Petting

There's no plot, no apparent theme, and little action. And an hour into the movie, I'm still not sure where it's going. So why is the 90-minutes as riveting as I think it is. For one, the filmmakers begin with that interesting seagull sequence that provides insight into Sandy's (Hershey) manipulative character and the boys' general submissiveness.

However, in between the opening sequence and the final one, nothing much happens. Some scenes are overlong (the pot smoking, the hair washing), while the elliptical dialog is often punctuated by long, non- meaningful, pauses.

Nonetheless, the three hedonistic kids are attractive, fairly realistic, and found horsing around at a scenic beach. But then, chubby Rhoda arrives, with her needy, yet judgmental, attitude, and it's curious where things will go from there now that an outsider is watching them.

There's an undercurrent here, especially with Sandy, that's seductive. It's to the filmmakers credit, including the cast, that they manage to mesmerize with such spare elements. Oddly, the technique reminds me of the popular Swedish auteur Ingmar Bergman— especially his Virgin Spring (1959).

I take the upshot as having to do with judgmental people who stand apart from the crowd and not being able to tolerate them. But however you take it, the movie avoids cliché (as others note) and continues to fascinate at a generally unspoken level. Too bad the Perry's didn't make more movies.

Last Summer is a movie that you'll want to see alone, or with someone you fully trust. The plot is well-captured prior to my review, and it's truly not difficult to understand the story.

Rarely, a movie captures my interest from start to finish, and Last Summer happens to be in this category. Aesthetically, the movie was beautiful to see. The golden, hazy effects of the camera work, along with the beautiful colors of the sea and even the hues of each character's eyes were all visually stunning. As a fan of the 1970s, it is easy to see how this movie captures the era perfectly (even if it's from 1969).

The main standout, however, is the discomfort I felt from early in the movie, until the very end. If you are a sensitive person, the increasingly awkward and eventually deplorable situations will be hard to view. The bird injury and 'operation', the reception of Rhoda into the group, the treatment of Anibal, and the final scenes of the seagull and Rhoda - will likely conjure the thought of "how did this movie get into normal theaters?".

Themes of narcissism, animals as property, people as property, justice, and the polarity between morality and acceptance all stood out. The characters are a combination of affable and deplorable. It's interesting to see how they shift: initially, we all feel a little annoyed by Rhoda, but eventually, she becomes the person you'd most want to befriend (at least in my mind). She is the person you want your daughter to be, with exception of how she is treated. We also feel charmed by the sweetness of the two teen boys initially, which morphs into a loathing.

It was also interesting to see that every genuine sentiment displayed in this movie - guilt, compassion, joy, and justice - was bestowed upon the seagull. Rather than experiencing the unpleasantness of acknowledging their emotions, Sandy, Peter and Dan would prevent that by turning to fits of laughter instead.

While it is repetitive to comment on this, I can't help lauding the amazing talent of Catherine Burns. She truly had a gift for becoming a character, and stirring the hearts of even the most disconnected viewer. It's a tragic loss that she did not pursue additional acting, and also that she passed away at 73.

A minor observation: Barbara Hershey was unrecognizable to me; I appreciated that her character was a naturally beautiful young woman who seemed comfortable in her own skin. This same actress portrayed a mother of two young women with eating disorders in 2003 ("Hunger Point"), but in this movie, there is an appreciable amount of body-positivity that begins with her character.

It's almost surreal. I think this film can be viewed on a few levels.

If you are looking for a profound coming of age film ..this is not it. There is however a provocative image here and if you adjust your vision you might just possibly see...yourself..at an age of no regrets and all intoxications.

The " three " set up the world for themselves and no one else can be allowed in to spoil It That is until Catherine Burns comes along and throws a wrench in their postulates on life..

There is a scene where the "three" are running along the beach...look closely now ..closer ..did you find someone you know well or someone you used to know.

Provocative and wonderful and melancholy all at the same time.

CP

If you write screenplays, don't miss Catherine Burns's "speech" about her mother in Last Summer - a more powerful, evocative use of single-character dialogue in a film probably doesn't exist. While I enjoyed the rest of the film, it couldn't match this moment, and it's easy to see why CB was nominated for an Oscar.

Very intriguing late 60's film by Frank Perry with a great performance by Catherine Burns (nominated and SHOULD have won Supporting Actress). A young Barbara Hershey is attractive and full of verve. Bruce Davison is fine and Richard Thomas is sensitive and believable, but C. Burns as Rhoda is heartbreaking and wonderful. I don't know what happened to his young actress. She was also in RED SKY AT MORNING with Richard Thomas in '71.

An 8 out of 10. Best performance = Ms. Burns. A tale of youth that will stay with you. Nothing exploitive going on this film. Find it if you can. A beauty!