College co-eds learn to handle the responsibilities of romance.College co-eds learn to handle the responsibilities of romance.College co-eds learn to handle the responsibilities of romance.
- Awards
- 5 wins total
- Asst. Dist. Atty. Gifford
- (uncredited)
- Student
- (uncredited)
- Student at Dormitory
- (uncredited)
- Doctor
- (uncredited)
- Junior - A Student)
- (uncredited)
- Confused Student in Cafe
- (uncredited)
- Student at Dormitory
- (uncredited)
- Student at Dormitory
- (uncredited)
Featured reviews
The story's not bad either, as two young college students try to navigate a society that's quite a bit different than when their parents were their age. (This movie is from 1931, so Mom and Dad were probably college age in the 1900's, so that says a lot.) Betty's an old-fashioned girl who thinks she should be more modern, while Michael wants to hold onto traditional values and ideals, despite pressure and temptation.
When a modern mistake is made, an old-fashioned correction seems in order, which may ruin the couple's chance for happiness.
There is also educational/life choice issues: is it okay to leave college and get a job, start your adult life a bit sooner than planned, even if it means postponing or giving a degree and career goals, if you have what you believe is a valid reason for doing so?
This movie has a bittersweet ending, and I could have done without the bitter, as a character of questionable ethics shows himself to be a better person and deserved a better fate.
Worth watching.
This Movie is Another Side of the Pre-Code Expression that is Rarely Mentioned or Discussed because it isn't Lurid, Steamy, or Filled with Lingerie Shots. It is the Freedom (without restrictions from the thought policing of Hays, Breen and the League of Decency) for Films to be Informative, Thought Provoking, Educational, Stimulating, and Socially Redeeming.
It is a Snappy Movie Filled with Great Verbal Flourishes about "Free Love" (the Hippies didn't invent the term), Right and Wrong, Moral or Immoral, and Simply a Coming of Age Paradox of Hormones and Society's Restrictions and Legislation of Private and Personal Behavior. It Tries to Answer, or at Least Discuss, if Anyone has any Say on What Goes on in a Person's Bedroom.
It is Not the Movie that You Think it is Going In. It is a Thoughtful Exploration about a Controversial Subject and is Intelligent and Engaging. Well Acted by Mostly Young Unknowns but Without Much Style, the Film Figures its Straightforward Narrative and Filming Techniques were Better Suited for the Academic Like "Lectures" about a Universal and Timeless Truth.
Certainly Worth a Watch for Film Historians as Well as Culture War Combatants that will Discover Something to Think About. The Ending May be a bit Hokey and Dated but the Film's Basic Subject Matter is Definitely Not.
It's a precode story of kids in college, with lots of talk encouraging young women to loosen their morals, all kinds of sexual innuendo.
Michael (Cromwell) is a young man of high ideals who doesn't appreciate his buddy Duke's (Eric Linden) outrageous flirting and sexy talk, especially when it comes to Michael's girlfriend Betty (Wilson).
He confides to one of the professors (Halliday) that he's thinking of giving up college for marriage. This is evidently because of raging hormones.
When he's caught with an underage waitress, Dora (Judge), after a night of drinking, Dora's father demands they marry at once. This is one of those so subtle blink and you miss it. We are given the impression that they maybe kissed while drunk. I don't think so. She asks, are you sorry - I think they had sex. Other reviewers weren't sure.
The premise seems to be, leave college and get married rather than just shack up. In a way it's odd, since other precodes have people living together before marriage.
Anyway I have a soft spot for Richard Cromwell due to Emma and the fact that he was briefly married to Angela Lansbury. He did not stay in show business. He was a very talented artist and died at 50.
The Age Of Consent began as a play called Cross Roads which had the misfortune of opening on Broadway within two weeks of the Stock Market crash. After that Broadway closed a lot of shows because folks couldn't afford the theater. Cross Roads only ran 28 performances and Franchot Tone and Sylvia Sidney were in the supporting roles that Eric Linden and Arline Judge play on the screen.
