The Young Stranger

Sixteen-year old-high school student Hal Ditmar is the son of wealthy Tom and Helen Ditmar of Beverly Hills, who is a famous movie producer. Although Tom is there in certain respects in Hal's life, such as being a physical presence at the family dinner table and providing Hal the creature comforts, he is not there emotionally for him in his focus on work. In his alienation, Hal displays his rebellion in certain ways, acting out especially being belligerent toward strangers where the consequences would be minor and short lived. Hal, however, is truthful. Hal's rude behavior is the impetus for a minor altercation which, with actions on all sides, escalates to a point where he is charged with assault. Although Hal eventually admits his initial action may have started everything, he contends that the assault was all in self defense. With the purported victim, Grubbs, standing by the charge, Sgt. Shipley, the police detective in charge of the police's juvenile division believes Hal is just a tough-talking punk who needs to be taught a lesson that extreme actions have extreme consequences. Tom's response to the matter is to do whatever he can to prevent Hal from having a criminal record - largely by pulling some strings with his famous friends - to safeguard the family reputation, while punishing him at home regardless of Hal's guilt or innocence which he believes is secondary and about which he does not really care. This response only further alienates Hal especially from his father. The question becomes the breaking point between father and son, that breaking point which can either make them come together in seeing the light or tear them apart forever. —Huggo