When I first saw Back to School I was close to the age of college student Jason Melon. Watching it now I am closer to the age of Jason's father, Thornton. I was curious if my matured age would damper my fond memories of this film.
Back to School starts strong with Dangerfield doing a commercial/monologue about his Tall and Fat clothing store. I laughed my ass off. "Hi there. Are you a large person? Pleasantly plump? A little on the hefty side, perhaps? Well, let's face it: Are you FAT?..."
Dangerfield plays millionaire entrepreneur Thornton Melon. After his latest marriage goes bust, and by bust I mean Adrienne Barbeau's, he decides to join his son in college. He takes along his chauffeur/body guard, Lou. When they go to register, the room is filled with students. Lou offers to "...move some people."
Thornton remodels their dorm room, throws money around, charming almost everyone. Although Jason at first enjoys his father's company, Jason eventually becomes jealous of him as his larger than life personality, and money, dominates everything around him. Even when he walks in on a girl showering he gets off by bribing a policeman, whose wife is expecting, "Remember, the best thing about kids is making them."
Although not an intellectual, Thornton is a business owner and knows how life works. He immediately offends his business Professor, whom Thornton comments, "He doesn't know dick." Sam Kinison is hysterical as their history teacher. After a student answers why America pulled out of Vietnam, he asks through grinding teeth, "Is she right?" He then goes on a hilarious rant about his experience in Vietnam. Thornton falls for their literature teacher played by the husky voiced Sally Kellerman.
Things do not come easy to Jason as they do for his Dad. Jason has the hot's for fellow student, Valerie, who is dating the star member of the dive team, of which Jason is the towel boy. Jason wants to prove himself, while Thornton hires people, including Kurt Vonnegut Jr., to do his homework. This eventually leads to a father/son confrontation.
As Jason, Keith Gordon is playing the straight man to everyone else's high jinks. This was pretty much the last film he acted in. He would go on to become a director. His credits include The Singing Detective, which stars Robert Downey Jr., who here plays Jason's political minded best friend. "Violent ground acquisition games such as football is in fact a crypto-fascist metaphor for nuclear war."
Of course the real star is Rodney Dangerfield and his endless supply of one liners. "The football team at my high school, they were tough. After they sacked the quarterback, they went after his family." "With the shape I'm in you could donate my body to science fiction." "Lay off Vanessa. She gives great headache." My favorite line has always been when Thornton tries to ask Kellerman out, but she says she cannot because she has to teach a class. He then asks, "I'll tell you what, then. Why don't you call me some time when you have no class?"
I laughed nearly as much as I did the first time I saw this movie. It really has some great comic moments. What I did not remember, but enjoyed during this viewing, was the heart felt relationship between Thornton and his son. I doubt very much that my son wants me to go to college with him, but it would certainly be an honor if he did.
