Good News (1947)
(Charles Walters, US 1947, 93 min., 35mm)
A remake of the 1930 pre-Code musical screened last July, which itself was based on a 1927 stage show of the same name. Pat McClellan (Patricia Marshall) causes quite a stir with her arrival on the Tait College campus. Sorority sister Connie Lane (June Allyson), however, sees through her French-speaking pretensions and is disgusted by her vanity. Appearing at a campus party in a slinky red dress, Pat attracts considerable attention, including from football star Tommy Marlowe (Peter Lawford), whom Connie is secretly in love with. Pat's rejection makes Tommy want her all the more, and he vows to learn French to be able to converse with her in her preferred language. Connie reluctantly tutors him, but when his grades start to slip and threaten his presence on the gridiron, it’s up to Connie to get Tommy back in the game and win his heart in the process. A standard of the time, this campus comedy features songs written by Lew Brown, B.G. DeSylva, and Ray Henderson, including “The Best Things in Life are Free.”
Introduction and post-screening discussion by Michael Lasser.