The Fair Co-Ed,also known asThe Varsity Girl,is a 1927 Americansilentfilm comedy starringMarion Daviesand released throughMGM.The film was produced byWilliam Randolph Hearst,throughCosmopolitan Productionsand directed bySam Wood.The film was released in a sound version in 1928 with a synchronized musical score with sound effects.
| The Fair Co-Ed | |
|---|---|
 Advertisement | |
| Directed by | Sam Wood |
| Written by | Byron Morgan (scenario) Joseph Farnham(intertitles) |
| Based on | The Fair Co-Ed byGeorge Ade |
| Produced by | Irving Thalberg Sam Wood William Randolph Hearst |
| Starring | Marion Davies |
| Cinematography | John Seitz |
| Edited by | Conrad Nervig |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
Release date |
|
Running time | 70 minutes (7reels) |
| Country | United States |
| Languages | 1927 Silent Version 1928 Sound Version (Synchronized) (Englishintertitles) |
| Budget | $347,000[1] |
The film is based on a 1909 play/musical comedyThe Fair Co-EdbyGeorge Adewhich starred a youngElsie Janis,and opened on Broadway on February 1, 1909.[2]
The film survives today, supposedly in the MGM/UA archives, now controlled byWarner Brothers.[3]
Plot
editMarion Bright enrolls in college to pursue a handsome young man, Bob, only to discover that he is coach of the women's basketball team there. Marion joins the team and becomes its star player, but becomes unpopular when she refuses to play a game after a disagreement with Bob. Happily for all, she has a change of heart and returns in time to help the team win the big game.
Cast
edit- Marion Daviesas Marion Bright
- Johnny Mack Brownas Bob
- Jane Wintonas Betty
- Thelma Hillas Rose
- Lillian Leightonas Housekeeper
- Gene Stone as Herbert
- James Bradbury, Sr. as uncredited
- Lou Costelloas Extra
- Joel McCreaas Student
- Jacques Tourneuras Extra
- Lillian Copelandas basketball player[4]
Music
editThe sound version of this film featured a theme song entitled "The Fair Co-Ed" which was composed by William Axt and David Mendoza.
Production
edit
In her 25th film,Marion Daviesstarred as a madcap college student with a yen for the basketball coachJohnny Mack Brown.William Randolph Hearstalways disliked this film and disliked directorSam Wood.Hearst always referred to this film as "that cheap-looking comedy" that went for "yap laughs". But laughs there were as Davies joins the college basketball team to be near Brown and to spite her rival (Jane Winton). Davies races back and forth on basketball courts, zooms about in jalopies, and even climbs a tree in this one. One of the highlights in the shooting of this film was whenCharles Lindberghvisited the set. Davies was his favorite movie star. This was another box-office hit for Davies.[5]
Stills
edit-
A production still of a college event in the film -
Production still of Marion Davies and Jane Winton -
Production still of Johnny Mack Brown and Marion Davies
See also
editReferences
edit- ^Slide, Anthony.Silent Topics: Essays on Undocumented Areas of Silent Film.Scarecrow Press. p 26
- ^The Fair Co-edas produced on Broadway at the Knickerbocker Theatre, February 1, 1909 - April 25, 1909; and the Criterion Theatre April 26, 1909 to May 29, 1909; IBDB.com
- ^The Fair Co-Edat silentera.com
- ^Ph.D, Fran Becque (March 28, 2019)."Lillian Copeland, Alpha Epsilon Phi, #NotableSororityWomen, #WHM2019".
- ^Lorusso, Edward (2017)The Silent Films of Marion Davies,CreateSpace, pp. 137-138.
External links
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