Where the Boys Are
Common Sense says
- NR
- 1960
- 99 minutes
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The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that Where the Boys Are, a classic romantic-comedy from 1960, raises some of the important issues for college kids of that era: 1). Will I find a husband during Spring Break in Fort Lauderdale? The answer: Probably. 2). How much partying is permissible? The answer: Lots, mostly on the beach with plenty of underage drinking and some drunkenness. 3). Should a girl have sex before marriage? The answer: A resounding no, unless you're willing to suffer some pretty devastating consequences. So, an assortment of college-age females are divided into two categories: "good" girls and girls who'll have sex. The college-age males are divided into two categories: boys who'll do just about anything to convince a girl to sleep with them, and the 1 percent who are obsessed with music. Amid the fun, comic portrayals, quirky romances, and lovable stereotypes are some serious and suspenseful moments, all concerning the most naive of the young female students. Desperate to be in love, she abandons the strict rules of her upbringing and finds herself in jeopardy from predatory males and (spoiler alert) is the victim of an off-camera sexual assault.
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What's the story?
Determined to let loose, have fun, and meet the men of their dreams, four Midwestern college coeds venture to the warm climes of the Spring Break Mecca of 1960: Fort Lauderdale, Florida. In WHERE THE BOYS ARE, each of those spirited young women will be changed forever as she basks in the warmth of male attention as well as sunny skies. Wholesome, smart Merritt (Dolores Hart) meets rich Ivy League dreamboat, Ryder (George Hamilton). Comic, self-deprecating, and very tall Tuggie (Paula Prentice) meets free-spirit, funny "TV" (Jim Hutton). Spitfire with a great singing voice Angie (Connie Francis) meets myopic jazz enthusiast, Basil (Frank Gorshin). Though three of the four girls are up to the task of dealing with the raging hormones of the young men, Melanie (Yvette Mimieux) gets in way over her head in her quest for a "Yalie" to call her own. As a result, in the only serious moments of the movie, Melanie finds herself in both physical and emotional jeopardy from heartless sexual predators.
Is it any good?
For fresh audiences, especially teens, it's dated but still fun. For many in the older set, it's a great piece of nostalgia. Beloved when it was released, the title song was a giant hit; Connie Francis was a star; teen girls flocked for repeat showings. The movie validated romance, virtue, and growing up with single-minded goals for women.
Overall, it's a terrific look back at a mostly innocent time when kids broke out in song, partied without consequences, and found love in all the right places. Still, "back in the day," there had to be a moral for almost every story, and Where the Boys Are is no exception. Melanie's "punishable" sexual behavior by 1960s standards, and its briefly frightening outcome, mars what is otherwise a very enjoyable and engaging remembrance of a different era.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about how teen attitudes and values have changed since this movie was made in 1960. How have attitudes about drinking shifted? Sexuality? Gender roles?
In what ways are modern-day kids the same as those portrayed in Where the Boys Are?
The 1960s were years of tremendous cultural change in the United States. Think of factors that contributed to that fact (the Vietnam War, the civil rights movement). If this movie is representative of the early years of the decade, what later movies in the late 60s and early 1970s reflected those changes?
Movie details
- In theaters: December 28, 1960
- On DVD or streaming: January 6, 2004
- Cast: Dolores Hart, George Hamilton, Paula Prentiss
- Director: Henry Levin
- Studio: MGM/UA
- Genre: Romance
- Topics: Friendship
- Run time: 99 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: April 24, 2020
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