Wuchak Released in 1971 and directed by Robert Mulligan, "Summer of '42" is the biographical drama of Herman "Hermie" Raucher (Gary Grimes) coming of age at 15 during the titular season & year on Nantucket Island. He and his two pals, Oscy and Benji, hang out on the island learning about sex and chasing girls. Meanwhile, Hermie is an awe of a 21 year-old woman (Jennifer O'Neill) whose soldier husband is off fighting WWII.This is such a well-done classic film from the early 70s. The island locales are breathtaking while the story is low-key realistic, which is fitting since it was based on a real-life. It's basically about a teenage boy in awe of a beautiful adult whoa-man of whom O'Neill voluptuously fills the bill. Hermie has a mature, spiritual attitude toward love & sex, which is contrasted by Oscy's juvenile, animalistic approach.The movie's not meant to provoke "controversy" but rather to just show the way it was and what happened. The same type of story happened and happens to mid-teens in every community all over North America and the world to this day. I'm not saying it's right or wise on the adult's part (it's not), but simply that it happens; and the teen WANTED it, boy or girl. That said, there's some ambiguity to the ending and it's not 100% certain that such-and-such occurred.The outstanding "Last Summer" (1969) is a comparable movie, but with an unpleasant edge. Both films take place on island beaches during the summer and involve teens coming of age. Both films involve a disturbing element. But "Last Summer" is ugly in a significant way whereas "Summer of '42" maintains a sense of awe and beauty. "The Outsiders" (1983) is also a little comparable, particularly the theater sequence.WATCH OUT for notable cutie Christopher Norris as Oscy's wannabe date, Miriam. If you're not familiar with her, be sure to check her out in Ron Howard's "Eat My Dust" (1976) where she's mind-blowing.THE FILM RUNS 1 hour, 44 minutes and was shot in Mendocino in Northern California and a couple other places in California. They had intended to shoot it on Nantucket, where the true story occurred, but the island had changed so much since 1942 that it proved more feasible to simply find another, underdeveloped locale as a substitute.GRADE: A-/B+

Bill Phillips Most of this movie seems a bit dated, and, on the boys' parts, overacted. As well, after 45 years, seeing it again, I realize that Jennifer O'Neill is not that great an actress, well, until the awesome ending. And, what a shock to discover that now at 70, she has been married nine times. What does that matter? Nothing really, but I had lived most of my life imagining her as she was in this movie, young, beautiful, and mesmerizing. In spite of all the above, the last episode of the movie is so powerful and so well acted by both O'neill and the kid that it will forever remain a classic movie. And, what a coda to discover that it really happened to the writer, and the letter read at the end was the real letter the writer had read as a kid. Can't forget as well that this movie would probably never been as successful without Michel Legrand's musical theme. Of course, this movie could never be made today, just as Pretty Baby could never be made (Hollywood has yet to do a total "mea culpa" on its child exploitation,) Call it what you want, this is still a story of a wiser, older woman taking advantage of a younger clueless 15 year old. In the true story the kid (the screenwriter) was actually 14. It doesn't matter that half the 15 yr old boys in American would gladly be exploited in this manner. But, if you're honest, that's also part of the problem. In spite of this, the movie is still one of my guilty pleasures, and is, I suspect, the same for most men. I have no idea what women think of it. As an aside, it has some outstanding comedy. The drugstore scene is a stand alone vignette. And to add to its credentials, this film was directed by Robert Mulligan of To Kill a Mockingbird.

BobbyT24 I remember watching this in high school. It was one of those "wish I was Hermie" moments with one look at Jennifer O'Neill. I think any teenage boy would fall in love/lust with just one look at her. If you would have asked my IMDb score when I was 15, my answer would have been 10 out of 10."Nostalgia is one helluva drug," as the saying goes...The cinematography was exquisite. The settings, magnificent. Of course, the music is still timeless. Jennifer O'Neill... extraordinarily luminous. However... If movies have a shelf life, this one's expired somewhere in the early-80s. What I never considered about this movie was just how poorly written and acted this story really was as a film. My understanding is this was based on a true encounter for the author. I'm sure he had wonderful memories of that lady. I wish those memories would have been translated into a more enjoyable viewing experience. I don't know who cast this movie in 1971, but the actors acted like an early-'70s beginning actors' workshop. All were stiff, forced and delivered lines like they read the simplistic script off-screen, stepped in front of the camera and regurgitated those basic words or tried to improv the rest. There was no chemistry between Hermie and Dorothy. The three friends were as dopey as they were supposed to be funny and charming. The dialogue delivered throughout could have been written by a horny, male teenager who wanted to impress his WWII-era teacher without studying language truly spoken in 1942. When everyone looks like they are acting in a school play with just beautiful scenery behind them... you get my drift. The music, however, sets a gorgeous tone. I'd forgotten the theme piece plays throughout. It's beautiful melody weaves a spell over the audience to understand young love and all it's charm. The score most assuredly stands the test of time.The movie's coming-of-age story is sweet, lovely, full of nostalgia... but not innocent. As other reviewers have stated on this site, this is statutory rape by the stunning female lead. We can't gloss over that fact, as beautiful as the scenery surely is. Sure, Dorothy is exceedingly sad and effervescent. Sure, Hermie has been chasing and dreaming about her since the film's opening shot. Sure, the island is one romantic location after another in a lost time we all reminisce about in our dreams... but she's still a pedophile in her actions. Every underage person has had a crush on an older person. It's unlawful for the older person to act on it. The story also had to only have been written by a male. If this would have been a female's perspective, having a 20-something widower taking advantage of a smitten 15yo girl would have a completely different reaction from the audience, no matter the era this movie was filmed.The final line in the movie sums up how basic the storyline is: "In the Summer of '42,... Benji broke his watch, Oski gave up the harmonica, and in a very special way, I lost Hermie... forever." The entire movie just felt... basic. I wanted to love this movie again. I NEEDED to love it again. But some things can't catch their original magic once you open the bottle a second time.I would only recommend this to people who want a sweet look at 1942 New England island life with a haunting melody playing you into a trance. It's very beautiful, serene and worth the trip into our past for that portion of the movie. If you're looking to reminisce about a great story from your childhood, you'll be disappointed. My recommendation: Buy the soundtrack - preferably with a cover featuring Jennifer O'Neill's lovely face. Sit in a quiet room near the ocean with the music playing in the background. And reminisce about lost time and your own lost loves for the soundtrack's entirety. You will be rewarded far more than watching this film. I'm sad this viewing robbed me of a beautiful memory in my youth. Sometimes, nostalgia is better left in the past, much like this movie should have been.

davidpeters-38546 Life was simpler. Love was stronger. And each day was a new adventure. I have the DVD and watch this movie at least once every 2 or 3 years. It never gets old, I always see new things or hear new dialog. No great message or political statement, just makes you feel good to be back in the day. The acting was great because you get so involved with the characters you lose the fact of who they really are. The situations are very real for those of us that lived during that period or even into the 50s and 60s. The dialog may seem a little corny, but that is the way we were when I grew up, clumsy and not very cool. The use of the wind throughout the movie gave it the beach feel that I used to get when I went to the beach on the Gulf coast, so the movie takes you away to a past that could have been.