The movie's an Illuminating slice of teenage norms, circa 1957. Tommy's (Damon) a good- looking popular 19-year old, used to having his way with girls, going to drive-in's, and carousing with his aimless buddies. Trouble is his dad (Binns) thinks he's on track to nowhere unless he gets serious about maturity. Then Tommy meets good girl Rosemary (Gentle), who's attracted, but wary of his womanizing reputation. Thus begins her struggle to reform him into becoming a socially responsible adult and husband. And, of course, throughout the struggle she must retain her virtue however much she's attracted.
Gentle certainly looks the virginal good girl, while Damon flashes the toothiest smile this side of a dental commercial. Of course, the theme of respectable girls taming fast boys was a popular one for that thoroughly conformist decade. After all, for guys there were only two types of girls—those who did and those who didn't. The first you partied with, the second you married. Here, Damon and Gentle make the shopworn 50's theme fairly convincing with nicely nuanced performances. Still, there's enough kissy-face to satisfy the many horny teens of the period. At the same time, there has to be some action for guy viewers. So a batch of marauding thugs are thrown into the mix, while Tommy's two aimless buddies add a dab of colorful humor or should I say "futeris". And don't miss blonde cutie Connie Stevens (Candy) in her first screen role. Ironically, it's probably she among the cast who went on to the most successful show-biz career.
Anyway, the 70+-minutes amounts to a revealing slice of idealized Americana, 50's style. But little more.
Gentle certainly looks the virginal good girl, while Damon flashes the toothiest smile this side of a dental commercial. Of course, the theme of respectable girls taming fast boys was a popular one for that thoroughly conformist decade. After all, for guys there were only two types of girls—those who did and those who didn't. The first you partied with, the second you married. Here, Damon and Gentle make the shopworn 50's theme fairly convincing with nicely nuanced performances. Still, there's enough kissy-face to satisfy the many horny teens of the period. At the same time, there has to be some action for guy viewers. So a batch of marauding thugs are thrown into the mix, while Tommy's two aimless buddies add a dab of colorful humor or should I say "futeris". And don't miss blonde cutie Connie Stevens (Candy) in her first screen role. Ironically, it's probably she among the cast who went on to the most successful show-biz career.
Anyway, the 70+-minutes amounts to a revealing slice of idealized Americana, 50's style. But little more.