Delores Hart, Yvettte Mimeux, Paula Prentiss, and Connie Francis are "Where the Boys Are," a 1960 film about spring break in Fort Lauderdale. The boys are Jim Hutton, George Hamilton, and Frank Gorshin.
The four young women drive down to Fort Lauderdale for spring break, with an agenda of having fun and meeting men. The exception to this is Merritt (Hart) who has some school work to catch up on. The first reel is the last we hear of school work. With the exception of Angie (Connie Francis), the gals meet guys immediately - Tuggle (Prentiss) meets TV (Hutton), who hitches a ride to Lauderdale with them; Merritt meets the wealthy Ryder (George Hamilton), and frail, pretty Melanie (Mimieux) meets Dill (John Brennan). Angie later meets a jazz musician (Gorshin).
The questions are, can true love be found during spring break? And, how far do you have to go to hook a man? Despite Merritt's free-thinking, she and Tuggle intend to stay pure; Angie doesn't have a choice; and Merritt -- Merritt is in for some tough realizations.
All in all, a fun movie and a great look at the '50s mores and the power of the Hays code, which was still punishing girls who had sex before marriage.
The best things about Where the Boys Are is seeing all these stars as young and fresh, with their movie careers just beginning, and another chance to hear Connie Francis sing the title song and "Turn on the Sunshine." She was terrific. Barbara Nichols plays a sexy performer and does "Have you Met Miss Fandango?" With the exception of Delores Hart, who became a nun, all of these youngsters would go on to successful careers. The young man who played Dill, John Brennan, was blackballed after yelling at a director who was demeaning the singer Odetta; he went on to work behind the scenes and killed himself in 2007 after his wife's death. Already a huge singing star by 1960, Francis, of course, is still singing after a miserable life that includes the death of her brother, rape, and a bipolar disorder.
Spring breaks today still have plenty of booze and suntans but also plenty of everything else (including young women disappearing) - enjoy this film about a much more innocent time.
The four young women drive down to Fort Lauderdale for spring break, with an agenda of having fun and meeting men. The exception to this is Merritt (Hart) who has some school work to catch up on. The first reel is the last we hear of school work. With the exception of Angie (Connie Francis), the gals meet guys immediately - Tuggle (Prentiss) meets TV (Hutton), who hitches a ride to Lauderdale with them; Merritt meets the wealthy Ryder (George Hamilton), and frail, pretty Melanie (Mimieux) meets Dill (John Brennan). Angie later meets a jazz musician (Gorshin).
The questions are, can true love be found during spring break? And, how far do you have to go to hook a man? Despite Merritt's free-thinking, she and Tuggle intend to stay pure; Angie doesn't have a choice; and Merritt -- Merritt is in for some tough realizations.
All in all, a fun movie and a great look at the '50s mores and the power of the Hays code, which was still punishing girls who had sex before marriage.
The best things about Where the Boys Are is seeing all these stars as young and fresh, with their movie careers just beginning, and another chance to hear Connie Francis sing the title song and "Turn on the Sunshine." She was terrific. Barbara Nichols plays a sexy performer and does "Have you Met Miss Fandango?" With the exception of Delores Hart, who became a nun, all of these youngsters would go on to successful careers. The young man who played Dill, John Brennan, was blackballed after yelling at a director who was demeaning the singer Odetta; he went on to work behind the scenes and killed himself in 2007 after his wife's death. Already a huge singing star by 1960, Francis, of course, is still singing after a miserable life that includes the death of her brother, rape, and a bipolar disorder.
Spring breaks today still have plenty of booze and suntans but also plenty of everything else (including young women disappearing) - enjoy this film about a much more innocent time.