bkoganbing Although A Yank At Eton is supposed to put you in mind of MGM's classic A Yank At Oxford, in fact this film is a reworking of the plot of Boys Town. Please note that Norman Taurog directed star Mickey Rooney in Boys Town and Men Of Boys Town.After the death of her husband, Marta Linden takes a trip to Europe and returns with a new husband in Ian Hunter to the distress of her children, Rooney and Juanita Quigley. She says they're moving to England and Rooney doesn't like the idea because he wants to play football for Notre Dame.Hunter gets the Mick into his old alma mater Eton and Rooney takes to it much like his character of Whitey Marsh took to Boystown. But the Mick's got a heart of gold which soon comes out. If you have seen Boys Town and remember the plot situations that's roughly what happens here.There were some criticisms of A Yank At Eton one of which was the mistake of showing folks using left hand drive in cars instead of right hand which is what they have in the UK. Most of the time the negative was just reversed like they did for Gary Cooper to show a left handed batting Lou Gehrig in Pride Of The Yankees. In crowd scenes that couldn't be helped and unlike A Yank At Oxford, this film was done on the MGM back lot. However having Rooney as a track star was a bit much. Face it folks, Mickey's size and short legs would never have made him any kind of star in running. And here they have Mickey doing hurdles and doing it in street shoes. Track coaches around the world probably laughed their heads off.Although this was a wartime film with the obligatory reminder to buy bonds at the end of the film, there's not a mention of war or impending war in the film. Just a reminder of how Eton trains some of the future leaders in Great Britain who have never let the country down in peril. They might well have quoted the Duke of Wellington's aphorism of how the Battle Of Waterloo was won on the playing fields of Eton.It's not Boystown, but A Yank At Eton is an entertaining film if one can overlook some flaws. They should have had Mickey stick to football, he would have been interesting playing rugby in the climax.

wes-connors Kept back in high school, to possibly improve his football prowess, exuberant Mickey Rooney (as Timothy "Tim" Dennis) is shocked by the appearance of little sister Juanita Quigley (as Jane, "The Runt") in the boys locker room. The adolescent "Baby Jane" has some not-so-swell news - single mom Marta Linden (as Winifred) has just married wealthy British Ian Hunter (as Roger Carlton), and the family is relocating to England. Needless to say, Mr. Rooney is excited, but not about the move; he was hoping to play football at Notre Dame, but finds himself, instead, "A Yank at Eton".Teenage brother-by-marriage Freddie Bartholomew (as Peter Carlton) shows Rooney the ropes at jolly old Eton, and later becomes involved in the obligatory disciplinary misunderstanding. Bullying young Peter Lawford (as Ronnie Kenvil) provides conflict. Gruff Edmund Gwenn (as Justin) is the headmaster. Adorable little Raymond Severn (as "Inky" Weeld) sends the cute quotient off the charts, especially when paired with Ms. Quigley. This film seems to be a follow-up to "A Yank at Oxford" (1938), with Bartholomew swiped from RKO's "Tom Brown's School Days" (1940).Terry Kilburn has a bigger part than King Baggot.There are a few heart-tugging scenes, and an unmistakable wartime message. One of the comedy highlights occurs when most of the featured players eat a cake Rooney makes with glue - it's either awkward, stupid, or funny, depending on your level of appreciation for Mickey Rooney off the MGM production-line. "A Yank at Eton" had all the ingredients needed to keep box offices busy, which it did. Rooney was sitting comfortably at #4 in the Quigley "Top Ten" stars list; he gets a strong supporting cast, top flight crew, and proved formula. Producer John Considine's kid stayed in the picture.***** A Yank at Eton (10/8/42) Norman Taurog ~ Mickey Rooney, Freddie Bartholomew, Juanita Quigley, Peter Lawford

robtday I always thought Mickey Rooney could do it all and here he is very good as an American who gets uprooted to England. It's pretty funny to see how he contrasts his Americanness (slang etc.) with the stuffy British ways. The the girl who plays the visiting American snob is a little too much though. The best scenes are Rooneys when he is battling the school system though I was annoyed with him when he took the prize horse out of the stable -- you just knew something bad was going to happen. I also like Ian Hunter as his stepfather; His films are always good too. Freddie Batholomew showed why MGM had great child stars. A nice diversion.

Stephen Alfieri By some strange coincidence I caught this movie on the same day that I saw "Lord Jeff"(1938), from M-G-M. I note this because it had some of the same cast (Mickey Rooney, Freddie Bartholomew, Peter Lawford). However, in 1938 Bartholomew was the lead and received top billing. Only four years later, Rooney was the top rated star in Hollywood, and Bartholemew had only a couple of movies left, before M-G-M cut him loose.The stories come from basically the same formula, as well. Both involve boys who are put into a new location, both feel they are better than the others around them, both are shunned by their peers, only to win them over in the final reel. Both are also extremely predictable.This film (the better of the two), will appeal to Rooney fans, and is a decent way to spend an hour and a half. Not a classic.6 out of 10