Back to School
by Alan Metter
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Actor: Burt Young, Keith Gordon, Robert Downey Jr., Rodney Dangerfield, Sally KellermanDirector: Alan Metter
Brand: Miscellaneous
Writer: Rodney Dangerfield
Writer: Dennis Snee
Writer: Greg Fields
Writer: Harold Ramis
Writer: Peter Torokvei
Writer: Rich Eustis
Writer: Steven Kampmann
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); English (Original Language); French (Original Language); Spanish (Original Language)
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 96 minutes
Published: 2003-06-01
DVD Release Date: 2003-06-26
Audience Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
DVD Reviews of Back to School
DVD Review: Thornton Goes To College
Summary: 4 Stars
Thornton Melon has a head for business. Even though he never went to college, he took the family tailoring business and transformed it into a chain of successful clothing stores. It's made Thornton (Rodney Dangerfield) a wealthy man who can send his son Jason (Keith Gordon) to the elite Grand Lakes University. Thornton also shares his wealth with his unfaithful second wife, Vanessa (Adrienne Barbeau), who is unsatisfied with the life Thornton's money could bring her. She not only wants his money, but she wants to control Thornton. The last straw between Thornton and Vanessa comes one evening at one of the parties Vanessa insists on throwing, when he catches her in the act of cheating. Not only does he serve her divorce papers, but he shows her photos of her cheating. Both Jason and Thornton's driver, Lou (Burt Young), say how much better a person Thornton's late first wife was.
Thornton uses the divorce to make a trip to Jason's college to visit him. Thornton discovers that Jason's been lying about how well he's been doing in school. Thornton offers this fatherly advice: "You don't lie to me. You lie to girls." Jason had claimed he was on the school's diving team when he was only good enough to be the towel boy. When Jason admits he's getting mostly Bs and Cs, Thornton is happy that his son is in some of the top three grades. Thornton decides he'd like to see Jason do better in both academics and athletics, and have some fun in the process. In "Back To School," Thornton decides to go to college with Jason in an effort to not only be with Jason, but also to get a formal education himself.
To get into the college without the benefit of SATs, Thornton makes a deal with Grand Lakes dean David Martin (Ned Beatty) to make a sizeable donation to the university - a business building dedicated to Thornton himself. The actions of Thronton and Dean Martin draw the ire of business professor Philip Barbay (Paxton Whitehead), who thinks Thornton's presence undermines the ideals of the university. Thornton further upsets Barbay by taking an interest in English professor Diane Turner (Sally Kellerman), whom he's been dating. Thornton's knowledge of business is merely an extreme distraction to Barbay, who insists on teaching his class how to conduct business legitimately.
Meanwhile, with Thornton's help, Jason makes the diving team. Team captain Chas Osborne (William Zabka) is certain that Jason's father bought Jason a spot on the roster. Coach Turnbull (M. Emmet Walsh), however, is more interested in Thornton's diving experience. Jason also takes an interest in Valerie Desmond (Terry Farrell), a student that Chas also likes. Thornton uses his money to make life as full of ease and fun as possible. However, Thornton takes that too far when he brings his people (and special consultant Kurt Vonnegut, in a cameo appearance) to the school to write papers for himself and Jason. Not only does Jason reject the work, but Barbay also believes Thornton isn't doing the work for class he's been assigned, and demands Dean Martin expel Thornton. Martin, instead, makes Thornton take oral exams with all of his professors. Expulsion awaits if Thornton fails the orals.
"Back To School" is one of the best college comedies I've seen. It's not quite in the same league as "Animal House" or "Horse Feathers," but it's close. The story is filled with Dangerfield one-liners that could easily have been preceded by his trademark line, "I don't get no respect." Thornton certainly doesn't get respect from Philip or Vanessa, but they are people who don't like Thornton as a person. Both have issues that involve Thornton's money. Everybody else sees beyond his money and knows him to be a generous, fun-loving businessman. When he's in the bookstore, he not only insists on buying Jason new textbooks, but he announces to the other students, "It's on me. Shakespeare for everyone." A host of writers, including Dangerfield on the story and Harold Ramis on the screenplay, maximize the joke potential of every scene. Some of the story is a bit stereotypical, but the film's good nature and consistent humor compensate more than adequately for the stereotypes.
In addition to all of the jokes, the actors make the relationships credible. Thornton may not offer Jason tpyical fatherly advice, but Thornton generally offers advice that is beneficial. Diane first takes notice of Thornton at the campus bookstore, and enjoys his enthusiasm. Philip simply dismisses Thornton as "the world's oldest living freshman." It's Philip's stuffiness and dismissiveness that creates trouble between himself and Diane, as well as between himself and Thornton. Dangerfield is not a great actor, but he does well here because the humor is tailored to his comic persona. One of the highlights of his performance is his recitation of Dylan Thomas's famous villanelle, "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night," and the interpretation of the poem he gives to Diane. In addition to the performers I've already mentioned, three others deserve mention for their comic support. First, Robert Downey, Jr., is hilarious as Derek Lutz, the dormmate of Jason's who puts blue streaks in his hair and stands against any conformity. Sam Kinison is just as funny as Professor Terguson, a history teacher who's not afraid to get sarcastic and loud with his students. His verbal exchange with Thornton is another of the film's best moments. Jason Hervey also makes the most of his brief appearance as young Thornton, doing a good job of copying Dangerfield's mannerisms.
The eighties were a time where Rodney Dangerfield took his brand of comedy to the big screen with great success. College will change Thornton Melon, but not as much as Thornton will change college. He may be one of the oldest people in the school, but his behavior is just like that of the much younger students. "Back To School" stands as Dangerfield's biggest achievement on the big screen. He stayed true to his brand of comedy, with very humorous results. He's the regular guy who found his niche in life, and made a fortune as a result. He's also the family man looking to prove a point to his son, as well as to himself. Thornton Melon is a man of means, yet he knows money isn't everything.
What's not to respect about that?
Originally published on Epinions.com.
Description of Back to School
Movie description A self-made millionaire decides to join his only son who is having difficulty in fitting in at school as a freshman in college. This impulse gesture sets him on a path to much laughter, a little romance, a lesson in things that money can't buy and unanimous acclaim as the most popular man on campus. Credits Cast: Burt Young, Keith Gordon, Ned Beatty, Robert Downey Jr., Rodney Dangerfield, Sally KellermanBestsellers in DVD
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