High Time (film)
Encyclopedia
High Time is a 1960
collegiate comedic film, directed by Blake Edwards
and starring Bing Crosby
. The film is told from the perspective of a middle-aged man who enters the world of a new generation of postwar youth. In the years since its release, High Time has come to be viewed as a comedic study of the slowly-emerging generation gap
between the music and mores of an older generation and postwar youth, as well as an inadvertent time capsule
of American adolescents and lifestyles in 1960.
The President's welcoming speech sets the tone for the effort facing the freshman class. Harvey has to convince the Physical Ed coach that he has what it takes to compete by doing ten plus one pull ups to the cheers of his fellow younger frosh, only to collapse on his face upon finishing his set. Another frosh challenge is the bonfire that must exceed the height of the prior years. Harvey meets the French Professor, Helen Gauthier when removing a supporting wooden chair from her porch. The bonfire's total height comes up a foot short, Harvey climbs to the summit and deposits his 3 foot chair, a very brave and daunting achievement. Having two brilliant roommates and jock Gil Sparrow, Fabian, the academic rigors are always fuel for comedy and camaraderie. Science Professor Thayer, is haphazard, and suffers numerous comedic moments, chemicals that take on a life of their own, pairs of wires that should never be brought near each other during a storm, zap, and improving one's skating skills except on thin ice.
Sophomore year again has Harvey being berated by his children, the school's beat reporter is there to welcome him and puts up with the snobby kids. Harvey is off to meet his last year's roommates and the requisite toast to success. He is asked to join their fraternity and has the usual hazing period to endure, polishing shoes, washing floors and the most challenging, dressing in drag and getting a retired colonel to sign his dance card at a costume ball. The elderly southern gentleman is suffering a gout attack and his social climbing children are attending the same event. While dancing with his son, he so discombobulates him that his dress is torn in half, and while having it fixed in the ladies lounge he floors his daughter. Back on the floor, Harvey bribes the band leader to play 'Dixie', the colonel stands, Harvey pounces into his arms dancing the length of the floor, deposits the sputtering Colonel on his easy chair has him autograph his dance card, throws his wig into his lap and rushes the exit. The rest of the year is full of great football by Gil, academic pressure and more antics by Professor Thayer.
Junior Year starts with Harvey arriving in a red Mercedes convertible, and meeting the group at a 'Harvey Howard Smokehouse' for a toast of goats milk which only T.J. Padmanagham likes. The Smokehouse maitre D' at Harvey Howard's, super snob Burdick doesn't like one bit of this. His first task is to rudely challenge the group to order their meals which is fine with Harvey who orders Harvey Burgers with special sauce for the lot. Burdick sneers back that it's too early for the special sauce, Navy Brat, Bob Bannerman chimes in with "..it's later than you think". The burgers arrive and are dry, carbonized and inedible. Harvey who stands behind all burgers served in his Smokehouses calls Burdick over to "take them back", Burdick challenges Harvey to do better, which he does. Burdick watching Harvey jump to it at the grill catches Harvey Howard's full name and faints. Burdick completes eating a burger prepared by Harvey and becomes a transformed Harvey employee, hilarious. Over the summer prior to Junior Year Harvey had hired Professor Gauthier to tutor him at Nags-head, his children in turn complain to the college and it appears that Gauthier has to resign to save face. The students protest and the President delays any action until the next Spring.
Senior Year, Harvey shows up in a taxi, the group gathers and toast their final year, both Harvey and Gil are still hitting the books hard, with some success. Hay rides with phone booth body jams and a smooth procession towards graduation. Harvey is in denial about his love of Professor Gauthier and she coyly asks him would he like to marry her, he stammers, but the gauntlet is cast. Harvey is the Class of 1960 Valedictorian and his speech covers all the bases, why he challenged himself to find a greater purpose, put up with the struggle, his growing admiration and acceptance of his adult children and his friends own accomplishments. One final challenge is for them to never quit and say something like " I could no sooner do that, than I could fly ", a perfect entry into Harvey being hoisted above the audience on cables to fly around the auditorium. A wink to Professor Gauthier, a smile to all, the end.
. When Cooper's terminal illness forced him to decline the role, Bing Crosby was signed as lead, and the script was revised to his requirements. It was filmed in Stockton, California
at the University Of The Pacific, Stockton Junior High School, Amos Alonzo Stagg
Senior High School and other locations in Stockton. It was originally intended to be filmed at Wake Forest University
in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, but shortly before shooting was to begin the school was informed that filming had been moved to California. As a concession to disappointed students, faculty and alumni, many of the landmarks of Wake Forest University (such as "Bostwick Dormitory", then a women's residence hall) are mentioned in the script.
