, will not give his consent because George admits he occasionally drinks. They marry anyway, but because George discovers a telegram from his maiden aunt threatening to cut off his funds if he marries, they keep their marriage secret. Meanwhile, Judge Carter, investigating rumors that college boys drink and carry on with actresses at the College Inn, becomes fascinated with actress Jackie Sampson, who, after inducing him to drink, steals his prohibition speech. Chased by Constable Simms, Jackie hides in George's bungalow, where, the next morning, Lou and the judge find her and reject George's explanations. During an important football game, Jackie convinces Lou of George's innocence. George's aunt, who gets ridiculously drunk thinking she is having tea, gives her consent, as does the judge, when both are blackmailed with the threat of having their drinking escapades made public.
Review Excerpt
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A Spirited Romp Through Prohibition's Hypocrisy: Unpacking the Enduring Charm of 'Oh Boy!'
Stepping into the world of Oh Boy! is akin to opening a forgotten treasure chest from the annals of early cinema, a delightful journey back to a time when slapstick, mistaken identities, and a healthy dose of social satire reigned supreme. Directed by the prolific Albert Capellani and penned by the formidable duo of Guy Bolton and the inimitable P.G. Wodehouse, this 1918 ..."
