The Young Graduates

Although THE YOUNG GRADUATES was apparently filmed in 1971, it didn't play theatrically in Seattle until 1973, when it was shown as the co-feature with CLASS OF '44. It is a picaresque story of two cute teenage girls who have just graduated from high school. Patricia Wymer stars as Mindy, a precocious and beautiful blonde who's ripe for adventure. The film follows her many counter-culture activities as she enjoys an affair with a slightly older teacher while still hanging out with bikers, hippies, dopers, etc. The two girls themselves don't do drugs, other than sharing a spiked birthday cake with some hippies.

The film presents some young talent who later became famous, such as Bruno Kirby and Dennis Christopher. A special shout out must be added for the great girl group Pat Russell's The Spare Change, who are seen playing rock and roll in some high school dance scenes. They were one of the first girl groups to play their own instruments, although there are a couple of male sidemen as well. One of the film's cinematographers was John Toll, who later won Oscars for BRAVEHEART and THE THIN RED LINE.

Although a bit corny now, the film remains as a wonderful period piece that reflects the early 1970s youth culture. Although there is a bit of nudity, the film is surprisingly non-exploitative and non-judgmental about its subject matter. THE YOUNG GRADUATES was released on DVD on January 6th, 2009, as part of the BCI box set DRIVE-IN CULT CLASSICS VOL. 4 (available through Amazon.com, and Best Buy's website as well).

The early 1970's was on one of the few periods of American cinema where films were often truly anarchic and free-spirited without the morals and the messages or the emphasis on tight, efficient plots. This film is very much a product of its time, but while it may not seem to have much of a purpose or a point by today's standards, it certainly is refreshingly different from a lot of American movies.

Patricia Wymer, who had earlier appeared in "The Babysitter" as the titular (and ass-ular)character who has a sexual affair with the middle-age father of her charge, at first seems to be playing a very similar role here as a high school senior who, right before graduation (and on her eighteenth birthday), has an affair with her handsome but dorky married gym teacher, and thinks she might be pregnant. While in a modern-day film this would result in all kinds sturm und drang, this isn't really what happens here. Instead while she's literally waiting for the rabbit to live or die (pregnancy detection has obviously come a long way), she and a friend decide to escape her problems and the friend's abusive alcoholic father by hitch-hiking to Big Sur to watch their boyfriends (one of whom is Bruno Kirby) drag-race. What follows is kind of a free-spirited "sexy hitchhiker" road movie. The pair meets up with a foppish flute-playing flower child who calls himself "Pan" (Dennis Christopher), they are attacked and nearly raped by a vicious motorcycle gang, and they hang out with a bunch of hippies and get arrested by the police. There is a lot of groovy music, some dope, but not nearly as much nudity as you'd expect (aside from some brief skinny-dipping and a truly gratuitous high school shower scene that involves none of the leads). Wymer wears some pretty short mini-skirts, but I don't recall her ever putting on hot-pants and really justifying the "hot-pants generation" tag-line.

Mostly, this is just a fun period movie. Wymer is an appealing if somewhat limited actress. Bruno Kirby is good in a small role (He was also in the more famous but frankly inferior counterculture film "The Harrad Experiment" that same year). Dennis Christopher was one of the most under-appreciated young actors of the 70's and early 80's. This movie is hard to find, but I'd definitely recommend it.

For me, some films get by almost exclusively on their early 70's era vibes. The Young Graduates is such a movie. It has to be said, though, that this isn't a particularly good example of a counter-culture film - it's definitely overlong and its lack of focus doesn't always do it favours. But it remains passably entertaining on account of its sub-genre and era. It's not particularly strong in the story department but for what it's worth it revolves around a teenage girl who starts an affair with one of her teachers; later on, her and her friend set off on a road trip where they encounter various stock and trade characters of the day.

Made by Crown International Pictures at a time when they were producing their most consistently enjoyable output, this is in essence a teen melodrama that turns into a counter-cultural road movie in its second half. As such, amongst other things, it features evil bikers, hippies and a girl-fronted rock band. These are all good ingredients, even if the overall whole is slightly lacking. Events are complimented by a soundtrack of breezy early 70's tunes which certainly added a bit of additional period value to proceedings. I think this one can best be recommended to anyone fascinated by counter-cultural themed movies from the era in which hippies seemed to be around every corner. It is definitely a very minor and uneven example of this kind of thing though to be fair.

I first saw this movie on a winter Saturday afternoon around March of 1979 when I was 14 years old during the time when they used to air those 1960s Frankie& Annette beach movies but I liked this movie and didn't think it was flaky and phony as the other 1960s beach movies were I could at least identify with these girls or knew someone like them in this early 1970s movie unlike the 1960s beach movies which were played by adults well into adulthood.

I remember it being about 2 girls who were skipping school, running away from home or something and smoking dope(maybe not)and running away from bikers and there were sex themes which I couldn't understand. One actress reminded me of Joyce Dewitt from Three's Company which was a popular show at the time

I thought this was a really cool movie even though it was about a different generation which even during the late 1970s we were told had so much fun back then.I even remember the girls riding somewhere and some music & singing going "doot doot doot da do, bah bah bump dada datta do" and the girls seemed all high & hazy from pot-smoking but maybe that was just my perception of them at the time. It's a good reminder of a time when that type of life could be experimented with with few repercussions like drug violence.

I thought this was a cool movie but never saw it out on VHS when all the retro movies were being put on that format in the mid 1980s when everyone was buying their VCRs. This was available on some internet movie website long before Netflicks.

This is a perfect movie for a channel THIS TV. I like early 70s movies made for teens and young adults even though it is a decade before my time. I never forgot about this movie I enjoyed it so much now if we could just know what happened to the actresses in this film and who sang the motorcycle ride music.

This is one of my favorite movies of all time. I highly recommend it to anyone that likes teen movies, 70's driving scenes, psychedelic effects, rock bands with female singers, or just late 60's early 70's youth culture in general. There are some really great freedom feelings you get from this movie - like you can go out and do whatever you want - screw school, screw schedules, screw it all! Just do what you want! You can make it across the state with one nickel in your pocket and still be happy you did it!

The acting is just ok, but that doesn't take away from anything. You soon get into the characters anyway.

This movie has a good amount of driving scenes and 70's nature frolicking scenes along with some happy free-feelin' music. It also has a good amount of teen rebellion. It even has some sex, but it's innocent almost. There's a live band, a psychedelic high school dance, a dunebuggy, a racecar, a motorcycle, cool clothes and cool attitudes. You even have some teacher/student love going on.

If you like love, youth and freedom, then see this movie!!!