Summer of '42 |  | Actors: Katherine Allentuck, Oliver Conant, Lou Frizzell, Gary Grimes, Jerry Houser
Studio: Warner Home Video
Category: DVD
List Price: $19.98
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Rating:  47 reviews
Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
Languages: English (Original Language), French (Original Language), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), Portuguese (Subtitled), Japanese (Subtitled), Georgian (Subtitled), Chinese (Subtitled), Thai (Subtitled)
Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 103 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.4 x 5.6 x 0.5
MPN: WARD1033D
ISBN: 079075682X
UPC: 012569103320
EAN: 9780790756820
Theatrical Release Date: April 9, 1971
Release Date: February 5, 2002
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Coming of age drama set in a New England beach community during World War II.
Genre: Feature Film-Drama
Rating: PG
Release Date: 5-FEB-2002
Media Type: DVD
Amazon.com
Herman Raucher's autobiographical (or first person, anyway) coming-of-age tale is set, as the title suggests, among sand dunes and departing GIs. Hermie (Gary Grimes) and his two buddies Oscar (Jerry Hauser) and the nerdy Benjie (Oliver Conant) are spending the summer doing the things preadolescents do: hanging out, eating ice cream, stealing "dirty" books from their parents, and trying unsuccessfully to act manly around the gawky girls they take to the movies. Then Hermie spoils everything by really falling in love, this time with the adorable older woman Dorothy, played by Jennifer O'Neill. Dorothy's husband conveniently leaves for duty overseas, and then, even more conveniently, becomes one of those "we regret" telegrams. Dorothy, desperate for comfort and sweetness, turns to Hermie--and surely makes his summer. The setting and the date give this movie a double helping of nostalgia for anyone who was once an adolescent boy desperately trying to get rid of both his callowness and his virginity. But the slow pace and dreamy atmosphere, courtesy of Robert Mulligan's direction and Michael Legrand's famous score, may give it less appeal to anyone who is still in that situation. --Richard Farr
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Showing reviews 1-5 of 47
 Hauntingly beautiful October 30, 2009
Kona (Emerald City)
The story opens in 1942, as Hermie (Gary Grimes) and his pals are spending a lazy summer on Nantucket. As fifteen year olds, they are at that awkward age where they desperately want to be with girls but don't know what to do with them. Then Hermie meets the lovely Dorothy (Jennifer O'Neill), a 20-something army wife, and falls head over heels in love.
Screenwriter Herman Raucher's autobiographical story is a true classic of it's kind, thanks to sensitive direction by Robert Mulligan (To Kill a Mockingbird), Michel Legrand's Oscar-winning score, and the stunning beauty of Jennifer O'Neill. She isn't the world's best actress and only has 12 minutes of screen time, but is so impressive she takes your breath away. Gary Grimes is sweet and sincere as young, impressionable Hermie. The theme music is tender and touching and unforgetable.
This coming-of-age movie bears no resemblance to today's crude horny-teen movies. It's funny, gentle, and sad. Highly recommended.
 One of the great coming of age films September 5, 2009
Dr. O'Boogie
Before George Lucas gave us a nostalgic ride with American Graffiti, there was this "coming of age" classic based on the memoirs of screenwriter Herman Raucher. The story concerns 3 three boys on that summer during WWII corousing around on the New England resort island of Nantucket (called Packett Island for the film), Hermie, Oscy and Benji. Hermie, of course is Raucher who's character narrates. The "terrible trio" as they call themselves, raid the Coast Guard station and just plain hang-out at the beach with girls and sex on their minds. Hermie and Oscy make their mission to lose their virginity while Benji, the youngest of the 3 bows out.
Basically the central core of the film is Hermie's relationship with a beautiful local newlywed woman named Dorothy who's husband has gone off to fight in the war. He helps her with her groceries and in a hilarious bit helps her load boxes into her attic. She's wearing a halter-top and shorts and Hermie can barely control himself on the step ladder. The funniest moment has him going into the local drugstore to purchase condoms:
Clerk: How many do you want?
Hermie: About 3 dozen.
Clerk: Planning on a big night, huh?
Hermie: They're for my brother, he's older.
Clerk: Why can't he get them himself?
Hermie: He's sick!
Clerk: Then what does he need them for?! Son, do you know what these are used for?
Hermie: Sure, you fill them up with water and throw them off the roof.
Clerk: OK, I just wanted to make sure you knew.
However, things turn more serious later on when Hermie shows up at Dorothy's to find out that just earlier she was notified that her husband was killed in action in France. Hermie offers comfort for her and the two go off to bed to make love. The scene is done tastfully without being exploitive and Jennifer O'Neil turns in a great performance expressing sadness, confusion and loneliness all at the same time. Almost no dialoge is used throughout this scene except for a simple "goodnight Hermie" from Dorothy as he leaves. Hermie comes back the next day to find that she has left the island and left him a note wishing him the best and that he doesn't have to endure life's tragedies like she did.
The characters are very well drawn out. The film focuses on the different perspectives each member of the trio have on sex. Hermie is the more sensitive romantic type, this is evident when he chooses not to tell Oscy or Benji any details of his relationship with Dorothy. Hermie takes his feelings for her very seriously and keeps them private despite the badgering from the other 2. The oafish Oscy, on the other hand, is quite the opposite. He looks at sex as nothing but fun and games and a way to measure manhood. He has no quirks at all about telling all the details of the sexual adventure he had with a girl named Miriam who was part of a double-date he and Hermie went on (being obsessed with the older woman, Hermie passed on the other girl, Aggie.) Nerdy Benji as stated before was the youngest of the 3 and looked at sex as a curiosity but still somewhat "yucky".
