DbcultAccessing Vault...
5.1/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 5.1/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Student Tour remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you're looking for a grounded sports drama, keep walking. You probably shouldn't watch Student Tour unless you have a high tolerance for 1930s musical chaos and plots that hang by a literal thread. It's essentially a rowing team on a boat, but instead of training, they're singing. If you prefer your films to make sense, you'll probably hate this. If you want to see Jimmy Durante try to wrangle a college crew, you might have a weirdly good time.
The whole setup is so thin it's practically transparent. The philosophy professor is threatening to flunk the entire rowing team? Okay, sure. Why not? And naturally, the solution is to have them cram for exams while on a luxury cruise. It's the kind of logic that only exists in movies where everyone has impeccable hair and unlimited free time.
The ending is where things get truly unhinged. The regular coxswain loses his voice right before the big race—classic—so Ann just hops in. And she doesn't just yell instructions; she starts singing to keep the pace. It’s absurd. I sat there wondering if a rowing team could actually function that way, or if they’d just be confused by the melody. It feels like a moment the writers came up with while drinking way too much coffee.
There's a strange rhythm to the whole thing. It doesn't really build tension; it just jumps from one musical number to a scene where people talk very fast about exams. It reminds me a bit of the frantic, uneven energy in Chicken a la King, where you’re never quite sure if the movie knows it’s being ridiculous or if it’s just trying its best.
Some of the extras in the background of the deck scenes look like they’re just waiting for their lunch break. You can see one guy in the back left just leaning against a railing for like three minutes, not even pretending to care about the rowing team's academic crisis. It's those little things that make me think the director just wanted to get home. It’s not exactly the intensity of Handy Andy, but it’s got a weird, dusty charm.
The film doesn't take itself seriously, which is its only saving grace. If it tried to be a real sports movie, it would have collapsed under the weight of its own silly premise. As it stands, it’s just a musical curiosity. Watch it on a rainy afternoon when you don't want to think too hard. Just don't expect a lesson on rowing, or philosophy, for that matter. 🚣♂️🎶
IMDb 5.8
1933
Community
Log in to comment.
