Fraternity Row (film)


Fraternity Row is a 1977 American drama film portraying life in a 1950s fraternity at a fictional college.

Plot

This movie tells the story of one college student and his trials and tribulations as he pledges the Gamma Nu Pi Fraternity at a fictional Eastern school. The film depicts common hazing practices during the era including humiliation, onion eating and severe paddling.

Cast

Originally this film was Charles Gary Allison's thesis while he was a film student at USC. It was then picked up and distributed by Paramount. It is said to have been inspired by the 1959 hazing death of Kappa Sigma pledge Richard Swanson, who died after attempting to swallow a quarter pound piece of raw liver without chewing.

Critical reception

Fraternity Row met with generally positive reviews. However, the movie failed to catch on and did only a very light business at the box office. It has not been released to VHS or DVD.