Tonight's Movie: Over the Goal (1937) - A Warner Archive DVD Review

OVER THE GOAL (1937) is a 63-minute college football film, just released on DVD by the Warner Archive.

Upright young Ken Thomas (William Hopper, later of TV's PERRY MASON) is a football star who signs on with a university hoping to help change the team's fortunes. Unfortunately Ken is injured early in the season, and after a  doctor says that a second injury could leave him crippled for life, Ken promises his girlfriend Lucille (June Travis) that he won't play again.

Eventually Ken really, really needs to play again to help the school financially and Lucille agrees -- but bad guys attempt to keep him from making it to the big game. And that's pretty much the story.

I love my Warner Bros. "B" movies but this one is pretty dull, with a subpar plot and script. The supporting characters are for the most part so nondescript, in both personality and wardrobe, that it's a bit tough to track the plot at times. And it's funny how no one worries about Ken being injured for life once he decides to play in the game!

Hopper is a nice guy, and Johnnie Davis and Eddie "Rochester" Anderson try to liven things up, with Davis performing a couple musical numbers. Nonetheless the film is pretty tough going and generally just silly, including scenes with Rochester and a live bear mascot. Its saving grace is that it's such a short film that it's hard to become too bored with the proceedings!

Gordon Oliver, Willard Parker, Raymond Hatton, Douglas Wood, Hattie McDaniel, and Frank Craven also appear in the movie, as well as the USC football team. Jane Wyman, Carole Landis, and Marie Wilson are said to be among the large group of co-eds but I didn't spot them.

OVER THE GOAL was directed by Noel M. Smith and filmed in black and white by Warren Lynch.

The Warner Archive print is generally good although in the last third or so of the film there are faint vertical lines which sometimes make it look as though it's raining indoors. The soundtrack is solid. The disc includes the trailer.

Thanks to the Warner Archive for providing a review copy of this DVD. Warner Archive releases are MOD (manufactured on demand) and may be ordered from the Warner Archive Collection at the WBShop or from any online retailers where DVDs and Blu-rays are sold.