The song was later recorded by Barbra Streisand
for "The Movie Album
" (2003).
The title song, "High Time," was adopted in 1961 as the opening theme music for Mr. Peppermint
, a long-running children's show in the Dallas–Fort Worth
area.
1960 in film
The year 1960 in film involved some significant events, with Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho the top-grossing release in the U.S.-Events:* April 20 - for the first time since coming home from military service in Germany, Elvis Presley returns to Hollywood, California to film G.I...
collegiate comedic film, directed by Blake Edwards
Blake Edwards
Blake Edwards was an American film director, screenwriter and producer.Edwards' career began in the 1940s as an actor, but he soon turned to writing radio scripts at Columbia Pictures...
and starring Bing Crosby
Bing Crosby
Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation....
. The film is told from the perspective of a middle-aged man who enters the world of a new generation of postwar youth. In the years since its release, High Time has come to be viewed as a comedic study of the slowly-emerging generation gap
Generation gap
The generational gap is and was a term popularized in Western countries during the 1960s referring to differences between people of a younger generation and their elders, especially between children and parents....
between the music and mores of an older generation and postwar youth, as well as an inadvertent time capsule
Time capsule
A time capsule is an historic cache of goods or information, usually intended as a method of communication with future people and to help future archaeologists, anthropologists, or historians...
of American adolescents and lifestyles in 1960.
Plot
Wealthy restauranteur Harvey Howard (Crosby), a self-made man, widower and owner of 'Harvey Howard Smokehouses' decides to go back to college at the age of 51 and earn a bachelor's degree. He faces opposition from his grown snobbish children, as well as a generation gap between himself and his much-younger fellow students. The first day, just convincing older students, faculty and the admin personnel is a humorous task. Enrolling and receiving freshman rooming and being up front about his determination to be "just another freshman". Being assigned a quad rooming arrangement, this sets the standard for the upcoming years. Dealing with the student press, the dorm adviser, and making that first toast with sauerkraut juice to seal their bond to complete their four years together.The President's welcoming speech sets the tone for the effort facing the freshman class. Harvey has to convince the Physical Ed coach that he has what it takes to compete by doing ten plus one pull ups to the cheers of his fellow younger frosh, only to collapse on his face upon finishing his set. Another frosh challenge is the bonfire that must exceed the height of the prior years. Harvey meets the French Professor, Helen Gauthier when removing a supporting wooden chair from her porch. The bonfire's total height comes up a foot short, Harvey climbs to the summit and deposits his 3 foot chair, a very brave and daunting achievement. Having two brilliant roommates and jock Gil Sparrow, Fabian, the academic rigors are always fuel for comedy and camaraderie. Science Professor Thayer, is haphazard, and suffers numerous comedic moments, chemicals that take on a life of their own, pairs of wires that should never be brought near each other during a storm, zap, and improving one's skating skills except on thin ice.
Sophomore year again has Harvey being berated by his children, the school's beat reporter is there to welcome him and puts up with the snobby kids. Harvey is off to meet his last year's roommates and the requisite toast to success. He is asked to join their fraternity and has the usual hazing period to endure, polishing shoes, washing floors and the most challenging, dressing in drag and getting a retired colonel to sign his dance card at a costume ball. The elderly southern gentleman is suffering a gout attack and his social climbing children are attending the same event. While dancing with his son, he so discombobulates him that his dress is torn in half, and while having it fixed in the ladies lounge he floors his daughter. Back on the floor, Harvey bribes the band leader to play 'Dixie', the colonel stands, Harvey pounces into his arms dancing the length of the floor, deposits the sputtering Colonel on his easy chair has him autograph his dance card, throws his wig into his lap and rushes the exit. The rest of the year is full of great football by Gil, academic pressure and more antics by Professor Thayer.
