Overrated and overhyped

Memorable, crazy movie

hyped garbage

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

This is certainly no ordinary college spring break film. Yes, the kids are having a good time singing, dancing, drinking and frolicking in the pool in beautifully warm Florida during their annual break, but there is a rape scene here and it is well acted by a troubled Yvette Mimieux who turns in a genuinely fine performance as one of the girls out for a good time, but certainly gets more than she has expected.Dolores Hart, or should I call her by her current name, Sister Dolores Hart, is really amazing as the girl in trouble with her studies and that family living professor, who goes to Florida to unwind but instead finds true bliss with the wealthy playboy, played by the always debonair George Hamilton.In her first film, Connie Francis plays the spunky Angie along for the ride. Frank Gorshin, with those goggle glasses, adds to the mix, but in comparison to what he could be like, is comparatively subdued here, even with the funny scene in the tank. Barbara Nichols, with that high strung voice, adds to the comic relief.

I kind of put this film in the middle of old age. The cast is priceless now as I fell in love with Paula Prentiss long ago even though in this film she is presented in her comedienne persona. I think she could have been better utilized but Hollywood was uncomfortable with tall actress's when this one was made. The late Jim Hutton plays the same person he always plays in films. Like seeing excellent character actors like Chill Wills in any film. Connie Francis sold most of her records based on her fame in this film.Actually by 1960, the sexual values represented in this film were 1950's values. In fact, what this film was trying to do was take an attractive cast to try & keep women in their traditional role here of looking for a man as the only way to be happy. Considering that divorce rates were already climbing by 1960 creating many single parent house holds, it was going to take Hollywood several more years before they would even get to this stark reality.There is some priceless comedy in this film as Frank Gorshin who is a stand up comedian & then the Riddler on Batman, is at his rubber faced best here. People now forget Gorshin was a top impressionist during this era. Some of his talent shows here. This Technicolor film is fine for the scenery & cast but put your brain away as the plot is very light weight.

Fun times at the beach and romantic adventures are what four Midwestern college girls hope for when they journey to Florida for a week of Spring Break. Naturally, they meet boys, or rather young men, in this ensemble story, as well as a musician, played by Frank Gorshin, whose band plays "didactic jazz", an element that helps slightly to enhance the story's thematic depth.There's a lot of banter among the characters about shared problems and dreams. Each of the four young women has a unique personality. The two main "boys" are played by George Hamilton and Jim Hutton, both in their twenties when cast. Trouble is, they look much older. Visually, "Where The Boys Are" looks more like "where the men are".Miscasting isn't the only problem. Given that the destination is the Florida beach, the plot spends very little time at the beach, and none at the ocean. Most scenes take place indoors, obviously built sets, in some movie studio. Another problem is the dialogue. It lacks subtext, which renders the story somewhat shallow. The story needs more depth and darkness, more of an edge. It gets that toward the end, but it's too little, too late.As a result, the film is mostly light entertainment. Barbara Nichols is a hoot as Lola, whose screechy voice adds to the comedy. Whatever serious message can be squeezed out of this film pertains to the expectations and roles of women in the 1950s, and in that sense, the film does show how social attitudes toward women have changed in the last fifty years."Where The Boys Are" is a quasi-musical. I enjoyed Connie Francis warbling the title song. And Frank Gorshin's jazz is a delight. But I could have wished for more period piece music, less time spent indoors, and less chitchat among the characters.

A bunch of college girls (Delores Hart, Yvette Mimieux, Paula Prentiss, Connie Francis) spend Easter vacation in Ft. Lauderdale. There they meet some handsome young men (among them are George Hamilton, Jim Hutton and Frank Gorshin) and love, sex and drama occur.For its time this was pretty shocking. There is talk about having sex (called "playing house") and how some girls think it's OK. And Mimieux is raped--not shown but made clear. But by today's standards this is VERY tame...and kind of silly.I saw this a few years ago at the Provincetown Film Festival. Connie Francis was on hand to introduce the film. She HATED it! She said it's a stupid film, doesn't belong in any film festival and she hated the way she looked and acted. In fact she said she only did the film because her father didn't want her to! To be truthful she isn't good. Her character is secondary and the one song she sings on screen (not the title song) is pretty bad. Still it's isn't THAT bad.It's pretty light and flimsy (the rape aside) and the dialogue is on the level of a good sitcom. And all the girls and guys are SO nice and friendly and everything looks perfect. Also the title song (sung during the opening credits) IS a great song. It's pleasant, non taxing viewing and kind of fun to see what was considered racy way back then. This is the perfect movie to watch on a lazy, warm summer afternoon. Also look for the scene (which brought howls from my audience) of a doctor coming out of an operating room...and immediately lighting a cigarette! Pleasant, light entertainment. Recommended...if that's what you're looking for.