Sure, the driver's education films used scare tactics to encourage young drivers to make wise driving decisions. That's how people learn sometimes ... scaring them straight. Remember, these are actors who are demonstrating the consequences of what not to do on the road. The film effectively contrasts Larry's safe driving habits (he took the "teenicide" message seriously) with Nick's reckless driving. The consequences of Nick's driving are predictable: He is involved in a head-on collision on a narrow curve and collides head-on with an oncoming car, killing several people in addition to himself. Jeanne's post-crash face is never seen on-camera, but viewers can imagine that it is horribly disfigured (from cuts apparently inflicted in the crash, hence Jeanne's cry, "My face!"). Tis the point: There are many victims of reckless driving besides the guilty motorist; plus, there may be serious social consequences (such as Jeanne now being ostracized for her disfigured face). Although nearly 60 years have passed since this film was made, the moral is still very much relevant today.
Review of Last Date
