Deborah Kerr & John Kerr (thank God no relation!) play dorm matron & troubled student in this topically minded soaper from 1956 directed by Vincent Minnelli. A reunion is under away at an all boys college when some of attendees remark upon the arrival of one of their own in questioning asides as to why he'd come back. During the next 2 hours or so, we find out this student was the object of ridicule & derision since he was a resolute contrarian, never participating in any typically male modes of interest, a member of the acting club & would rather spend time w/the older woman who lived below than w/girls his own age. Labelled a 'sister boy' this not so thinly veiled attack on homosexuality couldn't have come at a momentous time in the 50's when a sea change was burbling under the surface for this kind of material to see the light of cinematic day. Based on a play (the film suffers a bit from its lack of dramatic camera angles preferring to have the film feel statically shot on sets), this drama still hits the right notes of shameful masculinity of a bygone era, where a father is proud of his son for being boorish towards women (in an episode in the film's latter half) rather than accept him for what he is. Look for future Billy Jack star Tom Laughlin, Disney's perennial lead Dean Jones & Darryl Hickman (The Many Loves of Dobey Gillis) as the troubled youth's fellow classmates.
Review of Tea and Sympathy
