Maryjane (1968)

User Rating:

4.3/10   

Director:

Maury Dexter

Writers:

Maury Dexter (story)
Richard Gautier (writer)

Release Date:

February 1968 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

2 are in jail & the others have blown their minds!

Plot:

A teacher trying to break up a local drug ring is framed and arrested for possession of marijuana.

Plot Keywords:

Teacher | School | Play | Drugs | Marijuana

Cast

Fabian	...	Phil Blake
Diane McBain	...	Elli Holden
Kevin Coughlin	...	Jordan Bates
Michael Margotta	...	Jerry Blackburn
Patty McCormack	...	Susan Hoffman
Russ Bender	...	Harry Braxton
Booth Colman	...	Maynard Parlow
Baynes Barron	...	Police Chief Otis Mosley
Henry Hunter	...	Arthur Ford
Phil Vandervort	...	Herbie Mueller
Ivan Bonar	...	Roger Campbell
Byron Morrow	...	Judge
Ward Ramsey	...	Mr. Blackburn
Bruce Mars	...	Toby
Steve Cory	...	Chuck Poe

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Pathécolor)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Not Rated | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Greystone Park & Mansion - 905 Loma Vista Drive, Beverly Hills, California, USA

Company:

American International Pictures (AIP)

Movie Connections:

Featured in Classroom Scare Films Vol. 5: More Drug Evils (1997) (V)

Be True To Your Cool School

During his early career Fabian had some extraordinary luck to get to work with such screen immortals as Bing Crosby, John Wayne, Stewart Granger and James Stewart in between turning out fluff for the teenage market. As his teen idols had passed him by, Fabian must have wondered where those other guys were and how he could get into another film with any one of them while doing Maryjane.

The plot here's been done a gazillion times before for the drive-in trade. Fabian's a new art teacher assigned to the small town high school where a clique of 'cool kids' rule the school. The cool kids are headed by rich and spoiled Kevin Coughlin who can always get a good supply of marijuana which of course is Spanish for Maryjane and its got a lot of other nicknames as well.

Fabian's of a different generation than the older teachers and he admits to actually trying the stuff once. That gets him down as marked man for law enforcement. But it doesn't score him any points with Coughlin and company.

Fabian's got other problems as well, he's trying real hard to romance another teacher, Diane McBain, but she turns frigid on him. And he's trying hard to help young Michael Marotta who wants so desperately to fit in with Coughlin's bunch.

If you've seen these teen drive-in dramas before you know pretty much how it will all end. Except for McBain, she's a bit of a shocker, especially considering the times. Let's just say that this woman has some real issues.

Maryjane did not revive Fabian's career in Hollywood, when good teen idols are passé, they usually stay passé. What he wouldn't have given for another film with Jimmy Stewart right about then.