The leads are Richard Cromwell and Dorothy Wilson who are in love and going through a lot of angst. Dorothy's a good kid who doesn't want to give it up before she has a wedding ring on her finger. Richard's even ready to quit school. But when she says no he goes off with the local waitress at the college hangout Arline Judge.
Catching him alone with his daughter puritanical dad Richard Barlow says no one is going to disgrace my daughter, marry her or else because she's still a minor. Poor Cromwell sees his whole life slipping away, all the plans he had for his future, just gone up in smoke.
It all kind of works out for most of the cast. John Halliday is her as the wise science professor who acts as mentor and father figure to the college kids. Barlow's part is interesting his type is still around today, ignorant and proud of it. Look for a young Betty Grable as one of the coeds.
It's an interesting story and typical of the times. But thank God we seem to have moved away from the attitudes expressed by Barlow in The Age Of Consent.
Did you know
- TriviaThe mention of the Jericho Turnpike places the setting as being on Long Island, New York. State Route 25 is known at the Jericho Turnpike for most of its length across Long Island.
- Goofs(at around 28 mins) When Betty lays back after Mike kisses her, the ground can be seen moving under her head when she moves.
- Quotes
Dora Swale: [as Mike enters the restaurant where she is a waitress] Hello, pollywog.
Michael 'Mike' Harvey: Hello, Dora.
[while looking for an empty booth to sit in, he overhears a couple talking loudly]
Unseen Female I: Whaddyou care if they're sharp or not? You can rub your beard off with a towel.
Unseen Male I: Wait'll you start to shave. Alright, alright, what about free love?
Unseen Female I: There's nothing free about MY love, Romeo. Just remember that.
Unseen Male I: You for sale?
Unseen Female I: Let's broaden the conversation.
Unseen Male I: When I get on a subject I like to stay with it. Hey, how about that butter?
[Disgusted with what he's hearing Mike gets up and moves to a different booth]
Unseen Female II: Stop it!
Unseen Male II: [Brays stupidly] I'm gonna find out things for myself. How do I know? Ya may be knock-kneed.
[Brays again]
Unseen Female II: I thoughtcha came to college to develop your brain.
Unseen Male II: Aw, who cares about brains? I come from a long line of people who work with their hands.
[Brays yet again, and we hear a slap]
Unseen Male II: Alright, alright, whaddya wanna talk about?
[Girl giggles incessantly]
Unseen Male II: That's not so funny.
[Mike rolls his eyes and moves a second time]
Dora Swale: Are you working out for the track team or is this a new game?
Michael 'Mike' Harvey: I don't like free love with my meals.
Boy in next booth: Trouble is with you, you're old fashioned.
Girl in next booth: Maybe so, but what was good enough for my grandmother is good enough for me.
[She picks up her purse and starts to leave]
Boy in next booth: Well I don't want to be honorable with you unless it's absolutely necessary.
Girl in next booth: I'll call ya up sometime when I break training.
[laughs and walks out]
Michael 'Mike' Harvey: Don't they ever talk about anything else?
Dora Swale: What else is there to talk about? How about somethin' to eat?
Michael 'Mike' Harvey: Oh, I don't know what I want.
Dora Swale: Gimme three guesses?
Michael 'Mike' Harvey: People ever talk about marriage any more?
Dora Swale: Some of the older people.
Michael 'Mike' Harvey: Why don't you get married? What do you hang around a dump like this for?
Dora Swale: Scrambled eggs are nice.
- SoundtracksParadise
(1931) (uncredited)
Music by Nacio Herb Brown
Lyrics by Nacio Herb Brown and Gordon Clifford
Played at the dance and danced by Dorothy Wilson and Eric Linden and other couples
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $125,000 (estimated)
- Runtime
- 1h 3m(63 min)
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1