9 reviews
Hokey but fun to watch.
Jeanne (Joan Taylor) is a high school girl who has two young men vying for her attention. Larry is very considerate and conservative...and not especially exciting, though a very handsome and decent lad. Nick (Dick York) on the other hand is very exciting and reckless...and drives like a maniac. Naturally, Jeanne falls for Nick because this IS an exploitation film...and she lives to regret it every minute of the rest of her life!!!
The acting is only fair and the writing is anything but subtle. In fact, I assume that films like this actually did nothing to discourage teens from doing all sorts of crazy things...in fact, they probably encouraged it! This weird mixed message is what makes the film oddly enjoyable despite it's cheesiness. It's also wild to see Dick York of all people playing Nick, as he's one of the dorkier actors of his age. No offense intended...he just seemed anything like the character he portrayed in this one!
The acting is only fair and the writing is anything but subtle. In fact, I assume that films like this actually did nothing to discourage teens from doing all sorts of crazy things...in fact, they probably encouraged it! This weird mixed message is what makes the film oddly enjoyable despite it's cheesiness. It's also wild to see Dick York of all people playing Nick, as he's one of the dorkier actors of his age. No offense intended...he just seemed anything like the character he portrayed in this one!
- planktonrules
- Apr 20, 2020
- Permalink
Last Date
- BandSAboutMovies
- Mar 27, 2024
- Permalink
The "shock" message is appropriate
- briguy_52732
- Apr 19, 2008
- Permalink
Decent Driver's Ed Short
Last Date (1950)
** (out of 4)
This "scare" film is about Jeanne (Joan Taylor), a good girl who is dating a good guy but soon she starts to find him boring. That's especially true when she meets Nick (Richard York) who has a hot rod and likes to drive fast.
The constant message running through this eighteen minute short is the term "teenicide," which means teenagers committing suicide by misbehaving in cars. This message is beaten into the viewers head throughout the running time but that's to be expected out of a drive's ed film from this period. For the most part the short remains slightly entertaining due to the fact that everyone knows York who was just starting his acting career. The big "wreck" at the end is actually handled quite well and the director manages to build up some nice suspense. With that said, not "seeing" at the end was a letdown.
** (out of 4)
This "scare" film is about Jeanne (Joan Taylor), a good girl who is dating a good guy but soon she starts to find him boring. That's especially true when she meets Nick (Richard York) who has a hot rod and likes to drive fast.
The constant message running through this eighteen minute short is the term "teenicide," which means teenagers committing suicide by misbehaving in cars. This message is beaten into the viewers head throughout the running time but that's to be expected out of a drive's ed film from this period. For the most part the short remains slightly entertaining due to the fact that everyone knows York who was just starting his acting career. The big "wreck" at the end is actually handled quite well and the director manages to build up some nice suspense. With that said, not "seeing" at the end was a letdown.
- Michael_Elliott
- Feb 23, 2016
- Permalink
Darrin from Bewitched and "teenicide"??
It was Even Funny 50 Years Ago!
- psadek-496-994449
- Jun 13, 2022
- Permalink
The Effectiveness of Restraint in the Horror of Last Date
- Denise_Noe
- May 15, 2020
- Permalink
Driver safety film that plays like a horror movie
In LAST DATE- Dick York (later of BEWITCHED fame) is a teenaged reckless driver who takes our star and narrator, a young spunky girl on a ride in his revved up sports car. This is one of those "driver safety" films that played in your classroom back in high school. Kind of wild over acting, and a shock ending that would of made Dario Argento, Mario Bava and William Castle proud.
With "encouragement" like this how did any of us get our driver's licences?
The people who directed these Driver's Ed films must have been frustrated terror film directors. Why else would so many of them be loaded with gore and scare tactics? This one from 1950 is no exception. Top billed Richard York (later Dick York of features like INHERIT THE WIND and later TV's "Bewitched") plays a cocky kid with a new hotrod which he just loves to show off with. ("I learned to drive from my dad. He's only been arrested three times!") His buddies think he crazy driving is inviting "teenicide" or a sort of involuntary suicide via automobile. (NOTE: the word never caught on and was soon dropped from the slang vocabulary.) Richard steals Joan, a girl he has already frightened with his wild driving, from her date and takes her on a ride. ("Hey it'll only take fifteen minutes.") Okay, remember this is a Driver's Ed film and is supposed to be teaching us what not to do so guess what happens. That's right! The film ends with Joan, whose back is to the camera, writing a letter to a friend saying she wished she had died in the accident. She goes to look in a mirror only to smash it and turn quickly away. We never see her face but we can imagine all sorts of hideous things. I wonder if we were supposed to use our imagination at this point or did they just not have enough money for special makeup? Oh well, back in 1950 I am sure the shock value was quite strong.
- reptilicus
- Jul 24, 2001
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