''Because They're Young'' is a 1960 American

drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has b ...

film directed by

Paul Wendkos Abraham Paul Wendkos (September 20, 1925 – November 12, 2009) was an American television and film director. Early life and education Wendkos was born in Philadelphia to parents Simon Wendkos and Judith Wendkos. Wendkos served in World War I ...

and starring

Dick Clark Richard Wagstaff Clark (November 30, 1929April 18, 2012) was an American radio and television personality, television producer and film actor, as well as a cultural icon who remains best known for hosting '' American Bandstand'' from 1956 to 19 ...

as Neil Hendry, an American

high-school A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...

teacher who tries to make a difference in the lives of his students. The film co-stars

Tuesday Weld Tuesday Weld (born Susan Ker Weld; August 27, 1943) is an American actress and model. She began acting as a child and progressed to mature roles in the late 1950s. She won a Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Female Newcomer in 1960. Over t ...

Michael Callan Michael Callan (born Martin Harris Calinieff; November 22, 1935 – October 10, 2022) was an American actor best known for originating the role of Riff in ''West Side Story'' on Broadway, and for his film roles for Columbia Pictures, notably ' ...

Warren Berlinger Warren Berlinger (August 31, 1937 – December 2, 2020) was an American character actor, with Broadway runs, movie and television credits, and much work in commercials. Early life Warren Berlinger was born in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, ...

Roberta Shore Roberta Jymme Schourop (born April 7, 1943, Monterey Park, California), better known as Roberta Shore, is a retired American actress and performer. She is notable for her roles in the original '' Shaggy Dog'' film and as Betsy Garth on the Wester ...

Doug McClure Douglas Osborne McClure (May 11, 1935February 5, 1995) was an American actor whose career in film and television extended from the 1950s to the 1990s. He is best known for his role as the cowboy Trampas during the entire run from 1962 to 1971 o ...

and Victoria Shaw. The screenplay was based on ''Harrison High'', a 1959 novel by

John Farris John Lee Farris (born July 26, 1936) is an American writer, known largely for his work in the southern Gothic genre. Life Farris was born in Jefferson City, Missouri, to parents John Linder Farris (1909–1982) and Eleanor Carter Farris (190 ...

. Musicians

Duane Eddy Duane Eddy (born April 26, 1938) is an American rock and roll guitarist. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, he had a string of hit records produced by Lee Hazlewood, which were noted for their characteristically "twangy" sound, including " Rebel ...

and

James Darren James William Ercolani (born June 8, 1936) known by his stage name James Darren, is an American television and film actor, television director, and singer. During the late 1950s and early 1960s, he had notable starring and supporting roles in fi ...

appear in cameo roles, and the film's

title song A title is one or more words used before or after a person's name, in certain contexts. It may signify either generation, an official position, or a professional or academic qualification. In some languages, titles may be inserted between the f ...

became the biggest hit record of Eddy's career. Bobby Rydell's " Swingin' School" is featured prominently in the film's

soundtrack A soundtrack is recorded music accompanying and synchronised to the images of a motion picture, drama, book, television program, radio program, or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack ...

, though Rydell does not appear in the film.

Plot

A crusading high school teacher tries to help his troubled students.

Cast

– Neil Hendry *

– Griff Rimer *

– Ann Gregor * Victoria Shaw – Joan Dietrich *

– Ricky Summers *

– Buddy McCalla *

– Jim *

Linda Watkins Linda Mathews Watkins (May 23, 1908 – October 31, 1976) was an American stage, film, and television actress. Early years Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Watkins was the daughter of Gardiner and Elizabeth R. (née Mathews) Watkins. Her fat ...

– Frances McCalla * Chris Robinson – Patcher *

Rudy Bond Rudolph Bond (October 10, 1912 – March 29, 1982) was an American actor who was active from 1947 until his death. His work spanned Broadway, films and television. Early life Bond was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the second youngest of f ...

– Chris * Wendell Holmes – Principal Donlan *

Philip Coolidge Philip Coolidge (August 5, 1908 – May 23, 1967) was an American stage, film, and television actor, who performed predominantly in supporting roles during a career that spanned over three decades, from 1930 to the late 1960s. Early life Born ...

– Mr. Rimer * Bart Patton – Kramer * Stephen Talbot – Eric *

– Himself *

Shirley Mitchell Shirley J. Mitchell (November 4, 1919 – November 11, 2013) was an American radio, film, and television actress. Early life Mitchell was born in Toledo, Ohio, the daughter of Sam Mitchell & Mary Ann Daniels, Jews who emigrated to America to esc ...

– Mrs. Summers *

and the Rebels – Themselves

Production

Original novel

The novel ''Harrison High'' was published in 1959 when its author John Farris was 22. He wrote it at the age of 20 while a student at the University of Missouri, and it was based on his high-school experiences in

Memphis Memphis most commonly refers to: * Memphis, Egypt, a former capital of ancient Egypt * Memphis, Tennessee, a major American city Memphis may also refer to: Places United States * Memphis, Alabama * Memphis, Florida * Memphis, Indiana * Memp ...

, though Harrison High is fictional. The ''New York Times'' likened the book to "an interminable adolescent bull session."

Development

Film rights were bought by the Drexel Film Corporation in April 1959, and Drexel arranged to make the film through Columbia. Dick Clark, host of '' American Bandstand'', signed to play the lead. Jerry Bresler, who had a multi-picture deal with Columbia, was assigned to produce and he hired James Gunn to write a script.

signed to direct in June. "Most pictures about teenagers are wrong," said Clark, "They are older people's concepts of how teenagers act... I doubt if there ever can be a truly honest portrayal in films. Not all girls are beautiful and all boys handsome, as they are in films... utthe script is fairly true to life. Most teenagers are normal." The cast included several young actors under contract to Columbia, including

, who played Buddy McCalla, had just recently appeared in ''

Blue Denim ''Blue Denim'' is a 1959 film based on a Broadway play by writer James Leo Herlihy. It starred Carol Lynley and Warren Berlinger who reprised their stage roles. 17-year-old Brandon deWilde appeared in his first "adult" role as the male lead Arth ...

''.

Shooting

Filming started on August 12, 1959. The campus and classroom scenes were shot at Hoover High School in Glendale, California. Clark later wrote in his memoirs that making the film was "an extraordinary experience. Columbia really laid it on; they rented a house in Bel-Air owned by

Mercedes McCambridge Carlotta Mercedes Agnes McCambridge (March 16, 1916 – March 2, 2004) was an American actress of radio, stage, film, and television. Orson Welles called her "the world's greatest living radio actress." She won an Academy Award for Best Support ...

, provided a maid, a butler and a chauffeur, and gave me a hundred dollars a day in expenses."

Reception

The ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the U ...

'' called the film "an agreeable surprise." The film did not make ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

s list of top earners for 1960.

References

External links

* *
''Because They're Young''
at BFI {{Paul Wendkos 1960 films 1960s coming-of-age drama films 1960s teen drama films American black-and-white films American coming-of-age drama films American teen drama films American high school films Columbia Pictures films 1960s English-language films Films scored by John Williams Films about educators Films based on American novels Films directed by Paul Wendkos Films shot in California 1960s American films