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6/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. College Rhythm remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you have a high tolerance for 1930s musical comedy shenanigans, you might find something to love here. But if you hate radio-era humor or characters who break into song for no reason, stay far, far away.
It is not a masterpiece, but it is definitely a trip.
The whole premise of a piccolo player fighting a football hero is inherently silly. Then they move into the department store business. Who writes this stuff? It feels like three different movies duct-taped together.
I found myself staring at the screen wondering if I missed a scene. One minute they are on the gridiron, the next they are selling bedsheets.
Joe Penner is in this, saying his famous "Wanna buy a duck" bit. It lands about as well as you’d expect—which is to say, not at all. It is loud and kind of desperate.
There is this one scene with the piccolo that just goes on forever. The actor is really working it, but you can feel the air leaving the room.
It is definitely one of those movies that gets better once you stop trying to follow the plot. Just lean back and let the black-and-white chaos wash over you.
Franklin Pangborn shows up, and he is always a treat, even when he’s stuck in a movie that clearly doesn't know how to use him. He just looks perpetually annoyed, which is how I felt by the second hour.
It’s not as polished as The Return of Peter Grimm, but it has a messy energy that's hard to hate completely. Kind of like a roommate who leaves their laundry everywhere but makes great coffee.
Honestly? Just watch it for the weird historical weirdness. Don't go in expecting Citizen Kane. You'll thank me later. 🦆