In the midst of the Great Depression, MGM's glossy musical comedies mostly ignored the country's economic struggle in favor of upscale frivolity amongst the silver gown and dinner jacket set. Future top writing and directing names George Seaton and Philip Dunne helped write 1934's Student Tour, an absurd spin on the collegiate movie craze described by The Hollywood Reporter as "a swell piece of nonsense." To avoid the cancellation of a world tour for Bartlett College's flunking crew team, the 'college vamp' Lilith (Florine McKinney) burns the final exams and shanghaies the dotty philosophy professor Ethelred Lippincott (Charles Butterworth) to tutor them en route. Thus begins an unforgettable chartered cruise. To win the heart of the team captain Bobby (Phil Regan) Lippincott's mousy niece Ann (Maxine Doyle) dons a disguise as an exotic woman of mystery.

Arthur Freed and Nacio Herb Brown came up with five new songs for Doyle and Regan, who are joined in two numbers by an eighteen-year-old newcomer, Betty Grable. As the team's goofy trainer, Jimmy Durante contributes more raucous comedy and his own song, "I Say it With Music".

The musical numbers alternate with outrageous incidents at the tour's four ports of call. A Chinese sage in Shanghai gives his daughter Sum Toy (Helen Chan) to the professor as a gesture of hospitality. In Monte Carlo, guest baritone Nelson Eddy sings in a big music and dance number, "The Carlo." A finale in England sees Durante coaching the Bartlett crew team for a rowing race on the Thames, with Maxine serving as an unorthodox coxswain.

Variety judged Student Tour a lively distraction and a showcase for new talent. Nelson Eddy advanced directly to his highly successful series of operettas opposite Jeanette MacDonald. Bit player Herman Brix soon won the lead role in the serial The New Adventures of Tarzan (1935) and in 1939 would change his name to Bruce Bennett.

By Glenn Erickson