La collégienne en folie

All the social commentary that James Thurber wrote in The Male Animal about academic freedom has been deleted in this scrubbed version of that classic. She's Working Her Way Through College comes out as a rather insipid, but pleasant musical where singing and dancing is taken care of by Virginia Mayo and Gene Nelson. Ronald Reagan in the part that Henry Fonda played of the college professor is defending the right of former burlesque performer Virginia Mayo to attend class and star in a musical show the college is putting on.

Back in the day Mayo was known as 'Hot Garters Gertie' on the stage and all she wants to do is attend college quietly. But when Nelson who was formerly going out with Patrice Wymore starts paying attention to Mayo, Wymore finds out who she is and blows her cover. Which comes to the attention of chair of the board of directors Roland Winters who wants her expelled from the college. He puts it on Reagan's shoulders to do the job.

It was the age of McCarthyism and the original story which dealt with Henry Fonda reading a letter from the jailed Bartolomeo Vanzetti would never have been made at Warner Brothers at that point. And Ronald Reagan who as Governor of California would clash on academic freedom with the Berkeley Free Speech movement is still in an ironic position defending freedom for Mayo to attend college. But Reagan who fought communists in his union, the Screen Actors Guild would never have played the part as originally written and this is before his political career. And Virginia Mayo was also quite the conservative lady in her time as well.

One part of the film is retained where Don DeFore takes Jack Carson's role as the All American football alumnus who was a rival for Reagan for his wife Phyllis Thaxter. Reagan does repeat and does it well, Henry Fonda's drunk scene from The Male Animal.

She's Working Her Way Through College is pleasant enough, but not anything special and Thurber aficionados will not be pleased.

Whilst Miss Mayo's singing voice is obviously dubbed, her first appearance as Hot Garters Gertie signals an exuberance and promise the movie doesn't quite fulfill. This opening production number emerges as the film's best, despite a very bland, mechanical orchestra which manages to become even more limpid as the action progresses, undermining what would otherwise have emerged as reasonably lively and diverting musical interludes. Nonetheless, the emphasis is definitely on the songs—both old and new—rather than the action and dialogue of the original stage play. The movie certainly packs in plenty of "color" and lots of legs.

Ronald Reagan gives a credible account of the Henry Fonda role and even comes over convincingly in his "Male Animal" speech, even if it is allowed to run a little too long. The other players are way outclassed. Don DeFore, upgraded to the Jack Carson character, in particular proves no match at all.

Credits are slick but squeaky clean. Although Gene Nelson dances up a storm, the musical orchestrations, as noted above, lack pizazz. In fact, the new songs are totally unmemorable. A pity the producer failed to use more of the old standards like "As Time Goes By" which is given a very appealing rendition here by the gifted vocalist, Bonnie Lou Williams.

Bright, fun Technicolor musical comedy starring the ravishing Virginia Mayo and Ronald Reagan. It's a loose reworking of The Male Animal. Mayo plays a burlesque dancer and aspiring writer who enrolls in the college where her former high school teacher (Reagan) is now a professor. As you might expect, she isn't welcome with open arms by the conservative college administration. Ronnie's in her corner though and fights for her right to an education. This is really Virginia Mayo's show the whole way. Aside from looking gorgeous she does a fantastic job playing the level-headed dancer who wants to make something more of herself. Opening burlesque number is a treat her fans will love. Virginia Mayo is one of two actresses that readily spring to mind when I think of the beauty of Technicolor; the other being Esther Williams.

The college campus set was pretty. The grass was so green it looked like AstroTurf! Reagan's house was also pretty. I love Technicolor. One odd thing is that in an upstairs bedroom there is a picture of an old rival of Ronnie's on the wall. This seems to be there just to start a conversation between Ronnie and his wife (Phyllis Thaxter) over this guy. Just seemed odd. Why would there be a picture of the guy on the wall? Reagan hates him and he used to be an old beau of his wife's. This part of the story is the film's biggest drawback as Reagan's wife seems very tempted to throw him over for this jerk. Kind of a somber part of an otherwise upbeat movie. It also leads to the worst acting in the film: Ronnie's drunk scene. Cringeworthy. Anyway, it's a nice film with some songs and humor. The songs are nothing special but pleasant. See it for Virginia Mayo and the glorious Technicolor.

when I was young my girlfriend and I would go to the movies everyday to see this movie and stay to see it twice. As you know in 1952 the movie only played for three days.

We simply enjoyed the plot which told the story of Angela who had to work hard to get to college. The fact that she met up with "Professor" was a treat. We loved the clothes she wore, the dances, the Gene Nelson creativity and watching the girl get her due for trying to expose her. Why can't they make movies like this today. I suppose the producers and directors have all passed away and the young ones today just can't sit still long enough to enjoy the simple ways of life in the 1950's the best of times.

I thought this movie was good. I was on vacation and I was staying one night in Zurich, and this just happened to be on TV. I couldn't stop watching it. It was really good, I never knew Ronald Reagan was such a good actor, I just thought of him as a president, nothing else, go figure.

Anyway, if ever you are bored and looking for an amusing movie, this one will do you good. Even though it takes place in the early 1950s it is still really good. I didn't see the very beginning of the movie though, but everything I saw I liked, so thats that.