1971 Directed by Anthony Newley
Jerry, not a member of the 'protest generation' but is instead, an 'All American boy,' is drafted into the Army, just as things begin to go well for him. He decision to flee to Canada sparks off conflict with his parents, ending in the film's conclusion - in Vietnam.
USA
USA
A few weeks ago I was trawling the Freevee app and came across a mid-'70s game show called CELEBRITY BOWLING, which is exactly what it sounds like. The show has a casual, free-wheeling vibe that's a lot of fun (I believe the competitors were allowed to drink; it's not quite The Match Game, but they're loosened up). I've watched Ed Asner chuck gutterball after gutterball; I've seen Roy Rogers carry Adam West to the second best score in the show's history (198). I bring all this up because of the half-dozen or so episodes I consumed, one featured real-life sweethearts Michael Douglas and Brenda Vaccaro, who won some dope polyester slacks and (if memory serves) a clock radio for some…
Been awhile since MD graced my screen, and it was good to have him back baby!!!
First of all the movie starts out with a sweet lil tune sung to you by MD himself. 💰💰💰
This movie is basically about Jerry trying to avoid the draft and also saving the local youths and pleasuring the local nurse. I popped when he told his parents he “barely studied” when they asked how college was going.
Was it his best? No. But DILLIGAF!
I don't know how much of an effect not seeing any MD for over a month had in this but damn this movie was enthralling. MD plays a guitar and sings nude with a nude woman in his lap. He sings so often in this! I also think this was MDs first on screen ssx scene. What a moment in Hollywood history
Starring a very young Michael Douglas, who played an aimless collage boy, volunteering to be the ‘big brother’ of a black kid whose older brother was drafted to the Vietnam war, whilst starting a romantic relationship with a nurse who was married to a Marine unbeknownst to him. All the tangential connection to the ongoing war becomes personal when he was drafted after losing his student draft deferral as he dropped out of school to become a musician. That’s when the real drama started and we have only 30 minutes left. Because of the last shot of the film, Summertree is an anti-war film, but it’s more like an encapsulation of the time that happened to have a war in another continent. It’s one of those film that was decently made with good intention, but unmemorable.
In the horny history book they’re gonna at least mention this once. Kirk Douglas needed a horny lead and was all like “I know the guy” and the rest was horny history (MD).
[1 review to cover 3 titles]
Ahh, the Michael Douglas 60's Searchers Trilogy (as I call it)! ...more specifically his three early starring vehicles centered around existentially unmoored young men on journeys of self-discovery, ho hum ho hum. This consists of David Miller's HAIL, HERO! (1969), Robert Scheerer's ADAM AT 6 A.M. (1970), and Anthony Newley's SUMMERTREE (1971). How well do you feel they've aged? Most feel they've done so rather poorly. I think the latter two have strong moments and noteworthy elements.
Adam at 6 a.m. is a perfect companion to Five Easy Pieces (1970) released the same year, in that it depicts men from privileged backgrounds who chuck that privilege to disappear into a blue collar existence. Incidentally,…
Well-intentioned, great cast, fab L.A. location shooting, and a decent Harry Nilsson style theme song sung by Hamilton Camp that ironically captures the nostalgia of simpler times.
About that cast, the young Michael Douglas is charming, Jack Warden is the BEST, Barbara Bel Geddes is the mom, and Douglas’s real life delightful GF, Brenda Vaccaro, is his delightful movie GF.
The Vietnam War keeps getting shown on TVs in the background and Douglas’s decision to drop out of college to go to a music conservatory leads to him getting drafted. The last shot of the movie makes that surreal separation of a peaceful American suburb while young Americans were getting ripped apart half a world away very plain.
It’s a…
So I watched this film because it was part of the rather random "Martini Movies" collection put out by Sony. After I was done I did a little homework to see why this film even existed...because it's bad. Almost to the point of checking out...but not really.
I realized I had done an acting scene from this film (based on a play) back in college.
This is an exercise in how not to adapt a play for the screen.
Fuck.
Oh, and it was made because Michael was canned and replaced on Broadway. Daddy Kirk bought the film rights so sonny boy could be in the movie version.
Thanks, Dad.
Decent Vietnam-era drama. Aimless pretty boy Douglas just wants to play guitar and find his bliss, while pops Warden wants him to choose a major and stay out of the draft. Douglas hooks up with a foxy, no-BS nurse (played by Brenda Vaccaro), who steers him more toward a path. Unfortunately, that path turns out to be the war.
An early role for Michael Douglas about the Vietnam war..or rather trying to get out of the draft...it's a pretty good drama with a strong ending...can't believe it only has 20 reviews on Letterboxd.
Anti-Vietnam war film that’s a little dated around the edges but finishes with an impactful punch to the gut. Seasoned actors, Jack Warden and Barbara bel Geddies give their usual great performances, but it’s the young cast of actors just starting out who would become superstars in their own right that makes this a fun watch. Directed by Anthony Newley (surprised?, me too!).
(Scars of War/Vietnam 4-Movie Collection)
