Young Man's Fancy

"Young Man's Fancy" is, essentially, a half hour commercial by the Edison Electric Institute...an association that represents the American electric companies. Because of this, it's not at all surprising that it comes off as a bit hokey AND preachy about the joys of modern electrical appliances. And, I can only assume audience members who were in theaters when it was shown used that time for a bathroom or snackbar break!

Judy is a man-hungry teen who is helping her mother with the housework at the start of the film. Soon, they get word that Judy's brother is bringing home a friend...and Judy assumes he's some drip. But when Alex turns out to be dreamy, Judy falls all over herself trying to impress the guy. As for mom, she periodically appears to spout salesroom jargon about the joys of modern electricity...and none of it sounds the least bit realistic. For example, at one point she says "...no trouble...everything is easier with an electric range"! No human being (apart from a salesman) would talk like that....and repeatedly she talks about how swell life is now that they have electric water heaters, refrigerators and the like (there is no mention, however, of marital aids...which would have made the film MUCH more interesting).

It's hard to rate this one, as it's not intended to be entertaining...and it certainly isn't! Instead, it's just an ad...and an unintentionally funny one. Most of this is the writing...and the pap they have mother and Judy spout (mom, talking like a salesperson and Judy using every possible 1950s jargon a teen could have uttered). Worth seeing for the curious....but also pretty dumb.

The clue to why this short is so strange--why a young man's fancy is so complicated by an almost erotic fascination with electrical appliances--is in the credit line "Presented by Edison Electric Institute" (no doubt obscured by the cast of MST3K, but plain in IMDb's listings).

Now why Jam Handy made such an unholy alliance to make this film, that's still a mystery.

I'm not sure who this was shown to in the 1950's. I can't imagine this was shown in theaters. Maybe it was a classroom film to get the kids "hooked on electricity." And the amount of 1952 slang employed leads me to believe this one was intended for the kids. I was a tad confused as to why a healthy young man would pass up a swim with a pretty young woman for a lecture on fungus, then I realized, maybe he's just gay. Or, perhaps "horny" hadn't been invented yet. But, eventually, he falls for her and takes her to a dance, once she seduces him by using enough electricity.

Incredibly hammy acting was combined with having as many electrical appliances crammed in as possible. I counted 12 either mentioned or used. What, no electric hats or forks?

Maximum useless viewing. You'll learn nothing but what over-acting means.

This short is about a guy returning home and bringing a friend to stay over. A friend who is also a guy and sends the sister into a frenzy. Apparently there were incredibly desperate girls back in the day ready to throw themselves at the first guy new in town. Well he does not quite take to her at first as he is more interest in devices and an upcoming lecture about fungus. So there is the problem, what is this short trying to accomplish? Hm, there are several mentions of electricity within this short, but there is also several mentions of the fungus lecture. One can also not rule out that this is some workshop meant to help young girls lure men into marriage by pretending to be interested in the same things. I am going to have to go with the electricity as there seems no need to mention how everything, including the water heater, is electric and how great all the electric stuff in the house is if it was not some vague short put out by the electric company about how wonderful electricity is. Still, they could be a bit more direct as there are some that are going to focus in on that fungus lecture and wonder if they too could grow and raise fungus in the basement. The acting is over the top, the sister comes across as very immature someone who should not be helped in her quest to find a boyfriend, and the parents wooden. Still, it was more entertaining than other shorts I have seen from this era.

Wow, what an expose of the suburbs this is. Mother (apparently blind) sings the praises of electrical appliances while daughter Judy eats bacon like it's going to get up and leave. Then the real drama begins. Brother brings home college buddy Alexander Phipps ("sounds revolting," exclaims sis), and the two of them head upstairs to take a shower. After that homoerotic tableau, Alex spends much of the rest of the film becoming closer to Judy's mother, with whom he shares a deep affection for all things electrical, while Judy throws out her back trying to impress Alex, who she ultimately found dreamy. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll wonder how this one got past the censors. Dog bless the Satellite of Love.