(1959)
3
Craig Butler
While teenage pregnancy is as valid a concept for a movie today as it was in 1959, Blue Denim still comes across as dated, if very sincere and fairly affecting. The datedness is partially inevitable, as the social circumstances pre-1960 are simply alien to modern audiences. But it isn't really the differences in mores that dampen Denim's impact, it is its unimaginative transition from stage to screen. Dialogue that might have had impact in a live theater comes across as forced and stilted onscreen, and the "happy ending" grafted onto the movie feels very unnatural and awkward. However, while Philip Dunne has not done a very imaginative job of shooting the film, he does capture some fine performances from his talented cast. Certainly, Carol Lynley's physicality lights up the screen, and she pushes all the buttons required of her. Brandon de Wilde pushes too hard on occasion but is otherwise quite good, and Warren Berlinger is even better in a role that could be annoying. While not a classic, Denim is an earnest, well-intentioned film with a cast that makes it worth catching.
Blue Denim on AllMovie
Blue Denim (1959)
