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6.1/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.1/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Local Boy Makes Good remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Honestly, yeah. If you like those old comedies where the plot is thinner than a piece of paper but the physical stunts are actually impressive.
You’ll like this if you enjoy slapstick or if you’ve ever felt like a total nerd trying to impress someone way out of your league. 🏃♂️
You’ll probably hate it if you can't stand Joe E. Brown’s specific brand of loud, wide-mouthed yelling. It’s an acquired taste, I guess.
I watched this on a Tuesday night when I didn't want to think too hard, and it worked just fine for that. It’s not trying to change the world.
John is this really quiet guy who works at a University bookstore. He’s obsessed with plants and botany.
He’s also deeply in love with Julia, played by Dorothy Lee. She’s got that classic 1930s spunky energy that feels a bit dated but still cute.
The whole movie kicks off because of a letter. John writes this long, bragging letter he never meant to mail.
Of course, it gets mailed anyway. Because if it didn't, we wouldn't have a movie, right?
Suddenly, Julia thinks he’s this massive track star and a total frat bro. The irony is that John looks like he’d trip over his own shadow.
Joe E. Brown is the main reason to watch this. His face is like it’s made of rubber.
There’s this one scene in the bookstore where he’s trying to be helpful but he’s just a mess of nerves. I liked the clutter of that set.
It felt like a real bookstore, not just a bunch of empty props. You can almost smell the old paper dust through the screen.
Then there is Spike. Spike is the actual track star and he is Julia’s boyfriend. He’s a total jerk.
He has this way of looming over John that makes you really want to see the little guy win. Even if the little guy is a liar.
The movie gets weirdly into psychology halfway through. Julia tries to use it on John to make him brave.
There’s a wrestling scene that feels like it goes on forever. It’s funny at first, then it gets weird, then it gets funny again.
I noticed that the lighting in the gym scenes is kind of flat. It looks like they just turned on every light in the building and hoped for the best.
But the energy is high. People are constantly running in and out of frame like they're in a hurry to get to the next scene.
If you've seen Gridiron Glory, you know how these early sports comedies usually go. They love a big climactic game or race.
The track meet at the end is actually pretty exciting. They used real cameras on the field, and it feels fast.
John is terrified. You can see it in his eyes. He does this thing with his hands when he’s nervous that felt very real to me.
I think I saw a guy in the crowd wearing a hat that looked way too modern for 1931. Maybe I imagined it. 🎩
There’s a lot of screaming. Joe E. Brown has a legendary scream. It’s loud and it stays on one note for a long time.
It’s impressive, honestly. I wonder how many takes they had to do before his throat gave out.
The supporting cast is okay. Edward Woods is fine as Spike, but he doesn't have much to do besides look mean.
I wish Dorothy Lee had more to do than just be the girl John is chasing. She seems smarter than both of the guys combined.
The writing is a bit clunky in spots. Some of the jokes feel like they were written for a silent movie and then they just added dialogue at the last second.
Actually, that’s probably why it works. It’s visual. You don’t need to hear the words to know that John is failing at life.
I found myself wondering about the botany stuff. He mentions a few plants, but I don't think he actually knows anything about them. It’s just a character trait that gets dropped mostly.
There’s a scene where he’s practicing running and he looks like a startled bird. It made me laugh out loud, which doesn't happen often with these old films.
Is it better than Thunderbolt? No, but it’s a completely different vibe. It’s lighter.
It reminded me a bit of Pack Up Your Troubles in terms of that frantic, desperate comedy energy.
The ending is exactly what you think it’s gonna be. No surprises there. But the journey is pretty fun.
The print I watched was a bit grainy. Some of the background extras looked like blurry ghosts during the outdoor scenes.
I liked that though. It makes it feel like a time capsule. You’re seeing a world that doesn’t exist anymore.
One thing that bothered me: the music is really loud during the race. Like, distractingly loud. It covers up some of the sound effects.
But hey, it was 1931. They were still figuring out how to balance the sound. I can forgive it.
Overall, it’s a solid little movie. It’s not a masterpiece, but it’s got heart. And a lot of yelling.
If you have 75 minutes to kill, you could do a lot worse than watching John try to not die on a track field. 👟
Just don't expect a deep exploration of the human soul. It's just a guy in short shorts trying to get the girl.
And sometimes, that’s enough. I think I’ll go buy a plant now. 🪴
IMDb 5.5
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