Summer of '42

After watching Summer Of 42 and noted it's Oscar recognition came in the form of an award for Michel Legrand for Best Musical Scoring for1971 it occured to me that this film is one of the best examples of how the proper music can make a film. It's a beautiful film score, but more than that without it and lesser music this movie could have been a version of Porky's 42.

Three horny teen boys Gary Grimes, Jerry Houser, and Oliver Conant are ; vacarioning on Nantucket Island hich has fewer tourists than normal in that first summer of America in World War 2. The usual teen girls like Christopher Norris and friends get the engines racing. But who really intrigues them is Jennifer O'Neill a war bride whom they catch sight of sending her husband off to war.

Her aloneness sets the hormones racing. But Grimes who meets her accidentally and helps her with groceries becomes a friend. You take it from there.

The score is also helped by the photography of some beautiful scenes of Nantucket or whatever passed for it. Both Grimes and O'Neill got career roles out of the film. They both give sensitive and nuanced performances.

The film holds up well after almost 50 years. No remake will ever be necessary.

Three young boys spend their summers on a vacation spot on the New England coast. They share their tribulations and fascinations while partaking of the lazy summers. The summer of '42, they discover sex and exchange yearnings. One of the boys finds a book, with pictures no less. Now their desires are really getting fired up.

One of the boys, Hermie, played by Gary Grimes, has to deal with a strong infatuation with a young wife staying in a house on the beach. The finale is tender and bittersweet. My favorite scene is the drug store scene. It is a real hoot; trying to buy "protection" along with needless items as a decoy.

The other two boys are played by Jerry Houser and Oliver Conant. The object of Hermie's infatuation is the alluring Jennifer O'Neill. She plays the part so effortlessly and so easily the object of any young boy's dream.

This is an enjoyable human drama about daydreams,sexual awareness and coming of age. Beautiful music supplied by Michel Legrand.

I saw this film with my dad at the long-gone Surf Theater on 74th Street and Collins Avenue on Miami Beach as a sneak preview. The theater was packed and I was 13 years old and three girls in their early 20s sat next to us, and I was a little red-faced about the movie. But, what a truly beautiful and romantic film. I always thought that my "first" love would be like the Summer of 42. Unfortunately in my case it wasn't. I joined the Army and had my "first" experience with a B-girl(bar-girl) overseas. It wasn't until I was 25 that I think I really had the "love feelings" that were shown in this timeless classic. A great film with outstanding performances by all involved. Really a shame that Gary Grimes and Jerry Houser never achieved the super stardom they deserved. And Jennier O'Neal was so beautiful. She was all-natural, so fresh, so down-to-earth. The Summer of 42 is great.

A good classic romance movie; it has a good story and good performances; I recommend it.

I first saw this movie on TV as a teenager in the 70s. One or two of my sisters may have been watching too, and it was somewhat embarrassing when the intimate scene with Hermie and Dorothy came out, but I wasn't about to turn my head as I enjoyed the movie as a whole. My parents were never that strict on us so I didn't have that worry.

This movie tugs at the emotions. The impossible relationship with the beautiful older woman. The camaraderie with friends during that age. It's also interesting how 15 year old girls were made to appear so immature and unsexy, like when the 3 boys had dates and were standing in a movie line. Everything points to the thrill of that older woman relationship. I was just wanting that to happen for Herbie, and when it did... wow. Some of the situations were humorous, like when Herbie tries to buy rubbers at the dime store. Just all in all a great story, one I can watch again and again. I give it 8 out of 10 stars. This one is easily in my top 250.