THAT'S MY BOY (1932)

Thomas Jefferson Scott (Richard Cromwell) is off to Thorpe University, intending on working his way through school and becoming a doctor, even though his small-town folks think he's biting off more than he can chew. During a hazing event, the Flag Rush in which the sophomores try to keep the freshmen from taking a pennant off the football field, Tommy displays great skill in broken-field running, and Coach Adams (Douglas Dumbrille) gets him to sign on to the football team. Their plan is to train him in secret this year, and spring him as a surprise next fall. Tommy's reluctant to devote so much time to the training as it stands in the way of his getting a job, but Al, the assistant coach (Leon Ames), gives him a good-paying part-time job which consists of watching the boiler room and turning a dial once a night. He's also given free room and board with Ames and a nice wardrobe. When he finally plays, he's a hit with his game-winning running ways and is given the nickname Snakehips. He begins dating Dorothy (Dorothy Jordan), daughter of a rich businessman, but becomes disillusioned with his college experience when he meets a former college football hero who is now a lowly accountant. Realizing that he now has no time for his medical studies and will likely face a diminished future as an adult, he asks for more money from the coaches. They form a company to sell stocks in Tommy's name and cut him in for 10%. At first, it's a success, but soon Tommy learns that the company has actually lost all the money paid in by the investors, which include his parents and many of their friends. When this becomes public, will Tommy find a way to redeem himself in the eyes of his fans, his girlfriend and himself?

For a movie that's over eighty years old, this has surprising relevance today in this age of big money in college sports. The later plot twists (which I have not discussed above) turn fairly melodramatic in the last half-hour and the climax, during a big football game, is rushed and unrealistic, but nevertheless satisfying. Cromwell, fresh-faced and attractive, does not have an athletic build, but the emphasis on his running talent lets us accept him as a football star. He also remains likable despite the plot developments that threaten to tarnish his character. Leon Ames, in one of his earlier roles, is quite good, and it was odd to see Douglass Dumbrille, known mostly for his terse villains, get to play something as average as a football coach.  Ads for the movie trumpeted the use of actual USC football players, and John Wayne and Buster Crabbe are among the athletes on the field. Despite its still-current topic, the film does feel a little outdated but it's still watchable. Pictured are Ames and Cromwell. [TCM]