September 30, 1955

This autobiographical film is one of the rare American motion pictures to examine the effect that movie stars have on audiences, particularly young audiences yearning for role models during times of emotional isolation. Writer-director James Bridges ("The Paper Chase," "The China Syndrome") recalls his youth in Paris, Arkansas (called Conway here) to create a heartfelt work of escalating intensity as its impressionable hero, Jimmy J (Richard Thomas), leads his friends over the edge as they mourn James Dean. "September 30, 1955" integrates images, themes, and even the music (also by Leonard Rosenmann) from "East of Eden" and "Rebel Without a Cause," and adds resonances to both films. This little, unheralded picture needs to be seen -- as does Richard Thomas's utterly brave performance. The key to understanding this film is not to think of it as a "youth picture" but as a deconstruction of the movie star mythos.

Had never heard of this movie and turned it on because nothing else was on. Turns out it was a touching and well-acted story.

Richard Thomas--normally I don't much care for him--was excellent. There's fun here and there's melodrama, and it's a little over the top, but all in all, it's quite entertaining.

The film was made in 1977, but it doesn't seem all that dated. The sensibility and ironies, which abound, seem quite contemporary, even though it's set in 1955, and it recreates that era very well. At any rate, if you have a chance to see it, I think you'll like it.

It's also fun to see Dennis Quaid and Tom Hulce in their late teens.

An appealing rookie effort by James Bridges that has its moments. Yes, the quality is uneven but its melancholy, nostalgic undercurrent echoes Dean's effect on the disaffected youth of the "innocent" Fifties, the first generation to register his impact. Offbeat, quirky and, yes, melodramatic, "September 30, 1955" captures adolescent confusion, longing and the death of innocence, paralleling Dean's own untimely death. The day-for-night closing fade-out and elegiac music foreshadow a sleepy generation soon to lose its Saturday-night youth to rapid, startling change. Throughout, Dean's presence is often eerily palpable in an admittedly lesser effort that deserves a greater following.

This is the worst movie I have ever seen. The whole movie is just kids bummed out because James Dean died. I saw this movie back when it was first aired in theaters, and it is the only theater movie I've seen that was roundly booed by the audience well before the ending. Don't anybody even think of putting this movie in the same genre as American Grafitti.

A film about the day James Dean died ... is a good glimpse into the lives of some fans that were so moved by his death that it changed their lives.

Tom Hulce gives us a glimpse into more great things to come from him. His role, while not the principle character, is complete and real. The youthfulness and obsession (with sex) Haney has is so true of many young people but done in a non-sterotyplical way.

A great film for James Dean fans, Tom Hulce fans and Richard Thomas fans.