College Coach is a blunt reminder of what obsession looks like

Is it worth your time?

If you have a thing for black-and-white era cynicism and guys who yell at everyone for sport, College Coach is a pretty solid watch. It’s definitely not for folks who need a hero to root for, because there isn't one. If you prefer your sports movies to have a little less 'winning is everything' and a little more humanity, you’ll probably hate the main character as much as I did.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of College Coach (1933) through its definitive frames.

Phillip Reed—playing Gore—is just exhausting in the best way possible. He runs around Calvert College acting like he's holding the fate of the nation in his playbook. It’s hard not to wince when he talks to his wife. You can see the exact moment she realizes he doesn't care about anything except the scoreboard. 🏈

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of College Coach (1933) through its definitive frames.

There is this one scene where he’s pacing in his office, and the shadows on the wall make him look like some sort of giant, hungry insect. It was probably a total accident by the lighting crew, but it fits perfectly. He’s just a guy eating up his own life for a game.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of College Coach (1933) through its definitive frames.

Some random thoughts while watching:

• The dialogue is sharp, maybe too sharp. It hits like a slap sometimes.
• I kept thinking about Number 17 and how different these old studio films feel compared to the frantic stuff we get today.
• The football gear looks so uncomfortable. How did anyone run in those heavy sweaters?
• There’s a weird amount of yelling. Like, really loud, sustained yelling.

The pacing is honestly a bit jumpy. Sometimes it feels like they cut out a whole scene just because they ran out of film stock or got bored. One minute they’re at a high-stakes meeting, and the next, we’re watching someone walk down a hallway for way too long. It’s a little clunky, sure, but it feels like a real movie from that era, not a polished museum piece.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of College Coach (1933) through its definitive frames.

Pat O'Brien shows up and manages to be the only person who seems to have a pulse. Everyone else is so stiff they might break if they move too fast. College Coach isn't going to change your life, but it’s a sharp little look at a guy who has everything and realizes it's all empty.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of College Coach (1933) through its definitive frames.

I left the movie feeling kind of annoyed at the main character, which I guess is the point. If a movie makes you want to reach through the screen and tell the protagonist to get a hobby, it’s doing something right. It’s not perfect, but it’s real.