A tough kid comes to a new high school and begins muscling his way into the drug scene. This is a typical morality play of the era, filled with a naive view of drugs, nihilistic beat poetry, and some incredible '50s slang.
As Will Smith joins the cast of "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" for a reunion on HBO Max, we take a look at his rise to fame.
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Title: High School Confidential! (1958)
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Russ Tamblyn | ... | Tony Baker / Mike Wilson | |
| Jan Sterling | ... | Arlene Williams | |
| John Drew Barrymore | ... | J. I. Coleridge | |
| Mamie Van Doren | ... | Gwen Dulaine | |
| Jerry Lee Lewis | ... | Jerry Lee Lewis | |
| Ray Anthony | ... | Bix | |
| Jackie Coogan | ... | Mr. A | |
| Charles Chaplin Jr. | ... | Quinn | |
| Diane Jergens | ... | Joan Staples | |
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Burt Douglas | ... | Jukey Judlow |
| Michael Landon | ... | Steve Bentley | |
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Jody Fair | ... | Doris |
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Phillipa Fallon | ... | Poetess |
| Robin Raymond | ... | Kitty | |
| Lyle Talbot | ... | William Remington Kane | |
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Storyline
A tough kid comes to a new high school and begins muscling his way into the drug scene. As he moves his way up the ladder, a schoolteacher tries to reform him, his aunt tries to seduce him, and the "weedheads" are eager to use his newly found enterprise, but he has his own agenda. After an altercation involving fast cars, hidden drugs, and police, he's accepted by the drug kingpin and is off into the big leagues. A typical morality play of the era, filled with a naive view of drugs, nihilistic beat poetry, and some incredible '50s slang. Written by Ed Sutton <esutton@mindspring.com>
Plot Keywords:
psychotronic film | teensploitation film | drugsploitation | teensploitation | melodrama |Taglines:
Behind these "nice" school walls... A TEACHERS' NIGHTMARE!...A TEEN-AGE JUNGLE! See more »Parents Guide:
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Trivia
European prints featured more explicit versions of two scenes, including co-star Jan Sterling showing a naked breast when Russ Tamblyn calls her on the telephone. Additionally, a girl suffering from heroin withdrawal also shows a naked breast as she lies uncomfortably on a bed. See more »
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Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
13 June 1958 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Young Hellions See more »Filming Locations:
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USACompany Credits
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Perhaps the coolest movie ever made! It's worth watching for the lingo alone, you sound me? And it's a movie with a lesson... "You flake around with the weed and you're gonna end up using hard stuff!" Yes, it's just that cheesey.
Hot-shot Tony Baker (Russ Tamblyn) is the new kid at Santo Bello High School and he makes everyone aware of his arrival. He muscles his way into the Wheelers & Dealers, run by J.I. Colridge (John Drew Barrymoore - Drew's dad) and not only tries to push him out of the picture, but also goes after his girl, Joan Staples (Diane Jergens).
Tony lets it be known that he's looking to "graze on some grass", but not just a few "sticks", he wants five pounds! Not only that but he also wants to score some coke, H, goofballs and caps. He is soon humbled when he finds he has to score 100 sticks from J.I. at the big race. While haggling for the weed Tony learns that J.I. is pushing for the mysterious Mr. A. (Jackie Coogan). Tony wants to meet Mr. A. so he can score a kilo of heroin. Eventually, a meeting is set up between Tony and Mr. A.
School teacher Miss Williams (Jan Sterling) takes a liking to Tony and sets out to save him from himself. Tony takes a liking to his teacher, but with different intentions.
The comedy (unintentionally) abounds in this 50s flick. Check out Barrymoore's hep-cat slang rendition of Columbus' voyage to America or the Beat Poetess' poetry reading or Michael Landon as a dorky student Tony mocks, or the slinky, Mamie VanDoren as Tony's drunken, slutty aunt or the cop explaining the difference between a real cigarette and marijuana.
I could go on for days about this movie, but instead, I'm going to stop writing and pop the tape in my VCR and watch it for the five billionth time. I suggest you do the same.