Summertree

A great, thought-provoking movie. Of particular note is the performance of William "Bill" Smith, who played the Draft Lawyer!

Coming of age in the 60's this movie bought back so many memories. I could not stop myself from crying. Michael Douglas does a wonderful job as the conflicted young man faced with hard choices.

Michael Douglas is "Jerry", one of his early film roles, who comes home, and is about to be drafted. co-stars Jack Warden, Brenda Vaccaro, Barbara BelGeddes. Rob Reiner and Teri Garr are also in here. The plot is pretty lame. Jerry, signs up to be a "big brother". Vaccaro is "Vanetta", the love interest. when Jerry gets drafted, he doesn't think he can fight, so of course there's a huge argument with his parentals on the right thing to do. Jerry butts heads with dad, and suddenly, the film is over, and we find out what Jerry decided. quite the abrupt ending. like they lost the last reel of film and had to sum it up in one minute. One of only TWO films directed by british Tony Newley! Newley was a jack of all trades.. musician, actor... and married to Joan Collins for eight years! this one is okay. not anyone's best work.

Michael Douglas plays a college student who's trying to figure out what to do with his life, as most 19-21 year old kids are wont to do. As long as he stays in college, he can get a deferment from the draft to Vietnam. Following his Christmas break, he decides to apply to a music conservancy after he gets good initial reviews from his audition (guitar playing). A man waiting off-stage offers him a job to play in between band sets at a coffee house he owns, and Douglas jumps at the chance. Things are going swell. He has a job offer, a chance to study and make music, a love life that is sweet and hot with Brenda Vaccaro (a nurse who's separated, but not yet divorced from her husband), good rapport with his 'little brother', played by Kirk Callaway, and a somewhat tepid, but improving relationship with his parents (Jack Warden and Bel Geddes).

Then he makes the fateful decision to drop out of college to pursue his music education. Since the conservancy is tied to the university he's attending, things should be fine as far as his draft status is concerned. Things in his life begin to unravel as the first big 'Whoops' occurs. He doesn't get a scholarship to the conservancy. His father shows up to give him his draft notice. His girlfriend's husband shows up from 'Nam. His 'little brother's' real life brother is killed in 'Nam. Talk about when it rains, it pours!! So Jerry (Douglas' character) tries to figure out how to get out of the draft. He settles on his last, best idea, which is to high-tail it off to Canada.

He buys a beat up Ford Falcon and stops at his home to bid his parents adieu. His mom doesn't like the idea of him leaving, but she's supportive of his decision. Dad is against the idea. Is it because he's concerned about his son being labeled a fugitive or a coward? We aren't sure, but he gives in and takes his son to an auto repair shop to check out the car and get a new set of tires for the trip north. While at the garage, Douglas overhears Jack Warden speaking with the owner of the body shop imploring him to do something, anything to disable the vehicle for a few days (presumably to try and reason with his son). Douglas freaks out, jumps in the car, burns rubber, and tries to speed off, but instead T-bones a car being hauled by a tow truck to the body shop. Warden gets in on the passenger side of the car and has a stare down with his boy.

I'm not going to give away the ending here, but it does have a stunning twist to it. Well, stunning as far as I was concerned. I'd give it about 6.5 out of 10.

I was about 10 years old when I started to watch Summertree. I liked Michael Douglas. I thought he was handsome! Just that alone was enough for me to stop changing channels and watch! I was mesmerized by the great acting! Michael Douglas played his role with such conviction and depth I was drawn to keep watching the movie. The roles of his parents were for me heart wrenching to watch. The conflict between father and son probably was played out (in real life!) in homes all across the country during the Vietnam war. The mother was played my one of my all time favorite actresses. She was torn in half physically & emotionally for she deeply loved her son and yet honored her husband. A tough no-win situation to be in! This is the other reason I am posting comments about Summertree. The Music! I heard the most beautiful guitar song!(no words) I couldn't believe how BEAUTIFUL IT WAS! I ran to my piano to pluck it out! I play it to this very day!(30 years later)I have craved to hear it again, I have done hours of research to find the music, the title, & score. The tempo makes me think of Waltz Dancing music. Maybe Strauss? It's Hauntingly Beautiful! I wish that this movie would come out on DVD!