Rijndri Load of rubbish!!

Cleveronix A different way of telling a story

Dynamixor The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

HottWwjdIam There is just so much movie here. For some it may be too much. But in the same secretly sarcastic way most telemarketers say the phrase, the title of this one is particularly apt.

daneldorado Imbibition Technicolor, the most perfect method of adding color to film, was at its glorious apotheosis when the Warner Bros. musical "She's Working Her Way Through College," came along in 1952. Let the words of one of the men who worked on the process, Don Berry, inform us:"The results were striking. No other color process – notably the cheap processes of Eastman Kodak – could even come remotely close to achieving the vibrant, saturated look of IB (imbibition) Technicolor."With musical films, especially, looking for a prism through which to display their charms, the wedding of Technicolor and "She's Working Her Way Through College" was a match made in cinematic heaven.Elsewhere, you may read that this musical was an inferior version of the Warner Bros. 1942 drama (in black and white), "The Male Animal." The names of James Thurber and Elliott Nugent, writers of the 1942 movie, do appear in the credits of "She's Working…" but the musical uses only a few of the former film's lines. . . and it has a great foundation, hummable tunes, and that wonderful Technicolor going for it.Briefly: "She's Working Her Way Through College" starring Virginia Mayo, Ronald Reagan, and Gene Nelson, is a delight from the first scene on. Reagan plays John Palmer, a college professor who's doing dramatic research; and at one of the theaters he visits, he sees a rousing and colorful production number starring a burlesque queen (played winningly by the beautiful Ms. Mayo). Reagan doesn't remember her at first, but she remembers him as her high school teacher. They meet in her dressing room and she learns that her former teacher is now a professor at a small college, Midwest State. Ms. Mayo decides to quit the theater and enroll in his college.Once at Midwest State, Ms. Mayo receives a lot of wolf whistles from the male students, but responds only with smiles. She meets Don Weston (Gene Nelson), who is quarterback of the football team, but is also a terrific singer and dancer. Together they co-write a musical play for the school to present at one of the better theaters in town, and give their classmates a sneak performance right in their classroom. Professor Palmer has no objections, and is in fact drawn into the performance. The Mayo-Nelson routine is a winner, to the song "I'll be Loving You" by Sammy Cahn and Vernon Duke. In all, the production of "She's Working Her Way Through College" is a delight. And those who criticize it as an inferior "The Male Animal" need to look again. The two films are ages apart… and "The Male Animal," whatever its virtues, lacks the effervescent and vivid hues afforded by the Technicolor palette.By Dan Navarro -- daneldorado93@yahoo.com.

wes-connors Billed as "42nd Street's Secret Weapon," pretty blonde burlesque dancer Virginia Mayo (as Angela Gardner) arouses male patrons as "Hot-Garters Gertie". She shows off a beautifully proportioned body (with legs up to there). Claiming he wants to obtain "theatrical data," cold-stricken college professor Ronald Reagan (as John Palmer) stops in to admire Mayo and her leggy dancers. When he sneezes, Mayo recognizes Mr. Reagan as a former high school teacher. He helps her educational aspirations with room and board...College men greet Mayo with wolf whistles. While Reagan suffers a little friction in his marriage, Mayo hoofs it up with dancing football player Gene Nelson (as Don Weston). Mr. Nelson excels in the gymnastic dance "Am I in Love?" Surprisingly, Reagan's marital discord stems not from Mayo's presence, but by pretty wife Phyllis Thaxter (as Helen) associating with former sweetheart Don DeFore (as Shep Slade). Reagan has a prolonged "drunk scene" over the matter. The film's "Technicolor" is a vibrant highlight.**** She's Working Her Way Through College (7/9/52) Bruce Humberstone ~ Virginia Mayo, Ronald Reagan, Gene Nelson

RashomonLaStrada It's glossy in that 1950's way -- it's in color and the colors are vivid and saturated. The dance numbers are slick. There is some clever thoughtful dialogue in the Thurber-Nugent script. Virginia Mayo is very beautiful. One really bright spot 80 minutes in -- Gene Nelson's acrobatic dance routine to "Am I in Love?" But what does it all add up to? This movie is like white bread with margarine.Actors in their 30s pretending to be college kids in clothes that are perfectly color-coordinated. The vivid colors make the made-up faces look ludicrous. And locations that always look like a Hollywood soundstage.Ronald Reagan playing drunk that would embarrass a high school drama teacher. Don Defore? Gene Nelson? Sorry but there is NO charisma or charm or personality in any of the male leads. And the girl we're supposed to like is soooooo good and soooooo decent. And the girl who is nasty is sooooooo nasty.Have you heard of any of these songs? Couldn't they find one memorable and fun song? A big yawn.

Marian Paroo Then again, I was only 10, and home sick from school.Burlesque Star, read, Exotic Dancer wants for some obscure reason, a college education. She's obviously making more dough now than she will with a BA, but never mind, she's got a heart of gold, and a yen for knowledge.Knowing what we know about the then future, and now late President, it's really ironic that he was so good about defending the rights of "shady lady." My favorite scene, in fact, was when he told the board of tight butts who wanted to kick her out of school, how she worked her way through high school too, getting up early to prepare food in the cafeteria. Corny, but it worked on me.Anyway, I don't usually like made-for-film musicals either, but I thought that this was sweet and fun, well acted and a fine way to pass a couple of hours.