Untamed Youth (1957)

Sisters Jane and Penny are arrested for hitchhiking on their way to Los Angeles when they stop for a quick skinny dip in a rural town. Local agricultural magnate Trump is a sponsor for a ... See full summary »

Director:

Howard W. Koch

Writers:

John C. Higgins, Stephen Longstreet (story)

Stars:

Mamie Van Doren, Lori Nelson, John Russell

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Mamie Van Doren	...	Penny Lowe
Lori Nelson	...	Jane Lowe
John Russell	...	Russ Tropp
Don Burnett	...	Bob Steele
Glenn Dixon	...	Jack Landis
Lurene Tuttle	...	Judge Cecilia Steele Tropp
Yvonne Fedderson	...	Baby (as Yvonne Lime)
Jeanne Carmen	...	Lillibet
Robert Foulk	...	Sheriff Mitch Bowers
Wayne Taylor	...	Duke
Jered Barclay	...	Ralph (as Jerry Barclay)
Keith Richards
Valerie Reynolds	...	Arkie
Lucita	...	Margaritia
Eddie Cochran	...	Bong

Storyline

Sisters Jane and Penny are arrested for hitchhiking on their way to Los Angeles when they stop for a quick skinny dip in a rural town. Local agricultural magnate Trump is a sponsor for a local prison work program and the women get put in the fields to work off their sentence. Trump is dating the widowed judge in order to ensure a stable supply of cheap labor in order to undercut his competition. The prisoners suffer ill treatment, but the judge's son has signed on as a hired hand and begins to figure out the scam as he begins falling in love with Jane, and Penny dreams of making it big in showbiz.

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Plot Keywords:

sister | abuse of power | song | small town law | sociopath | 

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Taglines:

OUR VAGRANT YOUTH! (original print ad - all caps)

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 July 1957 (West Germany)

Also Known As:

Anonyma koritsia

Filming Locations:

Bakersfield, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Aubrey Schenck Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

80 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In 1957, this film was distributed on a double bill with Hell's Crossroads featuring Robert Vaughn.

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Quotes

Lillibeth: Don't hit me in the mouth again, you'll break my dental plate.

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Connections

Referenced in Mexico Never Sleeps (1959)

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Soundtracks

"GO, GO, CALYPSO"
Written by Les Baxter
Performed by Mamie Van Doren

User Reviews

"If you had two heads you'd still be a moron!"

Untamed Youth (1957)

** (out of 4)

If you look at any critic books you're probably going to find this one with a BOMB rating and it being called one of the worst films of all time. Something this entertaining can't be considered one of the worst ever made. Period. Sisters Penny (Mamie Van Doren) and Jane (Lori Nelson) Lowe gets picked up by a crooked Sheriff and the two are sentenced by a crooked judge to a work farm where the owner abuses the workers and gets his pockets filled with their hard work. Soon the judge's son (Don Burnett) returns home from the Navy and begins to see what's really going on at the camp. UNTAMED YOUTH is one of many drive-in juvenile flicks that were released in this era and while it has one of the worst reputations of any, this is just so memorable because of all the camp, wild dialogue and unbelievable situations. I'm really not sure where you start but there's some of the most memorable dialogue that you're ever going to find in a film. There this: "Don't hit me in the mouth again. You'll break my dental plate". Also this: "If you had two heads you'd still be a moron." You've also got an opening sequence with the two beautiful blonds skinny dipping with the perverted Sheriff spying on them. There's also some very campy musical numbers, which for some reason the "inmates" are able to put on. I'm still not sure why the evil owner allowed all of this considering everything else he was doing to them. Then there's the hilarious ending where the people finally can't take any more. I won't ruin what exactly happens but it's certainly funny. Mamie Van Doren, as you'd expect, gives a pretty blah performance but that pointy bra is constantly at work. Nelson actually gives a pretty good performance as she's the only thing that doesn't come off campy. The supporting players all fit their roles nicely. UNTAMED YOUTH is pure camp and I'd say it deserves the right to be considered a cult classic.