Girls' School

For starters, ANNE SHIRLEY, wearing a dark bathrobe with white collar design, looks exactly like Olivia de Havilland in an early scene from THE DARK MIRROR. I always thought they resembled each other strongly, but never more so than in this film.

The story is the same old trite stuff about the petty squabbles among girls at a boarding school who become upset when the school monitor (Anne Shirley) has to report their extra-curricular activities to the school principal (GLORIA HOLDEN). Pretty blonde NAN GREY becomes the primary target when Shirley spies her coming home late after a night out.

You know the material is dated when the girls are gathered to listen to a speech "on a very important subject--charm", by an aristocratic lady foolishly extolling the virtues of exuding charm, the most important ingredient young ladies of the world are supposed to have in 1938, no matter how air-headed they are. Charm is distinctly lacking in the screenplay.

Although Anne Shirley plays her teen role with an overabundance of energetic innocence, it's hard to see why Selznick, a year later, tested her for Melanie in "Gone with the Wind". At least, not on the basis of this girlish performance.

It's the kind of B-film you can easily skip without missing anything.

How harsh some of the reviews are for this little movie! This little movie wasn't trying to hurt anyone nor was it trying to be "art" or "groundbreaking" or any of the other things that critics both amateur and professional are so found of babbling about. It was meant as entertainment. And guess what? It entertains! It's a wonderful window into girl's schools of the 1930's, made with gusto, given some Hollywood drama, given some Hollywood shine, and sent out into the world to entertain. It has committed no crime. It has not asked to be compared to the greatest movies of all time. Then why do so? Should a father compare his daughter to the Queen of England? Of course not! It would be cruel and pointless. And so too with this movie.

Girls' School (1938)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Somewhat entertaining but oh so over dramatic tale of a poor girl (Anne Shirley) who gets a scholarship at a rich school where she's abused by both students, led by the popular Linda Simpson (Nan Grey) and faculty. The morals of this film are certainly well intended but the film goes over the top on pretty much all levels, which leads to a serious but God awful funny last scene. I enjoyed the performances by Shirley and Grey but wish the material had been toned down just a tad so that you could have taken them a bit more serious. Ralph Bellamy has a couple good scenes and his little dance got a couple laughs. Received an Oscar nomination for Best Score.

While on monitor duty at Magnolia Hall's school for girls, poor Anne Shirley (as Natalie Freeman) catches rich Nan Grey (as Linda Simpson) sneaking in at seven o'clock in the morning, apparently after an all-nighter with poet boyfriend Kenneth Howell (as Edgar). Due to Ms. Shirley's reluctant tattling and some squealing from gossipy roommate Dorothy Moore (as Betty Fleet), Ms. Grey's delinquent romance results in an expulsion hearing. Thanks to student government support and her wealthy parents, Grey wins. Then, she plans her revenge against Shirley, not knowing her enemy is really a swell girl...

This film looks like it was aimed squarely at teenagers. Shirley and Grey participate in the usual schoolgirl silliness. Mr. Howell and Noah Berry Jr. (as George) contrast refined and rough well. The young woman look more like aspiring models than teenagers - they have "lingerie" scenes and bounce around, so both boys and girls in the 1930s would have been delighted. The "older" audience is represented by spinsterish 29-year-old teacher Gloria Holden (as Miss Laurel), who has a romance with Ralph Bellamy (as Michael Hendragin). While third billed, Mr. Bellamy's appearance could be described as a cameo.

**** Girls' School (9/30/38) John Brahm ~ Anne Shirley, Nan Grey, Kenneth Howell, Noah Berry Jr.

What is there to possibly say about a film with such depth, such breadth and such vision? Bringing to mind the work of a young Howard Hawks, the breathtaking scope of the 1938 Girls' School leaves this reviewer baffled as to the lack of attention it received from that year's Academy Awards - perhaps the consequence of being light years ahead of its time in both theme and content. Even so, the incredible, timeless cinematography should have made it a cast-iron certainty for recognition.

Perhaps it was also a consequences of the Academy's well-known reluctance to recognize comedic brilliance, as few films can have tickled the ribs of so many as this work of outstanding genius.

I recommend this film strongly to anyone with a genuine love of avant-garde cinema, and anyone who wants to see a sure fire winner for all the family.