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Little Darlings

  • 1980
  • R
  • 1h 36m
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
7.2K
YOUR RATING
Kristy McNichol and Tatum O'Neal in Little Darlings (1980)
Official Trailer
Play trailer2:34
1 Video
78 Photos
Raunchy ComedyComedyDrama

Two fifteen-year-old girls from different sides of the tracks compete to see who will be the first to lose their virginity while at a summer camp.Two fifteen-year-old girls from different sides of the tracks compete to see who will be the first to lose their virginity while at a summer camp.Two fifteen-year-old girls from different sides of the tracks compete to see who will be the first to lose their virginity while at a summer camp.

  • Director
    • Ron Maxwell
  • Writers
    • Kimi Peck
    • Dalene Young
  • Stars
    • Tatum O'Neal
    • Kristy McNichol
    • Armand Assante
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.5/10
    7.2K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Ron Maxwell
    • Writers
      • Kimi Peck
      • Dalene Young
    • Stars
      • Tatum O'Neal
      • Kristy McNichol
      • Armand Assante
    • 65User reviews
    • 42Critic reviews
    • 45Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 4 nominations total

    Videos1

    Little Darlings
    Trailer 2:34
    Little Darlings

    Photos78

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    Top cast28

    Edit
    Tatum O'Neal
    Tatum O'Neal
    • Ferris
    Kristy McNichol
    Kristy McNichol
    • Angel
    Armand Assante
    Armand Assante
    • Gary
    Matt Dillon
    Matt Dillon
    • Randy
    Margaret Blye
    Margaret Blye
    • Ms. Bright
    • (as Maggie Blye)
    Nicolas Coster
    Nicolas Coster
    • Mr. Whitney
    Krista Errickson
    Krista Errickson
    • Cinder
    Alexa Kenin
    Alexa Kenin
    • Dana
    Abby Bluestone
    Abby Bluestone
    • Chubby
    Cynthia Nixon
    Cynthia Nixon
    • Sunshine
    Simone Schachter
    • Carrots
    Jenn Thompson
    • Penelope
    Troas Hayes
    • Diane
    Mary Betten
    • Miss Nichols
    Marianne Gordon
    Marianne Gordon
    • Mrs. Whitney
    Paige Conner
    Paige Conner
    • Girl in T-Shirt
    Edith Ivey
    Edith Ivey
    • Sophisticated Mother
    J. Don Ferguson
    J. Don Ferguson
    • Husband
    • Director
      • Ron Maxwell
    • Writers
      • Kimi Peck
      • Dalene Young
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews65

    6.57.1K
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    10

    Featured reviews

    9dana_dreamer

    Must see

    Wonderful funny teenage coming-of-age flick! A must see for viewers from 12 to 92! It's endearing and the acting is quite good for the age group of the cast. Matt Dillon's performance is stellar and he melts the hearts of all the women in the audience. Kristy McNichol and Tatum Oneal have a believable rivalry that ends in a moment that captures the true essence of teenage friendships. It's a great movie for parents to watch with their about to be teenage daughters, the sons may find it too cheesy. But give it a try. It's a classic flick that will hang around for many, many years to come. The scene where the girls go on a hunt for condoms is priceless! It's definitely a knee slapper. The next scene stealer would be gentle Sunshine who proves that even hippie tree hugging types have their limits. Go on out and pick up a copy. Rent it. You won't be sorry you did.
    ts-0000

    Still a favorite..

    Just recently watched it again,still holds up to this day.

    It's interesting seeing many well known actors,that were cast years back.

    The overall movie premise,casting,acting & cinematography was decently done.

    Worth checking out!
    syllavus

    Good (not so clean) Fun

    I grew up with this movie, surprising considering that I was born in 1979 and literally cannot remember a time when I did not know and enjoy this movie. I suppose my parents figured that being a small toddler and child I wouldn't get the sexual aspects of the movie. They were right. Although I nearly died of embarrassment years later when I asked my father quite innocently what were those "balloon things" that the girls stole from the restroom.

    This movie is campy (no pun intended) this movie is 80's-style cheesy, but none of these factors change the fact that this is a GOOD movie. It details the exploits of a group of teenage girls at summer camp more accurately than any other summer camp movie I've seen. The acting isn't sterling at all times, but it doesn't change the fact that you feel as if you really are watching a bunch of girls goofing off and having fun at summer camp. The food fight scene is wonderfully real with the actors all genuinely laughing and having a great time, the condom-thieving scene is legendary and never loses its hilarity. All the fun and silliness is balanced with the seriousness of some of the situations they get themselves into, and there is a wonderful sense of shared growth between the characters. As stated by many other reviewers, Kristy McNichol shines in her role as Angel, and pulls off a startlingly emotional performance opposite a young Matt Dillon.