The film was a major success and earned an Oscar nomination for best original screenplay. Raucher wrote a novel version after the film was completed but was published before the film's release. So, many thought that the film was based on the novel. In the wake of it's success, Raucher, who narrates that he never saw Dorothy again or heard what became of her, received many letters from women claiming to be his Dorothy. However, one letter did include details only she would've known, plus he recognized her handwriting. She wrote that she was carrying guilt for years that she may have traumatized Hermie, but was glad to find out that everything turned out fine.
I first saw this film on network television in 1973 and thought it was great despite some mild editing. And being 16 at the time, there was no doubt about the crush me and the countless male teens at the time had on the very lovely Jennifer O'Neil. Certainly one of the best "coming of age" films of the times. A follow-up sequel called Class of '44 came along a few years later and bombed bigtime at the box office. The only thing of interest in that film is seeing a rather slimed-down John Candy making his film debut.
mystically beautiful August 13, 2008
Francis Keegan
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
Occasionally some person or some event lifts our spirits high above the normal plane of existence and we experience a beauty and a joy that we never knew existed and yet, once experienced, leaves us somehow changed forever. The Summer of '42 had that effect upon me.
I wonder if all of our various experiences of love, beauty, truth etc. are but pale emanations from our Creator who sometimes allures us, not with greatness, but with an overwhelming humility, painful gentleness and sheer beauty?
While the subject matter of Summer of '42 could hardly be described as being of high moral character, it nevertheless sounded a note in me whose very existence I was previously unaware.
Perhaps it was the beauty of Jennifer O'Neill; perhaps it was the stirring words of the narrator ..... for no person I've ever known etc;........ maybe it was the introspective music of Michel Legrand, but whenever I watch certain scenes from this romantic classic I simply cannot remain within myself. I am transported to a more beautiful place and a more beautiful time. Every time!
summer of 42 July 3, 2008
K. Apel (CA , USA)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Really great movie, we always see movies of girls coming of age or having positive life changing moments, This really is a great one for and about boys.
An Eloquent Film of Style, Beauty & Timeless Grace February 24, 2008
Sean Pasek (Albuquerque, NM)
Based on the biographical novel by Herman Raucher, the film is able to capture the time and feelings of a teenage boy dealing with new feelings as he discovers that he has a powerful attraction toward a young woman who is seven years his senior. Perhaps one of the things that makes this such a compelling story is the writer's brutal honesty about his thoughts and feelings. The author himself captures this very idea with his words that are used in the opening part of the film:
"Nothing from that first day I saw her, and no one that has happened to me since, has ever been as frightening and as confusing. For no person I've ever known has ever done more to make me feel more sure, more insecure, more important, and less significant."
I think many people have had the new, fresh experience of a young teenager who has developed feelings for someone that doesn't seem to make sense, and yet you can't just ignore those feelings either.
Hermie is a young boy spending his summer on the island of Nantucket. He spends his days with best friends Oscy and Benjie. As fifteen-year-old boys, they discover and powerful curiosity into the world of sex. They even talk Benjie into swiping his parents' medical book so they can "see and learn how it's done." Hermie is just as curious as his friends, but then something happens. He finds himself infatuated by the young 22-year-old woman living in a house on the beach with her husband who is shipping off to Europe during WWII. Somehow, because we don't see much of her husband, we already figure this a prelude of events to come.
Hermie is teased by his friends when they learn of his infatuation, and he doesn't take it well. It's almost as if he views their snide comments as an attack on her as well as him. Perhaps this is because, like many first-time loves, it is special to him; perhaps even sacred.
He starts by watching her from afar and perhaps dreaming of what it would be like to be with her. At first, she's just an image, until he finally meets her by helping to carry her groceries home. We quickly find that she is a very sweet, down-to-earth girl who genuinely likes Hermie, even if it isn't the same type of "like." She welcomes his companionship, as it appears that she doesn't have any other friends on the island. She sunbathes alone and goes to the movies alone. And she treats Hermie very nicely even when he finds himself stumbling over his comments to her. She never laughs or makes fun of him.
Their relationship is handled much like a dream. We don't even find out the girl's name until the last part of the film. It's as if the experience has come and gone, and the writer almost has to wonder if it really happened at all. And yet, this type of experience that is captured so powerfully in this film, works because most viewers can relate to some degree.
Something tragic occurs that allows for Hermie and the girl to come together at last. However, it isn't in any way that perhaps we expect, which reflects Hermie's experience as well. He's at her house, and his intention is simply to be there for her. And although he doesn't realize it at such a young age, his act is healing kind of love that she desperately needs which makes the scene all the more poignant and beautiful. It's almost as if that was his whole purpose for being in her life for the short span of time of one summer.
The performances in this film are very good. Jerry Houser plays Oscy in such a way that we like him even if he's annoying at times. He's simply a friend who doesn't yet get it because he hasn't matured yet.
Hermie is played very well by Gary Grimes who is able to use subtle facial expressions to capture the confusion as well as the genuine feelings of a 15-year-old boy in love for the first time.
Of course, we can't mention performances without Jennifer O'Neill. She plays the girl with a graceful, sweet style that captured the hearts of many young boys at the time this film came out and obviously makes the film work.
The Oscar winning music from this film must also be mentioned. It also seems to sing of sweetness and innocence as two souls come together to give each other what the other needed at that time. We find that love, tenderness, and sweetness of experience is in the moment that comes without planning or expectations. In short, it is a true moment of love.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 47
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