Now is the time for reviewing the Warner Archive DVD release of the 1960 Spring Break CinemaScope classic "Where the Boys Are" because Archive is re-releasing this film that showcases the pastels and the beach of 1960 Fort Lauderdale on Blu-ray on July 25, 2017. The place to go for either version is your favorite online retailer. The irony is that most of the boys who go to Fort Lauderdale in 2017 prefer other boys.
The following YouTube clip of the theatrical trailer for "Boys" conveys all the fun, college-age drama, and music of the film.
This film that helps Spring Break become a huge part of American college life centers around four coeds who venture from the frigid snowy Midwest campus of Penmore University to the proverbial warm beaches of Fort Lauderdale. The reasons for their extended road trip include the film title.
This Breakfast Club of 1960 additionally wants to obtain a better sense of present self and what they want to be (in the limited context of a female college student of the era) when they grow up. Our leads have comparable era-specific star power as their '80s counterparts and represent the same archetypes with depth.
Future nun Dolores Hart stars as brash brainy coed Merritt Andrews; her classroom sins extend beyond challenging her professor regarding the necessity of waiting until she is bought before she gives up her milk and to expressing similar shocking thoughts. Her reasons for going to Fort Lauderdale include deciding whether to continue her studies.
Future tanning industry golden boy George Hamilton plays the preppie who tries to merit the affections of Andrews; aptly named TFB Ryder Smith is a Brown man who is staying at the luxurious house of his grandparents; he wants to put a ring on it, but Andrews is hesitant.
Paula Prentiss (who provides audio commentary on the DVD) of cult classics such as "The Stepford Wives" and "The World of Henry Orient" makes her acting premiere as tall female jock Tuggle Carpenter. Her deal is that her size and chasteness hinder her ability to keep a man.
Adorkable Jim Hutton plays adorkable Carpenter love interest TV Thompson; they meet cute, and his antics continue to amuse throughout the film. The romantic issue for this compatible couple is that Thompson is more eager for milk than to buy the cow. One aspect of this is that Carpenter not opening for business may drive Thompson to a girl who delivers.
Sex kitten who goes to college "The Time Machine" star Yvette Mimieux is party girl by 1960 standards Melanie Tolman; this love-em-and leave gal gets a lesson in reciprocity that prompts her to bring on the drama before going home to Momma.
Newcomer/theme song singer Connie Francis steals the show as wholesome girl-next-door Angie, She has a wonderfully kooky friendship with few apparent benefits with dialectic jazz musician Basil. Frank "The Riddler" Gorshin puts his quirky persona to good use in this role.
Fun moments include the hotel room of the central girls becoming increasingly crowded throughout the trip, Thompson instigating a near riot at a restaurant, and the local police trying to maintain some order while acknowledging that the rowdy invaders generally are good kids.
The message in all this is that little has changed in 60 years; community standards regarding sex and living arrangements are much looser, but the associated emotions and costs remain the same.
The DVD special feature that is newsreel footage related to the Fort Lauderdale theatrical premiere of "Boys" both is great fun and shows that future fantasycom "My Mother the Car" star Maggie Pierce has a small role in the film. As the Unreal TV review of "Car" shares, the fact that Pierce dies in a real-life car accident is funny from a perverse perspective.
A look-back at the film that includes an interview with Prentiss also is great fun.
Anyone with questions or comments regarding "Boys" is strongly encouraged either to email me or to connect on Twitter via @tvdvdguy.
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