    I recommend this movie to every preteen girl, even though it is a tad outdated, I think the heart of the movie will still ring true to all girls out there.
    7rosscinema

    McNichol delivers great performance

    This is the popular film and now cult classic from 1980 and yes, this is the first time I have viewed it! The story is a familiar one, two girls from opposite side of the tracks are involved in a bet while at summer camp and they wager who loses their virginity first. Kristy McNichol is Angel, a girl raised by her mother in a bad neighborhood who is very tough. You can tell she's tough because she chews gum and when she smokes she blows smoke in your face! Tatum O'Neal is Ferris, a rich girl who's father is divorcing her mother. At the camp the other girls all say they have lost their virginity but Ferris and Angel admit they have not. The girls get their money together and make them agree to the bet. Ferris has eyes on an older camp counselor named Gary (Armand Assante) while Angel meets Randy (Matt Dillon) one of the boys from the boys camp across the lake. The film starts out with the usual bitchy banter from the girls and of course there's a food fight in the dining area. The film is not well made but the acting by McNichol is just top notch. Film has that low budget look about it and its not shot with any creative camera angles. But one thing that the film does well is keep the camera on McNichols face, when you think that the shot is going to change angles it does not. The camera lingers on her and it allows McNichol to vary her expressions during some scenes that require a lot from her. Film also does a good job of having this familiar material be from the perspective of a young girl instead of a young man. This is not a great film, most of the characters are badly written and just cardboard characters but when its time for McNichol to lose her virginity then the film becomes a compelling study of a young girl trying to cope with her first time. Its a very mature performance and one that most actress's of her age would not have handled this impressively. McNichol could vary her emotions at the drop of a hat, one moment she has tears in her eyes and in the next instant she gives you that smile that changes the complexities of the whole scene. You can make a case that its one of the best performances of the 80's. She's that terrific! Its also fun to watch a young Krista Errickson (The First Time) and a very young Cynthia Nixon (Sex in the City). I'm at odds with myself, I don't think its a great film but its one that I just can't stop thinking about. Not hard to figure out why. Thanks Kristy!
    7kolohepeanut

    Worth watching!

    Very entertaining movie but what really makes it worthwhile is the wonderful performance by Kristy McNicol. That alone makes it worth watching - she carries the movie all the way through. Love the scene where she and Tatum have their heart-to-heart confession of what really happened - Kristy shows true emotion. Matt Dillon sure was a cute thing back then! Also, watch for a very young Cynthia Nixon from Sex in the City playing the hippie kid. And Armand Asante - what can I say! He was sure in his prime in the looks department! Tatum is only just okay in this film but then maybe that's how her character was supposed to be. A fun watch!

    Best Emmys Moments

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    Little Darlings

    Related interests

    Mark Wahlberg and Seth MacFarlane in Ted 2 (2015)
    Raunchy Comedy
    Will Ferrell in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
    Comedy
    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Kristy McNichol took up smoking as part of the preparation for the role, but couldn't quit the habit. She was a regular smoker for nearly 10 years after finishing the movie.
    • Goofs
      When the girls first get their cabin assignments, Penelope says that Cabin C is for Little Kids (10-year-olds). Later, when Cinder is taking the bets, a much-older girl hands her money and says that Cabin C is betting on Ferris to win.
    • Quotes

      Dana: I knew this one girl and I swear, she did it on a rollercoaster. Hey Ferris, where's the weirdest place you ever did it?

      Ferris: None of your business.

      Cinder: Why not?

      [to the girls]

      Cinder: She probably doesn't know anything.

      Ferris: I know enough.

      Cinder: Ever been to fourth base?

      Ferris: I'm fifteen. No one goes to fourth base...

      Cinder: I hit a home run at fourteen. Well I guess some of us are women, and some of us are little girls.

      [to Angel]

      Cinder: Which are you?

      Angel: I think guys are a pain in the ass.

      Cinder: Two little virgins. How quaint. No wonder they're always fighting. It's all that unreleased energy. Probably lezzies.

      Ferris: Maybe she is, but I'm straight.

    • Crazy credits
      Marianne Gordon is listed in the credits as Mrs. Whitney. The actress filmed scenes as Ferris Whitney's (Tatum O'Neal) mother but her scenes were cut from the film. They gave her the credit as a courtesy!
    • Alternate versions
      NBC broadcast this film in early 1983 (and reran it in mid-1984) using an alternate version complete with originally cut footage to replace the risqué material as well as sloppy dubbing to cover up all traces of "virginity loss". In one case, when Cinder asks Sunshine to "play something sexy" on her flute, the dubbing changed the line to "play something SULTRY." In place of "whoever loses her virginity first--wins!" came the change "whoever gets a guy first--wins!" There was also a fairly large scene brought out of the vault which had Angel saving Ferris from drowning after Ferris' boat capsizes in a storm. Other new scenes: the hijacked bus breaking down just outside of Camp Little Wolf, forcing the girls to walk back with the condom machine; Miss Nichols asking each of the girls if they know anything about one of the campers being involved with Mr. Callahan; the girls going to Miss Nichols to confess their story (to get Gary out of trouble), including a reluctant Cinder (sporting a black eye from Sunshine's sock to her face).
    • Connections
      Featured in Sneak Previews: Little Darlings, Simon, Little Miss Marker, The Black Stallion, Hide in Plain Sight (1980)
    • Soundtracks
      Shake It
      Written by Terence Boylan

      Performed by Iain Matthews (as Ian Matthews)

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    FAQ18

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 21, 1980 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Adorables revoltosas
    • Filming locations
      • Eatonton, Georgia, USA
    • Production company
      • Stephen Friedman/Kings Road Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $34,326,249
    • Gross worldwide
      • $34,326,249
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 36m(96 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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