Life Begins at 17

If it happens that Life Begins at 17 even faintly resembles the domestic and social values it depicts, then this seemingly harmless teen pic has to be reckoned one of the most horrifying documents of the Fifties. Deception, parental neglect, and emotional blackmail are at the heart of a story that has frat brat Damon pretending to be interested in Anders in order to get her gorgeous sister to fall for him. Once she learns of his deceit, Anders retaliates in a bizarre and unexpected way.

While this is obviously an exploitation picture, there are domestic scenes that sensitively capture the strained parent/child relationships. Particularly moving is the scene between Mark Damon and his father, in which Damon expresses betrayal from his father for not believing him. Damon is superb in this scene, bringing an emotional depth rare in a picture of this sort.

Don't get the impression that this is a good movie. It's not. But it's a fascinating document of its era - one that could generate hours of discussion on its sociological implications.