Barbara Kent started her career with a bang with an ingénue role in "Flesh and the Devil" (1926). Okay, so nothing could be more superfluous than being an ingénue in a Greta Garbo movie but it was a prestigious start that was followed the next year by being named a WAMPAS baby star and being given the leading actress role in "The Drop Kick" starring Richard Barthelmess, one of the top actors of the 1920s. He was just coming off his huge success "The Patent Leather Kid" but, strangely, he didn't have much to do in this one even though he was the star. It was a plot driven story of scandal and betrayal played out against a background of college football - in fact Jack's mother, described in the titles as more of a pal and played by Hedda Hopper, does more than anyone to forward the narrative.
Jack Hamill (Barthelmess) returns to college, glorying in being their best drop kicker ever - he is eager to see his great friend and coach Brad Hathaway but not so keen to see his former sweetheart Eunice (gorgeous Dorothy Revier) who is now married to Brad. As well as sending Brad to the cleaners with her extravagance she doesn't let marriage stop her from being the "sweetheart of the campus" but Jack is not having a bar of it.
A highlight of the movie is the spectacular prom set with lighted revolving windmills - they sure knew how to put on a show in the twenties!! While all the revelry and fun of the prom is going on, Brad is tucked away with the auditors who have found a $10,000 discrepancy in the books - that was going to be money for the new club house and with a wife who has a weakness for diamonds and a nervous look, it is clear Brad is guilty!!
If you have ever seen Marion Davies' yearning looks in "The Patsy" you will get a clear idea of the extent of Barbara Kent's acting ability in this movie!! She plays Cecily, the girl Jack's mother is eager to see him paired with but at the prom her coyness and shyness make her appear as interesting as watching paint dry to Jack!! He is far keener on snappy Molly (Alberta Vaughn).
Meanwhile things are getting dramatic at Brad and Eunice's. He confesses to Eunice that he stole the money for her and she tells him to go which he does with a bang but not before he has left a note to Jack explaining his actions!! Desperate Eunice sends for Jack but after failing to arouse him with her amorous advances she informs him that Brad has killed himself because he thought Jack was having an affair with her!! What a pal she is - not!!! The second page of the note seems to bear this out - however the first page , which tells of the fraud, is missing!! Jack's mother realises the first page must be found and while the big game is in progress (with Jack's agitation a big minus for the team) sets about to put things right.
Cute Alberta Vaughn who had appeared in several series of shorts ("The Go-Getter", "The Telephone Girl", "The Pacemakers" etc) moved briefly to the big time with her small role as Molly and Variety noted that Alberta was used for a "few necking scenes"!!
Jack Hamill (Barthelmess) returns to college, glorying in being their best drop kicker ever - he is eager to see his great friend and coach Brad Hathaway but not so keen to see his former sweetheart Eunice (gorgeous Dorothy Revier) who is now married to Brad. As well as sending Brad to the cleaners with her extravagance she doesn't let marriage stop her from being the "sweetheart of the campus" but Jack is not having a bar of it.
A highlight of the movie is the spectacular prom set with lighted revolving windmills - they sure knew how to put on a show in the twenties!! While all the revelry and fun of the prom is going on, Brad is tucked away with the auditors who have found a $10,000 discrepancy in the books - that was going to be money for the new club house and with a wife who has a weakness for diamonds and a nervous look, it is clear Brad is guilty!!
If you have ever seen Marion Davies' yearning looks in "The Patsy" you will get a clear idea of the extent of Barbara Kent's acting ability in this movie!! She plays Cecily, the girl Jack's mother is eager to see him paired with but at the prom her coyness and shyness make her appear as interesting as watching paint dry to Jack!! He is far keener on snappy Molly (Alberta Vaughn).
Meanwhile things are getting dramatic at Brad and Eunice's. He confesses to Eunice that he stole the money for her and she tells him to go which he does with a bang but not before he has left a note to Jack explaining his actions!! Desperate Eunice sends for Jack but after failing to arouse him with her amorous advances she informs him that Brad has killed himself because he thought Jack was having an affair with her!! What a pal she is - not!!! The second page of the note seems to bear this out - however the first page , which tells of the fraud, is missing!! Jack's mother realises the first page must be found and while the big game is in progress (with Jack's agitation a big minus for the team) sets about to put things right.
Cute Alberta Vaughn who had appeared in several series of shorts ("The Go-Getter", "The Telephone Girl", "The Pacemakers" etc) moved briefly to the big time with her small role as Molly and Variety noted that Alberta was used for a "few necking scenes"!!