. . . and the young people it tries to corrupt! If that tag line alone brings to mind images of "Peyton Place" (1957), you're not alone. However, "The Restless Years", is less known than the aforementioned film, but it deserves more recognition for its talented cast. John Saxon, Sandra Dee, Teresa Wright, James Whitmore, Margaret Lindsay, Luana Patten, Jody McCrea and Virginia Grey all did a decent job of portraying folks of a small town, beset by gossip and whispers. More intimate than "Peyton Place" but obviously shot on a lower budget (black and white CinemaScope), this effort is memorable in its own right. Sandra Dee, in only her second film, shows considerable promise as a dramatic actress, as she would demonstrate in later efforts such as "A Summer Place" and "Imitation Of Life" (both 1959). John Saxon, with just a few movies under his belt, already was displaying the intensity that he later became famous for.
Produced by Ross Hunter, the film seems tame by today's standards but is very entertaining and true to the emotions that ran at the time. It's truly a 50s melodrama, and that's really where the entertainment value lies.
Just recently, "The Restless Years" made its debut on DVD in the Universal Vault Series Collection. Unfortunately, the print is in non-anamorphic widescreen. Universal could and should do better.
John Saxon and Sandra Dee were a fine screen team, and also displayed this in two other films, "The Reluctant Debutante" (1958) and "Portrait In Black" (1960).
Produced by Ross Hunter, the film seems tame by today's standards but is very entertaining and true to the emotions that ran at the time. It's truly a 50s melodrama, and that's really where the entertainment value lies.
Just recently, "The Restless Years" made its debut on DVD in the Universal Vault Series Collection. Unfortunately, the print is in non-anamorphic widescreen. Universal could and should do better.
John Saxon and Sandra Dee were a fine screen team, and also displayed this in two other films, "The Reluctant Debutante" (1958) and "Portrait In Black" (1960).