The Winnah! Is a real time capsule, for better or worse

Is it worth your time?

Look, The Winnah! is one of those movies that exists mostly as a historical footnote. If you love early talkies where everyone talks at twice the speed of a normal human, you’ll be fine. If you’re looking for a coherent story, you might want to skip this one entirely.

The whole premise is just a bunch of college students stressing about a match. It’s light, it’s fluffy, and it has that frantic energy that makes you feel like the filmmakers were worried they’d run out of film stock at any second.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of The Winnah! (1934) through its definitive frames.

Notes from the couch

There’s a specific scene involving Florence Lake that is just… something else. She has this look on her face like she’s trying to remember if she left the stove on while delivering lines about university spirit. It’s bizarrely charming.

The pacing is all over the map. One minute they’re planning a prank, the next we’re suddenly at a sporting event, and I’m still not entirely sure what the rules of the game were supposed to be. Did they even play the game? Maybe they just yelled about it enough that it didn't matter. 🏈

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of The Winnah! (1934) through its definitive frames.

Arthur Lake shows up and does his usual thing. It’s reliable, I guess. He moves through the frame like he’s trying to dodge the camera crew. Sometimes the extras in the background look like they’re just waiting for the lunch bell to ring.

Odd bits and pieces

• The sweaters. So many thick, woolly sweaters.
• The sound quality dips during the crowd scenes, making everyone sound like they're shouting from inside a tin can.
• One of the guys in the background of the quad scene is clearly trying not to laugh during a “serious” dialogue moment.

It’s not as polished as The Lucky Number, but it has a certain level of desperation that keeps you watching. It’s not trying to be high art, which is probably why it doesn't fall flat on its face as often as it should.

I found myself zoning out during the dialogue and just staring at the architecture of the campus. It’s a very 1930s looking campus, if that makes any sense. It feels like a stage set built in a basement. Which, honestly, it probably was. 🎥

Is it a classic? Not by a long shot. Is it an interesting way to kill thirty minutes while you’re eating cold pizza? Sure. Don't go in expecting greatness and you won't be annoyed.