Les années fantastiques

Okay,so this movie wasn't really that good to some people,but I for one liked it.A father who is a doctor(?) has two daughters:Abby who is the youngest and Linda who is the oldest(and has the raging libido).Yes,it's boyfriend after boyfriend for Linda,and her parents watch her wondering why their daughter jumps from one boyfriend to the next.It isn't until later when she moves out of the house and gets married,only to see her father trying to find out who her spouse really is.There is a favorite scene of mine where the Linda's parents are having a party and her boyfriend brings in a portrait of her that he painted.And when he shows the family and guests,it's revealed to be a nude portrait,in which Linda didn't know!The rating is bad though.It acts more like a PG-13 movie than a G rated movie.Believe me.This is NOT something you wanna watch with your parents!

College psychiatry professor David Niven (as Jonathan Kingsley) and wife Lola Albright (as Alice) are shocked when beautiful 17-year-old daughter Cristina Ferrare (as Linda) is arrested at a campus protest. She is charged with disturbing the peace, inciting to riot, resisting arrest, and unlawful assembly on university property. Ms. Ferrare is also caught carrying a picket sign with an unsavory word written on its backside. She claims to have never turned the sign around to see the naughty word - an impossible plot detail, unless she's lying. Ferrare also smokes cigarettes, gets caught speeding, and keeps a messy room.

"The Impossible Years" comes across like it's daring to fight "the sexual revolution" along the "generation gap" front. But, like many 1960s sex comedies, nothing really untoward actually happens. It's a smoke and mirrors story with a good cast - including highly likable supporting TV stars Chad Everett and Ozzie Nelson. Near legendary photographer William Daniels and director Michael Gordon do a good job with the limited sets. Since Mr. Gordon is the grandfather of accomplished actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt, you've got to wonder if, eventually, everyone in movies will be proved related.

The "picket sign" title sequence is nicely done, and features a catchy title song sung by The Cowsills. The tune was finally released on the underrated group's 1994 CD reissue of their first LP "The Cowsills"; previously, "The Impossible Years" was hidden away on a 45 RPM B-side. After the opening, you can stick around for beautiful bikini-clad Ferrare and her young friends. The comedy is dated, innocent, and not so funny, except for an occasional line; it's interesting to hear "I'm glad they passed Medicare!" was once a way to irk the family doctor.

***** The Impossible Years (9/13/68) Michael Gordon ~ David Niven, Cristina Ferrare, Lola Albright, Chad Everett

While the film is greatly dated in viewing it today, as for someone that lived during the 60's, it was quite ground breaking in dealing with current trends in our society. Since themes such as this were something relatively new, they sort of skimmed around the issues, and weren't as hard hitting as they are today.

Alond with this film, David Niven starred in another film of this genre also in 1968, "Prudence and the Pill". Even by 1968 standards this film was very silly and disappointing.

It is ironic how Hollywood, tried to deal with society's changes by making them seem humorous and inconsequential.

In almost every decade, Hollywood produces films that threaten to explore important issues of their day, including changes in gender roles. And most of those films are bits of fluff. Many of these films also promise--with their trailers--to titillate. Consider the films of Doris Day and Rock Hudson. With a title like "Pillow Talk", the viewer might reasonably expect two people talking in the same room. Or how about those split screens that suggest a couple simultaneously in a bathtub.

In 1968 there were plenty social movements to tackle--the war, race relations, sexual empowerment. "The Impossible Years" is the story of a teenage girl whose sexual experience is the concern of her parents. Like other films, it nibbles around the edges of the topic with occasional "edgy" moments like mentioning that she's now a "C cup".

But this is s comedy and no real issues must interfere with the wackiness. Unfortunately, this film (like most of its time) comes from the Erma Bombeck school of comedy--a slapstick style that takes farce and reduces it merely to scenes of bedlam. People trip, they swing things at each other, they slam doors.

The opening credits are accompanied by the eponymous song by The Cowsills--an unfortunate pairing. I like The Cowsills. Their version of "Hair" is catchy and evokes the time period. But they also sang the theme song for "Love American Style", which also was a catchy tune, but here it forms a thematic bridge between that pseudo-titillating series about romantic relationships and this film, further reminding the viewer that he can expect nothing but pap and silliness.

Even David Niven as the father cannot save the film from its mediocrity. He represents the older generation and father and daughter are meant to talk past each other more than to each other.

Students are demonstrating at an university. Jonathan Kingsley (David Niven) is a psychology professor who practices what he preaches. He has a comfortable life with two teen daughters and then his oldest gets arrested for demonstrating with a free speech sign. Something on the other side is too shocking to say out loud. His teaching assistant Richard Merrick has been pushing him on his work and suggests "The Impossible Years" for his next book.

The girl is too flighty. It feels like a parent's vision of a bratty teenager. The dad is a 50's liberal. This movie is basically the adults unable to understand their crazy, crazy kids. The play was apparently shown in 1965. So I can excuse the writing which seems to be the 50's trying to come to terms with the 60's. Nevertheless, this movie cannot help but look backwards rather than forwards. It may still work as social commentary but it's not going to work as a comedy. As for the forbidden word, it shouldn't be one word. It becomes a distraction as the audience becomes preoccupied with guessing the word. This is done from the point of view of the professor and that's not that compelling or funny. When it comes to sex, it gets even more awkward although awkward can at least approach some fun. The problem here is that nobody is actually funny. It gets desperate as it even tries slapstick.