Strict all-girl boarding school in 1955 Massachusetts is the setting for thoughtful, gentle, if familiar tale of two senior dorm roommates (one tall and lovely, the other a flat-chested hoyden) obsessed with boys and "doing it" for the first time. From "Blue Denim" in the 1950s to "Love With the Proper Stranger" in the '60s and "Racing With The Moon" in the '80s, it seems every generation gets a movie like this one (usually set in the nostalgic past) wherein sexual proclivities are often seen as life deterrents. Pamela Sue Martin doesn't have the range of a studied actress, yet her dryly engaged manner and mature, offhand observations (mostly cynical) make her an appealing screen presence. Betsy Slade, on the other hand, does seem studied, but this doesn't work for her wallflower character (she's too world-weary, too ready to fall apart to really become embraceable). The film's '50s milieu is extremely well-judged, from the all-important 'mixer' dance to the best mid-priced hotel, from the authentic cabs and cars to the desolate building of the nearest abortionist. Does the movie pack any more of a punch than your average TV drama covering this same territory? Probably not, but it has a resonance that stays with one, even if the plot functions and characters have been utilized before, after, and since. **1/2 from ****
