Where the Boys Are

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Where the Boys Are

Directed by	Henry Levin
Produced by	Joe Pasternak
Written by	Glendon Swarthout (novel) George Wells
Starring	Dolores Hart George Hamilton Yvette Mimieux
Music by	George E. Stoll
Cinematography	Robert J. Bronner
Editing by	Fredric Steinkamp
Distributed by	MGM
Release date(s)	December 28, 1960
Running time	99 min.
Language	English
IMDb profile

Where the Boys Are is a 1960 American motion picture comedic film, based on the novel by Glendon Swarthout, about four Midwestern college co-eds who spend spring break in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The film was originally intended for the teen market, featuring sun, sand and romance.

Though you would expect Rock and Roll music in this teen oriented movie, it was jazz that was featured on screen. Pop music superstar Connie Francis had her introductory role as an actress in this film, and sang the title song. Neil Sedaka also performs on the soundtrack.

Veteran cowboy actor Chill Wills plays the veteran Police Chief of Fort Lauderdale. His opening speech sets the tone for the whole movie. Most movie goers will recognize George Hamilton who plays a reluctant rich kid and also Jim Hutton who plays a wacky college kid with a penchant for hats. Where the Boys Are was one of the earlier teen films to explore adolescent sexuality and changing American sexual mores and attitudes among college youth. Given the censorship of the day the audience is never sure of exactly what happened to Yvette Mimieux's character in the motel room. But the story is focused on the "Coming of age" of the Dolores Hart character. Thus, the film ends with a melancholy rather than a laugh. Released in the wintertime, the film inspired thousands more American college students to head to Fort Lauderdale, Florida for their annual spring break.

In the years since its release, Where the Boys Are, has gradually acquired cult status, and together with the collegiate film High Time is today appreciated as a virtual time capsule of the emerging postwar baby-boom generation, their relationship with the older generation, and the changing lifestyles of 1960 America.

An unsuccessful remake was made in 1984 by TriStar Pictures. Incidentally, TriStar's parent company, Sony Pictures Entertainment, would lead a partnership that acquired MGM in 2005 - however, the rights to this film (along with the rest of the pre-1986 MGM library) are now owned by Warner Bros. and its subsidiary, Turner Entertainment.