As Young As We Are is another little known and lost movie that I found on Netflix. The movie stars Pippa Scott as Kim Hutchins, Robert Harland as Hank Moore, and Majel Barrett as Joyce Goodwin. As Young As We Are was directed by Bernard Girard and released some time in 1958. This long forgotten movie is another winner. The acting and storyline are very good. If you like watching 1950's movies this is for you. The sexual mores were different back then. What was scandalous in mid century people rarely blink their eyes at today.
Kim Hutchins and Joyce Goodwin meet at a job fair where they are trying to get hired within the public school system as teachers. Both women recently earned their teaching certificate. Kim and Joyce are being rejected for jobs because of their very young age and lack of any experience at all. Kim and Joyce manage to convince Paul Evans, the principal of Rosario High School to give them a chance. Mr. Evans really does not want to hire the girls because Rosario High is located in a far off place that is quite desolate and where there is nothing for young adults to do. He hasn't been able to keep teachers for that very reason. The previous year seven young teachers walked out on their contract before the school year was over. Mr. Evan's reluctantly hires Joyce and Kim with the stipulation that they must remain for the entire school year.
Joyce and Kim decide to drive the Rosario together. On the way the headlights of Joyce's car goes out and they can't go any further. Two older men driving by stops, gets out of their car and begins to harass Joyce and Kim. It looks like the two men are going to rape them. Lucky for the girls, a truck is approaching and they yell for help. The truck driver stops and rescues Kim and Joyce from the two bad guys. The Trucker driver's name in Hank Moore and he is immediately attracted to Kim, but Hank is a gentleman.
Hank checks out the headlights for the girls and finds that it is a loose wire that caused the problemn. After Hank fixes the problem Joyce and Kim are again on their way to Rosario. What the ladies do not know is that waiting in the truck for Hank to return is his girlfriend Nina.
Joyce and Kim arrive at the boarding house where they will be renting rooms. The owner is strict and not the warmest person. Her name is Nettie McPherson and she is played by Ellen Corbett, whom you may remember as grandma Walton in the TV series The Waltons. Kim and Joyce will not be allowed to entertain men in their bedrooms. Remember, this is 1950's mores. Actually, these mores stretched into the 1970's. It was even still scandalous to get pregnant out of wedlock. I remember well a classmates getting pregnant during my first year of junior high school. It was the talk of the school and everyone was whispering about it. The girl had to leave school. It was really sad because the son of a family friend had raped her and that is how she became pregnant. Back in those days people whispered about the girl but the boy was not chastised.
Joyce and Kim move forward with their lives and attend teachers orientation at Rosario High School. The ladies are very excited about their first teaching job and the school year will begin in a couple of weeks.
Hank Moore was able to track Kim down by looking up the license plate number of Joyce's car. Hank is really smitten with Kim and while Kim is waiting for school to begin she starts going out with Hank. There is a strong physical attraction between the couple. Hank looks to be in his early to mid twenties, but Hank is actually only 17 years old and will begin his last year at Rosario High when school starts. Hank doesn't tell Kim that he is a high school student because he knows that she would never have gone out with him. As the couple continue to see one another Hank becomes more obsessed with Kim.
The first day of school arrives and Hank learns that he is in Kim's class. When he walks into the classroom is when Kim learns that he is only 17 years old and a high school student. You can imagine the shock that came over Kim. To make matters even more tense, Nina is also in the class and is the class monitor. Hank has been brushing Nina off because he only has eyes (and thoughts) for Kim.
Later on Kim explains to Hank that she is not going to see him anymore. The situation is impossible, but Hank refuses to give Kim up and begins to stalk her.
Hank keeps showing up at the boarding house where Kim lives, but Nettie and Joyce will not give him access to Kim. Kim is getting really stressed out over the situation because now the students in school are whispering about Kim and Hank.
Kim purchases her own car to get back and forth to school. In a desperate attempt to make Kim his, Hank kidnaps her in her own car. After being missing for quite some time and Hank being no where to be found the police are brought into it. A patrol car spots Kim's car with Kim in it and Hank driving. A high speed chase begins and Hank tells Kim that if she does not agree to marry him he will kill them both. Hank has a gun on him. Kim will not agree and begs Hank to give himself up. Hank's mental state is now off the charts and he crashes the car.
What happened after that? You will have to watch the movie and see for yourself. YOu have been reading my reviews long enough to know that I will not tell you the ending. :-)
Pippa Scott
Majel Barrett
The clothes in this movie was designed by Edith Head. To me Edith Head was the best clothes designer that Hollywood had until the day she passed away. Miss Head's designs were very similar to Coco Chanel because of the classic and timeless look of them.
Edith Head
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