September 30, 1955

1977
PG
1h 41m

IMDb RATING

6.3/10

484

YOUR RATING

When Jimmy's idol, James Dean, dies on September 30, 1955, the small-town Arkansas college undergraduate goes berserk. He and his friends hold a vigil which turns into a drunk and, finally, a tragedy.

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Drama

When Jimmy's idol, James Dean, dies on September 30, 1955, the small-town Arkansas college undergraduate goes berserk. He and five of his friends hold a vigil which turns into a drunken deba... Read allWhen Jimmy's idol, James Dean, dies on September 30, 1955, the small-town Arkansas college undergraduate goes berserk. He and five of his friends hold a vigil which turns into a drunken debauch--and, finally, a tragedy.When Jimmy's idol, James Dean, dies on September 30, 1955, the small-town Arkansas college undergraduate goes berserk. He and five of his friends hold a vigil which turns into a drunken debauch--and, finally, a tragedy.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.3/10

484

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Videos1

Trailer 0:57

Trailer

Photos48

+ 43

User reviews13

6.3484

Featured reviews

10JaneByronDean

Great Tom Hulce debut!

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.

Michael_Elliott

Good to a Point

September 30, 1955 (1977)

** (out of 4)

Coming of age film about a troubled teen (Richard Thomas) whose life falls apart when he hears that his idol James Dean has been killed. This is a rather nice homage to Dean and it was interesting seeing how some peoples lives were changed by his death but writer/director James Bridges makes one fatal mistake that kills the film and he makes the lead one of the biggest assholes who be in any movie I've seen. The main character played by Thomas thinks he is just like Dean so he tries being a rebel but instead his character comes off as a complete jerk. He's so bad that you can't help but wish someone would just beat the hell out of him. Lisa Blount plays another teen who ties to communicate with Dean through black magic while dressed up as Vampira. Tom Hulce, Susan Tyrrell and Dennis Quaid round out the cast.

1mcrodas

Would not recommend this film

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.

8HarveyA

Unknown film, good performances, touching

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.

8hotfriend1

Deserves a wider viewership

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.

Trivia
Richard Thomas broke his leg when he drove his character's motorcycle under a parade float while filming a homecoming parade scene.

Quotes
Radio Announcer: This is radio KCON coming live from the heart of ASTC. It's just after 9:30 am and this is Tom with the morning national news. New York: The French delegation walked out of the United Nations General Assembly last night. The walkout came after the UN decided by a one vote margin to take up the highly controversial issue of Algerian independence. France bitterly opposed the move. Denver: James Haggerty, White House press secretary says that President Eisenhower had a restful night last night and his progress after his recent heart attack continues to be satisfactory without complications. Hollywood: Rising young film star James Dean was killed last night when his sports car collided almost head on with another car at a highway intersection near Paso Robles, California. He was 24-years-old. Turning to sports, the Dodgers won the third game of the World Series yesterday making it Yankees two games and the Dodgers one. We're supposed to have partly cloudy weather today through tomorrow with a high this afternoon of 58 Fahrenheit. No rain is forecast. This is Tom Bonner and we'll get back to the music now.