HIGH TIME

US, 1960, 103 minutes, Colour.
Bing Crosby, Richard Beymer, Tuesday Wild, Fabian.
Directed by Blake Edwards.

High Time is a pleasant comedy of 1960. It is very dated now in its presentation of American college students - it very much represents the atmosphere of the fifties prior to the cynicism and critique of the sixties. Bing Crosby is pleasant in the leading role - going back to college with the likes of Richard Beymer, Fabian and Tuesday Weld. The pleasant comedy routines are directed briskly by Blake Edwards in one of his earliest film. At the same time he was to make come or serious film like Days of Wine and Roses and Experiment in Terror. However Edwards was at his best with comedies and is most noted for the Pink Panther series and The Great Race.

1. The meaning of the title? music? The presentation of America around 1960?

2. How well did the film reflect the styles of the 60's? Adults, college students, patriotism? The contrast with the impact now? Does the film seem dated?

3. The use of colour, cinemascope, Bang Crosby and songs? The particular devices of editing used to create pace and to involve the audiences?

4. The importance of pace and style? A with-it atmosphere?

5. The film as a comedy about money? Harvey, his involvement of life in gaining money? The contrast with idealism, education, and being a parent? The American concentration on success, US values?

6. The attitude of the film towards education and its benefits? Wby did Harvey involve himself in education? What did it do for him? For the young people that he studied with? For the educators themselves? An American idealising of education?

7. How attractive a character was Harvey, as played by Bing Crosby? The American self-made man, his money ahd his hamburger restaurants (his visit to one of them and the treatment he was given?), his family life?

8. The presentation of his daughter and her mean attitude towards her father? Her snobbery, her criticism of him, the irony of his being present at the ball and her reaction? When did she come to see his point of view?

9. The film's presentation of University life, the details of enrolling, the pleasant nature of education, the happy attitude of the students of the time?

10. The question of age and the generation gap? Harvey and his fitting into the fraternity? The characters of Gil, Joy, Bannerman? As representing the young American types of the time? The characters, personality and style? The values they stood for, interaction? Their acceptance of Harvey? Year by year the development and the bonds with them?

11. The film made much of the various pranks e.g. the bonfIre, masquerading as the Southern Belle etc.? How like schoolboy pranks were these? As part of the film's comedy?

12. The contrast with Helene and her role in America, her French background, her role at the University? The link between Harvey and Helene? Their growing in love? The holiday together and the way this was presented? Harvey's daughter and her reaction? The action of the Board and the demonstration against this?

13. The necessary happy ending for this kind of film? How realistic, appropriate?

14. What were the particular values of the American way of life?