The Plastic Age

Rising star Clara Bow had appeared in an astronomical 15 pictures in just one year (1925), a busy stretch by any measure during those heyday silent movie productions. But one movie of hers in particular stood out where Bow was the lead and became her first big hit in cinema, December 1925's "The Plastic Age."

Initially hired by the small film production company Preferred Pictures, the young 20-year-old actress had been making movies for the B. P. Schulberg-owned business as well as being loaned out to other studios during her three years with him. Schulberg bought the rights to Brown University English professor's 1924 best-selling book, 'The Plastic Age,' with Clara in mind. She plays the role of Cynthia Day, a college co-ed whose main focus is boys, partying, drinking and petting in the backseat of cars. Bow meets naive freshman Hugh Carter (Donald Keith), a future college football and track star. Through her wild lifestyle, she ensnares Carter, sending him into a downward spiral where his strict parents notice a slippage in his grades. They don't hold back in their disgust at his newfound bad behavior.

Adolph Zukor of Paramount Pictures fell in love with Bow (the version of her on the screen) after seeing "The Plastic Age." In a period where small production houses were being gobbled up by the larger outfits, Zukor made an offer to Schulberg to buy out Preferred Pictures. He agreed to merge with Paramount when the studio gave him total control over the type of pictures he could produce as well the actors, script, crew and wardrobe selection. Bow was now a Paramount employee.

"The Plastic Age" is also noteworthy for the actors appearing in the cast. Mexican-born and Texas-raised Roland Gilbert (birth name Luis Antonio de Alonso) received his first major role in this picture. He traveled to Los Angeles at 14 to be in film, getting his start in several movies as an extra. He's Hugh Carter's freshman roommate, and also has eyes for Clara. In real life, Gilbert had proposed to Bow after the production, to which she accepted. But both soon called off the wedding as Clara moved on to other numerous relationships. They remained lifelong friends, even when Bow reverted to becoming a recluse after she dropped out of pictures. Gilbert had a highly successful career in film, highlighted by his performance in 1952's "The Bad and the Beautiful," along with John Ford's 1964 "Cheyenne Autumn." His last appearance was in the 1982 western "Barbarosa," with Willy Nelson.

"The Plastic Age" also sees Clark Gable as an extra (noticeable in the locker room scene) and as well as his future wife Carol Lombard, also as a 17-year-old extra. The two starred in their only movie together in 1932's "No Man of Her Own,' directed by Wesley Ruggles, who by coincident directed "The Plastic Age."

One of the first inter-titles of "The Plastic Age" states that the film is dedicated to the youth of the world. So, as you youngsters can imagine, this film started in a very suspicious way for this German Count. Because, in spite of the fact that the youth reflected in this movie is from the 20's, a youngster is always a youngster…and a risky period for people no matter what the era.

The film depicted the story of Hugh Carver (Donald Keith) a youngster and an athlete too (a terrible combination, indeed) who goes to college. This is in order to learn more about life… and athletics. He will certainly also learn in this experience about the evils of life such as ( in order of danger ) women ( Dame Clara Bow ) and tobacco while forgetting through the fault of these matters, his training, his running and all that exercising not to mention his studies… especially chemistry (except for that with Dame Bow ).

"The Plastic Age" it is another harmless and typical film production about a classic USA film sub-genre, that is to say, "innocent and sporty youngster knows a vamp girl who infatuated him; they love each other passionately, and then they love not but thanks to an important football game at the end of the film, that obviously the boy will win, they will love each other again till the end of times".

In accordance with the film, Herr Wesley Ruggles direction it is anodyne and predictable. There is no emotion or motion, nothing interesting happens in the film other than Dame Bow wears gowns nicely and that makes for scarce merits for this German aristocrat.

And now, if you'll allow me, I must temporarily take my leave because this German Count must practise his favourite sport, reach out the Porto glass and then put it on the Teutonic table.

Herr Graf Ferdinand Von Galitzien http://ferdinandvongalitzien.blogspot.com/

This is one of a very long string of college athletics films made in the 1920s. They all had a lot in common: a gifted athlete who falls on his face due to either their ego or carousing, eventual maturation and redemption AND none of the students ever seem to go to classes! It seems in these films the number one priority is the team--and in most cases, like this one, it's the football team. And, of course, in this film it all boils down to "the big game" at the end of the movie. So this film is pure formula--through and through.

However, despite this, the film is worth watching for many reasons. First, unlike similar films like BROWN OF HARVARD, the hero never quite sinks to the same depths--so it seems a bit less clichéd. Also, it's a fascinating film for who's in it. While not yet stars, Clara Bow co-stars as the, what else, "party girl with a heart of gold" and Clark Gable is in a tiny part as one of the athletes. You'll really have to look closely to see him--as he's very young and thin and not at all the manly "he-man" he later was seen to be! Just look for the trademark ears--they're big enough it's hard to miss! So the overall verdict is that this is a lovely but very formulaic college film. If you've seen a bunch of 'em, then it's pretty skip-able unless you are dying to see Gable or Bow in early roles.

This pleasant campus romantic comedy has aged pretty well, since its main characters and basic situations could almost be drawn from the present. It's quite watchable, has a couple of very funny moments, and the mostly good-natured story works pretty well.

Donald Keith and Clara Bow are likable and believable as the two leads, although Keith and his character are somewhat one-dimensional - Bow gets less screen time but is more memorable. The supporting cast are all pretty good, and represent familiar characters - the protective parents, the concerned coach, and fellow students of various types. The story centers on Keith's character, an athletic star who falls in love with Cynthia (Bow) but soon finds that he cannot have everything at once. To a large degree it represents some of the kinds of decisions faced in any era by those of college age (or what the film calls the "Plastic Age"). All of the characters are presented sympathetically, which gives it a pleasant tone throughout.

Plastic Age, The (1925)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Even by 1925 standards this is a film we've seen countless times before. A smart, athletic young man (Donald Keith) goes to college where he falls victim to a vixen (Clara Bow) who soon has him smoking, staying out late and failing classes. As I said, we've seen this type of film countless times so this one here really doesn't offer anything new. The film is fairly routine and predictable without many laughs or drama. What sets this film apart from others are the very good performances by the two leads who have wonderful chemistry together. Bow steals the show as the sexy party girl. Henry B. Walthall plays the boy's father. The unknown Clark Gable is featured in several scenes as an athlete.