Bernardine

The first time I saw this movie was 1999 on tv and I thought it was pretty good. I was 13 at the time and I didn't really like old movies (like this one) but this was was different. Pat Boone's character reminded me of an early Ferris Bueller or Zack Morris. He didn't really care about his grades, he was really popular and really cute. The story is about a group of friends that think there is one perfect girl out there named Bernardine. One of the friends finds his own Bernardine and the guys try to get those two together. Their plans flop and a whole bunch of things go wrong. But in the end everything is okay.

"Bernardine" was a vehicle for Pat Boone, a singer turned actor who was at the height of his popularity then. Today, anyone breaking into music would make a video to showcase whatever song was popular, but back in those days they made full length features trying to cash in the teen idol's appeal.

This film, directed by Henry Levin, was according to the credits a play before being adapted for the screen. This is above all, a piece of nostalgia. It says a lot about the way American teens of the era looked at life. It's hilarious to see a Terry Moore, who shows up as the main interest in the life of Dick Sargent wolf down a couple of hamburgers without any guilt at all! Everyone had such a wholesome look about themselves, reflecting the tastes of the times. Also in an era that was not as commercial as the present times, Coca-Cola probably did not have to pay to have the beverage displayed for it was the drink of choice.

Pat Boone gets to sing his big hit "Love Letters in the Sand" in dreamy fashion. The interesting thing about this movie is how a few of the actors went to establish themselves in television in popular series, which is the case of Dick Sargent and Natalie Schafer. Other familiar faces in the cast were Janet Gaynor, Walter Abel and Dean Jagger.

This is a trip in memory lane for many and it serves also as an observation about the fashions and the way Americans lived during that period of time.

I am amazed at the 'good reviews' given to this movie. I saw it in 1957 when it came out and the whole audience in London yawned their way through it. I saw it again in 2000 on TV just to see if it really was as hopelessly bad as I remembered it. Believe me, it was. In fact, it was worse than I recalled. It is PAINFUL to watch Dick Sergant and the others. The film was advertised as a vehicle for Pat Boone - all he did was sing a few songs alone on screen and utter a couple of words. I still do not understand the point of this movie. American white middle class kids could NEVER have been this dumb - I think that this is what the executives wanted them to be - stupid and willing to watch this rubbish. How on earth did Janet Gaynor and Dean Jagger get themselves involved in it? I am only giving it ONE out of TEN since there is no zero or a negative number.

First of all, whoever wrote the imdb storyline did never watch this movie. Maybe that would have been a better plot but certainly that's not what this movie is about. The story of five silly, good-for-nothing unsympathetic schoolmates who have an ideal girl named Bernardine does not really allow for high expectations. Not even one of them being singer Pat Boone nor including some of his hits "Bernardine" and "Love letters" does much help the film. In fact, one of his songs (Johnny Mercer Technique about the way to proceed with girls) is so male chauvinist that it is hard to believe it was sung by the same man who wanted to change Ain't that a shame title and lyrics due to its content! The story is based on a stage play (I wonder how could anyone want to adapt such silly and unconsistent play into a movie after watching it on theatres!) and has no point of interest. If trying to make a becoming of age story it fails completely. Bernardine matter is never developed into some consistent plot, characters are silly or dumb or both and they are hard to stand. Girls are dumb or just nobodies. Even main character's mother (Janet Gaynor) is rather silly and is a poor written role to end her movie career. One wanders what made good actors like her, Dean Jagger and Walter Abel accept such poorly scripted roles. We see these five boys having fun doing nothing but bullying a classmate, racing boats (why did the producers not use more of boat races matter is a mystery) and spending their lives in a rather stupid and irritating way. They are not likeable to the audience and subsequently movie has a total lack of interest. Their supposed fiancees never appear (Pat Boone sings his songs miserably set in their club alone or with his pals!) and Pat's character is not very sympathetic either so the only thing this movie has are some nice songs (even Technique tune is nice if only had different lyrics) and some nice actors in poor minor roles. Doubt a higher budget would have helped such a flop. Pat Boone fans would have to wait until April love to watch him in bloom.

This is a little movie that is very seldom seen, but is a joy to watch for both the piece of nostalgia it represents and for the many fine character actors and actresses that went on to other things, or had already done fine motion picture work....the plot is quite trivial involving typical (for that time) teen-age schananigans, and great pop music of the era, featuring Pat Boone singing the title tune, "Love Letters in the Sand," "Technique," etc.... There are many fine older character actors such as Janet Gaynor, Dean Jagger, Walter Abel, and younger lesser know ones of the time including James Drury (who went on to become the "Virginian") Richard Sargeant (Bewitched), and Ronnie Burns (the son of George Burns, who was currently on the Burns and Allen show)...The plot is thin, but just sit back and enjoy it for what it is....