Anyone who was around in 1971 remembers the sensation that "Summer of '42" caused back then. In a more proper time, the story of a young war bride and an innocent teenager was a smash hit with audiences. So...an inevitable sequel with most of the original cast was released in 1973.
"Class of '44" should have been titled "Hermie and Oscy Go to College" since that's about all the sequel is about. Hermie (Gary Grimes), Oscy (Jerry Hauser), and Benjie (Oliver Conant) graduate from high school, after which Hermie and Oscy attend college while Benjie joins the service. Hermie becomes involved with rich Julie (Deborah Winters) and Oscy is thrown out of school, leading to the nondescript end of the movie in a train station with Julie and Hermie confirming their love.
"Class of '44" isn't a bad movie, it just can't possibly compete with "Summer of '42" on any level. There's no real momentum to this film, we don't care much about the characters, and the basic plot simply meanders all over the place. Christopher Norris and Jennifer O'Neill are sadly missing from this movie, and their absence really makes a difference. John Candy has a brief role after the high school graduation sequence but it's not much.
Grimes disappeared from movies after a couple of years, Winters had a very short acting career, and Houser and O'Neill went on to establish themselves as solid actors in movies and on television. "Class of '44" isn't nearly as profound or entertaining as the original film, but it's certainly acceptable for an undemanding evening if you can locate the DVD.
"Class of '44" should have been titled "Hermie and Oscy Go to College" since that's about all the sequel is about. Hermie (Gary Grimes), Oscy (Jerry Hauser), and Benjie (Oliver Conant) graduate from high school, after which Hermie and Oscy attend college while Benjie joins the service. Hermie becomes involved with rich Julie (Deborah Winters) and Oscy is thrown out of school, leading to the nondescript end of the movie in a train station with Julie and Hermie confirming their love.
"Class of '44" isn't a bad movie, it just can't possibly compete with "Summer of '42" on any level. There's no real momentum to this film, we don't care much about the characters, and the basic plot simply meanders all over the place. Christopher Norris and Jennifer O'Neill are sadly missing from this movie, and their absence really makes a difference. John Candy has a brief role after the high school graduation sequence but it's not much.
Grimes disappeared from movies after a couple of years, Winters had a very short acting career, and Houser and O'Neill went on to establish themselves as solid actors in movies and on television. "Class of '44" isn't nearly as profound or entertaining as the original film, but it's certainly acceptable for an undemanding evening if you can locate the DVD.