Overlooked Movies: Because They're Young

I read John Farris' Harrison High in its first Dell paperback edition on its first appearance 'way back in 1959 or '60.  I thought it was great, not just because it had been written by someone barely out of high school but because it captured an era so well.  When Dick Clark made a movie based on the book, naturally I had to see it.


Clark plays high school teacher Neil Hendry, a guy who gets maybe a bit too involved in trying to solve his students' problems.  That causes problems for him both with his wife and his principal.  Hendry's not really the main focus of the novel as I remember it.  The students are, but it's Clark's movie, so he's the main attraction.  Or maybe not.  I like Tuesday Weld better.  


Clark pretty much plays himself, or at least the self that he was on TV, and he's okay.  The rest of the cast is pretty good, too.  Doug McLure.  Roberta Shore.  Michael Callan. And did I mention Tuesday Weld?  The '50s weren't really like this, except in the movies, but that's good enough for me.  If it ever turns up on TV, check it out.