Blue Denim

Things are just about the way they were for young people at the time just before choice. It may not have had today's broad slice of life in your face stance, but it was not the order of the day.It reflects the last days of a total lack of knowledge and misunderstood truths among the teenagers of that most recent time. Attractive actors may have brought a few more young people to see and think about the films' moral.

This film was probably a shocker for audiences in the Year 1959 when teens getting pregnant was a horrible thing and the parents never explained anything to their children about sex and just figured they would all be educated through biology classes in school. This story is about a young innocent boy, Arthur Bartley, (Brandon DeWilde) who likes the girl next door, Janet Willard, (Carol Lynley) who liked Arthur and Janet decided to give Arthur a good lesson about love making and sex which usually starts a big event in people's lives, babies. Malcolm Bartley, (Macdonald Carey) Arthur's dad had great hopes for his son and he found out that his son was failing in Biology Classes and had straight A's in all his other subjects. Jessie Bartley, (Marsha Hunt) plays the role as Arthur's mother, who is a very calm woman and is very supportive of her family and gives an outstanding performance. By the way, Marsha Hunt had her 91st Birthday on Oct. 17, 2008, she was born on October 17, 1917 and was a great actress on the big screen and also on the New York City Stage. This film was entertaining, enjoy.

Based upon a stage play, this drama about teen angst regarding sex and it's consequences comes close at times to resembling a situation comedy, but fortunately the performances of the cast bring out its feeling and drama as well. De Wilde is a tender teen who's just had his lifelong pal, his dog, put to sleep while he was at school. He seems adrift as his parents fuss over his older sister's pending nuptials. He tries to act tough around best friend Berlinger and soon finds himself captivated by lovely neighbor girl Lynley. Lynley has a meek, overly refined father who can't seem to get in touch with his young child. Eventually, De Wilde and Lynley take their relationship to the next level and a mystifying and unwanted pregnancy is the result. They agonize over what to do while the parents seem to exist on another plane, entirely. De Wilde was already a showbiz veteran at 17, having played hundreds of Broadway performances and starring in "Shane". He brings a lot of depth and feeling to his role. Lynley is also fine as the sensitive good girl who bites off more than she can chew. The best performance is that of Berlinger as both friend and conscience of De Wilde. He gives his role a jolt of energy and sincerity that really helps sell the film. As De Wilde's parents, Carey and Hunt give very good performances, balancing humor and concern. Unfortunately, due to the sometimes jokey nature of the script and the film's setting, this occasionally threatens to become "Dennis the Menace Knocks Up Margaret!" Some of the dialogue and situations are corny and cartoonish, robbing the film of a chance to be as realistic as it might have been. However, by the time the kids have learned their lesson, some authentic and touching emotions have come through. It must be noted that Lynley has perhaps the flattest, most oily-looking ponytail of the '50's. It's also hard to picture what De Wilde and Lynley's awkward first encounter must have been like as they both exude such charming innocence in the film. Bernard Herrmann's "Vertigo-on-the-Playground" score is pretty, but also a bit overwhelming for a story with this subject matter and these small town characters. It can be a little preachy and more than a little pat, but it's definitely worth watching and at 89 minutes, doesn't overstay its welcome.

I must admit I TiVOed this movie because of the description of it. I was intrigued on how a movie made back then could tackle the subject of abortion. If you couldn't even say a word about it, how could you base a whole movie on it? First and foremost, MacDonald Carey did a fantastic job as your typical dad from that era (imagine Fred MacMurray dealing with Robbie knocking a girl up on My Three Sons). Seeing as how he was just about the only one in the movie who could act, I realize how underrated he was at the time (and I guess altogether). The women in the movie (mother and sister of the boy in "trouble") are you typical dingbat "ask the husband what YOUR opinion is" people from that era, which makes it all the more entertaining. The highlights for me are the girl in trouble, the boy's best friend, and of course Mac C. The story is great for the time in which it was acted. Definitely entertaining and worth checking out. Not as dark as "Love with the Proper Stranger" if even that could be considered dark. But good luck finding it. I watched the premiere of it of the FMC. Who knows if it'll be on again.

Yes, this movie is dated along with many faults that the discriminate movie watcher can point out. It does not have the artistic value of another "dated movie" such as "The Best Years of our Lives, 1946" but this was America in 1959. Yes, it was "risque" just like "Summerplace" of the same era. Unwanted pregnancies were a big problem that our ancestors preferred to keep under silence, Hollywood included. Unwanted/unplanned pregnancies still are, except that many teenagers/young adults just get an abortion(s) or simply swell the ranks of single parents. Sadly enough, the cost to our American society is disastrous: poverty, violence, pain, abuse, drugs, etc. Worst of all, this tragedy is self-perpetuating. Art (the star teenager) had the chance of having parents he finally went to, who supported and helped him. Most teenagers nowadays won't have a parent or a mentor to confide in. I know, given up to relative as a child in the fifties, I spent part of my life helping teenagers in distress until the problem got overwhelming. This movie teaches a lesson and spreads a message for teenagers, parents, families and educators. The props may be "dated", the feelings, our human needs and man/woman's quest for love are not. I highly recommend "Blue Denim" as I pursue my journey to find such a place where values and principles of dignity are still practiced.

"Good is he who learns from his mistakes but much better is the one who learns from someone else's errors" was the moral message that "Blue Denim's" Director was telling us.