I have always loved this film, but was sure that it wouldn't quite register with modern day teens in the same way because there is such a different attitude now towards sex and relationships. I was teaching a course in critical viewing of film and wanted to show it as a bridge between movies made under the old production code and movies of today. As we watched it, an amazing thing happened. We realized that the movie reflected a disintegration of marriage that would predict times to come and had lots of relevance in terms of what could happen to kids from broken homes. The romance between Dee and Donahue was easy for the kids to understand, but they also related in part to the older lovers, mostly because the depiction of the marriages was so detailed. I mean, who would want to stay with Ford and Kennedy? Watching the film with them, I could see so much more--exactly why this film was so condemned at the time by the Catholic Legion of Decency for its sympathetic treatment of adultery and premarital sex. It turned out to be a great choice for my course and one that I will definitely use again. Why isn't it on DVD and what a shame that all the principles are gone since a commentary from them would have been so wonderful. For all everyone says about Sandra Dee, I don't know many 17 year ODs who could have turned in that kind of high intensity performance. She was an actress with hidden depths who was unfortunately typecast. Never tire of this film and the song is stunning even today!
Review of A Summer Place
