mlraymond Review of Fraternity Row

Fraternity Row (1977)

Sad, nostalgic look back at college fraternities and sororities in the Fifties

[10/10 · 24 October 2006]

I've seen this movie a couple of times on TV a long time ago. I saw it first as a college student with a group of other late Seventies students, who were absolutely spellbound by the story and the characters. I have seldom seen an audience ,albeit a small one, get so involved in a movie. The early to mid-Fifties atmosphere was amazingly well captured. It seemed like looking through a telescope at the past, when elaborate rituals and traditions of sororities and fraternities were commonplace on college campuses. The writing, direction and acting are first rate. It has a lot of humor, but ends up being one of the saddest, most moving films I've ever seen. The two young male actors who portray the narrator and his friend, and the two young actresses who play their girl friends, are first rate. There's a warm,lovable performance by Robert Emhardt as the college dean, which is completely different from the villain roles he's best known for. This movie is worth trying to see, though it hasn't been shown for a long time. Definitely recommended.