HIGH SCHOOL HELLCATS (1958):
This 50’s film is one of the forerunners of the teen click films that developed into movies like Mean Girls and Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen. But in this case we are transported to a time when girls wore sweaters buttoned to the neck and dresses down to the ankles. It was a time when you had to dial a telephone and dance to a jukebox. Ponytails were in style and classrooms used chalkboards instead of projected computer screens.
The film centers on Joyce a new girl in town who gets conned into joining the Hellcats, a gang of girls that control the classrooms and party scene. Wanting to be accepted into the “In” crowd, Joyce goes along with the group even if it includes petty theft. When an incident happens at a private party, Joyce finds herself at a dead end.
Edward L. Bernds best know for his writing than his directing won an Oscar for the film High Society before tackling High School Hellcats. Here he does a good job with the limited budget and acting pool. He uses the black and white film stock immeasurably well keeping his camera still.
I like what Bernds does with the subject matter and in addition to a blast from the past provides an interesting story. (C+)
THE ROSE GARDEN (1989):
Take a step back in time and a chance to see an amazing display of talent under the award winning direction of Fons Rademakers. Here we see some amazing acting, maybe even better than most accomplished actors of today. Reconnect with Liv Ullmann (Gaby: A True Story) and Maximilian Schell (A Bridge Too Far) in breathtaking and touching performances.
The movie takes place in 80’s Germany where Aaron (Schell) an elderly Jewish man attacks Mr. Kern (Kurt Hubner) a former Nazi officer of the Third Reich at an airport terminal. Arrested for the act the man does not have enough money to hire a lawyer to defend himself. The court appoints Gabriele (Ullman) a German attorney to handle the case. When she starts to uncover a deep darkness that surrounds a relationship between Kern and Aaron, Gabriele finds herself fighting, not only Kern but the court itself.
Director Fons Rademaker keeps the drama moving at a fast clip feeding small doses of the relationship between his two adversaries without giving too much away. He uses the talent of Schell to show the strong will of the Jews, the ever-present pain and suffering and finally a forbidden truth. Ullman makes her character obsessed with getting the information needed to help her client. When she gets too close to the subjects however, the prosecutor tries some tactics that slow her down.
I like the film very much and recommend it for drama lovers who like stories that are moving and fact based. (B)
Writer, critic, film editor John Delia, Sr. has been on all sides of the movie business from publications to film making. He has worked as a film critic with ACED Magazine for more than 20 years and other publications for a total of 40 years. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Florida. John is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association and Critics Association of Central Florida Send John a message at jdelia@acedmagazine.com
