A Yank at Oxford

Thrusting young Taylor is perfectly cast as the athletic American bound for Oxford's fictional Cardinal College in this jaunty piece of vintage fluff from MGM's British arm. Considering its tourist trail trappings are obviously there for the delectation of the US market, it's surprising that the plot focuses on taking this young buck down a peg or two, as he realises the error of his unsportsmanlike conduct during a collegiate relay race and eventually makes it up with his new English chums after a traditional 'de-bagging'. Romantic intrigue is, of course, part of the equation, with O'Sullivan a fresh-faced fellow student and Leigh ripping into a character part (when Louis B Mayer denied her the female lead) as the lubricious spouse of the town bookseller. Not that anyone ever actually seems to read a book.