Prep and Pep - Movie Review of the CMA Black Horse Troop  

The New York Times
Movie Review
Published: December 24, 1928
By MORDAUNT HALL

An intermittently cheery and fairly exciting tale of military academy life is now on view at the Roxy Theatre. It bears the title of "Prep and Pep," and a number of the scenes were filmed at the Culver Military Academy in Indiana. David Butler, the director, has succeeded most happily in reflecting the atmosphere of the school together with an amusing conception of the tricks and conduct of the students.

The comic side in this adventure is all the more agreeable for being both human and original. There are subtle touches which were thoroughly appreciated by the audience yesterday afternoon. The story is not vastly different from the average college story, but the clever handling of the subject is responsible for unexpected twists.

David Rollins, the dimpled cheek youth who appeared in. "The Air Circus," impersonates Cyril Reade, the hero of this swiftly moving chronicle. Malcolm Stuart Boylan, the writer of the titles of the picturization of "What Price Glory," endowed this current presentation with the captions and also gave to it the benefit of his story-telling experience. He introduces Cyril Reade (the son of "Tiger" Reade, who, in his day, won many trophies for the academy) as a youth who was "tutored and tailored in Europe." And the best of it is that Cyril looks the part. He never omits to doff his derby to men when he is introduced and nobody co uld be a softer thing for the boys as they are at the academy. Cyril unwittingly furnishes the other students with plenty of laughs and he becomes the butt of their pranks.

In one of the earlier chapters Cyril is forced into a fight with "Flash" Wells. It is like setting up a poodle against a terrier. Cyril is pumeled and punched and only the warning of the coming presence of the commandant saves Cyril from further disaster.

Cyril is largely responsible for losing a relay race, and the boy who has hitherto been considered the rightf ul owner of the dumbell cardboard medal gladly surrenders that decoration to Cyril.

Toward the end there is a prairie fire in which Cyril not only redeems himself but is awarded a real medal and, to send everybody away happy, he, of course, becomes engaged to the commandant's daughter.

Frank Albertson officiates as the mischievous Bunk Hill, who conjures up hilarity at Cyril's expense. Mr. Albertson lends plenty of life and enthusiasm to this part. In fact he makes it so true that it seems as though he were actually a student. John Darrow gives a nice performance as the crack athlete. E. H. Calvert contrives to furnish dignity to the part of the ubiquitous commandant. Nancy Drexel is the engaging young damsel with whom so many of the students are enamored.

Mr. Rollins is excellent as the unfortunate son of a college hero. He gives a genuinely affecting portrayal of Cyril's despair and good nature.

Although S. L. Rothafel's stage offerings are quite a little too long, they are beautif ully conceived. It is a diversion that will appeal to children as well as grownups.

Dr. S. Parkes Cadman is heard through the medium of the movietone. Little children saying a few words from the screen about their cats is a delightf ul bit of speaking screen stuff.

Military Academy Students.
PREP AND PEP, with David Rollins, Nancy Drexel, John Darrow. E. H. Calvert, Frank Albertson and Robert Peck, directed by David Butler; overture, "Merry Wives of Windsor"; English Christmas carols: "The Nativity": "Christmas Greetings," with Patricia Bowman, Mickey McKee and others; Fox Movietone News; "Sleeping Beauty," a spectacle In eight scenes. At the Rosy Theatre.