Junior Year starts with Harvey arriving in a red Mercedes convertible, and meeting the group at a 'Harvey Howard Smokehouse' for a toast of goats milk which only T.J. Padmanagham likes. The Smokehouse maitre D' at Harvey Howard's, super snob Burdick doesn't like one bit of this. His first task is to rudely challenge the group to order their meals which is fine with Harvey who orders Harvey Burgers with special sauce for the lot. Burdick sneers back that it's too early for the special sauce, Navy Brat, Bob Bannerman chimes in with "..it's later than you think". The burgers arrive and are dry, carbonized and inedible. Harvey who stands behind all burgers served in his Smokehouses calls Burdick over to "take them back", Burdick challenges Harvey to do better, which he does. Burdick watching Harvey jump to it at the grill catches Harvey Howard's full name and faints. Burdick completes eating a burger prepared by Harvey and becomes a transformed Harvey employee, hilarious. Over the summer prior to Junior Year Harvey had hired Professor Gauthier to tutor him at Nags-head, his children in turn complain to the college and it appears that Gauthier has to resign to save face. The students protest and the President delays any action until the next Spring.
Senior Year, Harvey shows up in a taxi, the group gathers and toast their final year, both Harvey and Gil are still hitting the books hard, with some success. Hay rides with phone booth body jams and a smooth procession towards graduation. Harvey is in denial about his love of Professor Gauthier and she coyly asks him would he like to marry her, he stammers, but the gauntlet is cast. Harvey is the Class of 1960 Valedictorian and his speech covers all the bases, why he challenged himself to find a greater purpose, put up with the struggle, his growing admiration and acceptance of his adult children and his friends own accomplishments. One final challenge is for them to never quit and say something like " I could no sooner do that, than I could fly ", a perfect entry into Harvey being hoisted above the audience on cables to fly around the auditorium. A wink to Professor Gauthier, a smile to all, the end.
Background
High Time was scripted by Garson Kanin, Frank Waldman, and Tom Waldman. It was originally titled "Big Daddy", with the starring role to be played by Gary CooperGary Cooper
Frank James Cooper, known professionally as Gary Cooper, was an American film actor. He was renowned for his quiet, understated acting style and his stoic, but at times intense screen persona, which was particularly well suited to the many Westerns he made...
. When Cooper's terminal illness forced him to decline the role, Bing Crosby was signed as lead, and the script was revised to his requirements. It was filmed in Stockton, California
Stockton, California
Stockton, California, the seat of San Joaquin County, is the fourth-largest city in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. With a population of 291,707 at the 2010 census, Stockton ranks as this state's 13th largest city...
at the University Of The Pacific, Stockton Junior High School, Amos Alonzo Stagg
Amos Alonzo Stagg
Amos Alonzo Stagg was an American athlete and pioneering college coach in multiple sports, primarily American football...
Senior High School and other locations in Stockton. It was originally intended to be filmed at Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University is a private, coeducational university in the U.S. state of North Carolina, founded in 1834. The university received its name from its original location in Wake Forest, north of Raleigh, North Carolina, the state capital. The Reynolda Campus, the university's main campus, is...
in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, but shortly before shooting was to begin the school was informed that filming had been moved to California. As a concession to disappointed students, faculty and alumni, many of the landmarks of Wake Forest University (such as "Bostwick Dormitory", then a women's residence hall) are mentioned in the script.
Cast
- Bing CrosbyBing CrosbyHarry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation....
.... Harvey Howard - FabianFabian (entertainer)Fabiano Anthony Forte , known as Fabian, is an American teen idol of the late 1950s and early 1960s. He rose to national prominence after performing several times on American Bandstand. Eleven of his songs reached the Billboard Hot 100 listing.-Early life:Fabian was the son of Josephine and Domenic...
.... Gil Sparrow - Tuesday WeldTuesday WeldTuesday Weld is an American actress.Weld began her acting career as a child, and progressed to more mature roles during the late 1950s. She won a Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Female Newcomer in 1960...
.... Joy Elder - Nicole MaureyNicole MaureyNicole Maurey is a French actress, who has appeared in 65 film and television productions between 1945 and 1997. Born in Bois-Colombes, a northwestern suburb of Paris, she was originally a dancer before being cast in her first film role in 1944...
.... Prof. Helene Gauthier - Richard BeymerRichard BeymerGeorge Richard Beymer, Jr. is an American actor known for playing Tony in the 1961 film version of West Side Story and Ben Horne on the 1990 television series Twin Peaks.-Life and career:...
.... Bob Bannerman - Patrick AdiartePatrick AdiartePatrick Adiarte is an American theater, film and television actor and dancer, known for his portrayal of foreign or Asian characters in various roles in film and television. His roles have included Prince Chulalongkorn in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The King and I, college student T.J...
.... T.J. Padmanagham - Yvonne CraigYvonne CraigYvonne Joyce Craig is an American actress best known for her role as Batgirl from the 1960s TV series Batman, and as the Orion Marta in the Star Trek: The Original Series episode “Whom Gods Destroy”.-Early life and career:...
