On paper 'Youth Runs Wild' looks promising. But high expectations get doused early when a montage of sensational newspaper headlines, ("Juveniles Hold Up Gas Station", "Juveniles Cause Dance Hall Riot", "Scores Injured in Fight in Public Ballroom") is followed by a scene marred by 'cute kid' shots. Nothing kills a film faster than a cute kid appearing when one isn't needed.
Frankie and Sarah are high school age neighbors who hang out together a lot. After Frankie goes truant from school for a couple of days to earn some cash to buy Sarah a birthday gift his parents forbid him from seeing her anymore. This sets both off on a, ummm, road to ruin.
Frankie gets caught up with some bad kids and takes part in a tire-stealing scheme
Sarah, defying her parents, runs off to the amusement park with her girlfriend
"you don't have to explain nothin'... it's written all over your face in big letters and it says 'no good'".
Sarah ends up leaving home and taking work as a dance hall waitress
"I'm not a kid anymore, I understand a lot"
Frankie shows interest in becoming a machinist. And does what any self-respecting man would do when he gets rebuffed by Sarah while trying to rekindle their romance... he starts a fight.
Indirectly, Frankie's actions cause serious harm
But, in an obnoxiously propagandaist turn of events, he accepts reform. Sarah, too, decides to turn her life around and chooses a path that any honorable woman would approve of.
"i've got places to go and things to do"
After the studio cut and re-shot parts of 'Youth Runs Wild' Producer Val Lewton fought to have his name removed from the credits. Who could blame him?
In its time (the mid 40s) James Agee wrote a positive review of this film in The Nation. 60+ years later I can't be as forgiving.
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