A College Racket: A bit of old-school slapstick trouble

If you like your movies short, snappy, and full of people running around in circles, you might actually enjoy A College Racket. It is not going to change your life, but it moves fast enough that you don't have time to get bored. If you prefer stories that actually make sense or have a point, skip it.

The whole thing revolves around The Pirate's Den, which is apparently the coolest place to hang out if you are a college student with nothing better to do. The Dean has banned it, which is the oldest trick in the book for making kids want to go there even more.

There is this moment where someone shows up in a Dean mask, and honestly, it looks like it was made out of a paper bag. It is so clearly a disguise that you have to wonder how anyone falls for it. But they do, because it is that kind of movie.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of A College Racket (1931) through its definitive frames.

Watching them wreck the club is kind of cathartic, even if it is clearly just a bunch of people throwing props around. It reminded me a little of the energy in The Knockout where things just escalate until someone gets hit in the face with something.

The plot about the I.O.U.s is pure nonsense. The idea that a club owner would just hand over debt papers because a guy in a rubber mask told him to is... well, it is ridiculous. But then the real Dean shows up, and the whole thing falls apart exactly how you knew it would.

There is a lot of frantic energy here. Sometimes the actors are just standing there, waiting for their cue, and you can see them checking the room. It feels less like a polished studio project and more like a skit they filmed on a Tuesday afternoon.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of A College Racket (1931) through its definitive frames.

I caught myself looking at the background extras more than the main cast. One guy in the corner is clearly trying not to laugh during the big reveal. That is the best part of the whole thing.

It is definitely not as sharp as Husbands and Wives, but that is hardly a fair comparison, is it? It is just a silly little thing.

• The mask is truly, deeply awful.
• The club owner has the most confused face I have seen all month.
• Nobody actually seems to be studying at this college.
• The pacing is frantic, like they were running out of film.

Don't look for deep themes or character arcs here. Just watch it if you want to see some old-fashioned, low-stakes mayhem for ten minutes. Then go do something else. 🍿