.... Randy 'Scoop' Pruitt - Jimmy BoydJimmy BoydJimmy Boyd was an American singer, musician, and actor. He was best known for his recording of the novelty song "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus".-Early years:...
.... Robert Higgson - Gavin MacLeodGavin MacLeodGavin MacLeod is an American actor most notable for playing Happy Haines on McHale's Navy, Murray Slaughter on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Captain Merrill Stubing on The Love Boat...
.... Professor Thayer - Kenneth MacKenna .... President Byrne of Pinehurst
- Nina Shipman .... Laura Howard
- Angus Duncan .... Harvey Howard Jr.
- Paul von Schreiber .... Crump
- Harold Ayer .... Student
- Jimmy Baya .... Band Leader
- Carla Borelli .... Harvey Jr.'s Date at Ball
- Harry Carter .... Harvey's Chauffeur
- Alvin ChildressAlvin ChildressAlvin Childress was an African American actor who is best known for playing the cabdriver Amos Jones in the 1950s television comedy series Amos 'n Andy.-Biography:...
.... Guest Announcer at Judge Carter's Ball - Donald Cockburn .... Basketball Coach
- Dick Crockett .... Bones McKinney
- Douglass DumbrilleDouglass DumbrilleDouglass Dumbrille was a Canadian actor and one of the Canadian pioneers in early Hollywood.-Life and career:...
.... Judge Carter - Gregg Dunn .... Bit Role
- Opal Euard .... Mrs. Carter
- Frank Fowler .... Professor
- Don Gazzaniga .... Bit Role
- Ruby Goodwin .... Dr. Byrne's Maid
- Ray Hamilton .... Laura's Date at Ball
- John Page Harrington .... Heazlett
- Linda Hutchings .... Bit Role
- Byron Kane .... Professor
- Jean Paul King .... Professor
- James Lanphier .... Burdick, Maitre D' at Harvey Howard's
- Johnny Lee .... Servant at Judge Carter's Ball
- Mary Patton .... Matron
- Edmund T. Peckham .... Professor
- Ray A. Rustigan .... Hedgepeth
- Art Salter .... Gas Station Attendant
- Jeffrey Sayre .... Helps Harvey from Floor at Dance
- Frank J. Scannell .... Auctioneer at College
- Elisabeth Talbot-Martin .... Matron
- Emerson TreacyEmerson Treacy-Career:Treacy was teamed with comedienne Gay Seabrook to form the double-act Treacy and Seabrook. The team was very successful on radio and in theater during the early 1930s, with routines similar to those of real husband-and-wife team Burns and Allen....
.... Professor - Janice Trotter .... Student
- Irene VernonIrene VernonIrene Vernon was an American actress.-Background:Vernon was born as Irene Vergauwen in Mishawaka, Indiana. Her career began with small uncredited roles in 1940s movies...
.... Matron - Ernestine WadeErnestine WadeErnestine Wade was an African American actress who is best known for playing the role of Sapphire Stevens on the radio and television program Amos 'n Andy.-Career:...
.... Judge Carter's Maid - H.E. West .... Bit Role
Soundtrack
The film introduced the song "The Second Time Around". It was the last song Bing Crosby introduced that would be nominated for an Oscar for Best Song.The song was later recorded by Barbra Streisand
Barbra Streisand
Barbra Joan Streisand is an American singer, actress, film producer and director. She has won two Academy Awards, eight Grammy Awards, four Emmy Awards, a Special Tony Award, an American Film Institute award, a Peabody Award, and is one of the few entertainers who have won an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy,...
for "The Movie Album
The Movie Album
The Movie Album is the 60th album released by Barbra Streisand. The album is made up of 12 songs newly recorded by Streisand which were previously featured in films.- Track listing :...
" (2003).
The title song, "High Time," was adopted in 1961 as the opening theme music for Mr. Peppermint
Jerry Haynes
Jerome Martin "Jerry" Haynes was an American actor from Dallas, Texas. He is most well known as Mr. Peppermint, a role he played for 30 years as the host of one of the longest-running local children's shows in television, the Dallas-based Mr...
, a long-running children's show in the Dallas–Fort Worth
Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex
The Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington Metropolitan Statistical Area, a title designated by the U.S. Census as of 2003, encompasses 12 counties within the U.S. state of Texas. The area is divided into two metropolitan divisions: Dallas–Plano–Irving and Fort Worth–Arlington. Residents of the area...
area.