Boys Beware (1961)

This anti-homosexual social "scare" short film focuses on the dangers of young boys talking to strangers.

Star:

Sid Davis

Cast

Uncredited cast:
Sid Davis	...	Man at the public restroom (uncredited)

Storyline

This public service short film is a cautionary tale to adolescent and young teen boys to beware the kindness of older male strangers, some who are mentally ill in that they are homosexuals preying on them. An easy way for these homosexuals to make their move is to pick up unsuspecting hitchhiking youths. Such is the case of young Jimmy Barnes, who, when thumbing for a ride, is picked up by a strange man - "Ralph" - who ultimately befriends him, gives him ride after ride, gives him gifts and takes him on outings. It isn't until after Jimmy accepts all these favors that he learns Ralph's true intentions of wanting sexual favors from him in return. Jimmy is lucky in that he ultimately is able to report Ralph to his parents and the authorities. Young Mike Merrick is not as lucky. He is befriended by a stranger at the playground. The stranger ultimately takes him away and kills him. Boys should also beware of strange men who tell what may sound like an emergency situation, such as the ...

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Plot Keywords:

alliterative title | sexual predator | homosexual history | scare tactic | propaganda | 

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Genres:

Drama | Short

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 October 2003 (USA)

Filming Locations:

475 S. Market Street, Inglewood, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Sidney Davis Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

10 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Note that the 1960 Chevrolet Biscayne used in this film has dual "whip" antennae and a spotlight, indicating is was probably an Inglewood Police unmarked car.

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Goofs

Both the police detective and the child molester are driving the same car, a 1959 Chevrolet Biscayne.

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Quotes

Narrator: But not all homosexuals are passive, some resort to violence, as in the case of Mike Merritt.

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Connections

Featured in When We Rise: The People Behind the Story (2017)

User Reviews

Gotta keep those young ones moral after school

Recently a teacher got brought up on charges for showing this film in his class. Ironically enough it was not as part of some public health concern, but it was to show how attitudes have changed since 1961. In some places though they haven't.

Someone called this the Reefer Madness of gay films and I couldn't put it better myself. Anyone watching this film would think that gays were all predatory beasts just looking for young boys as sexual prey. Ironically enough no one seemed concerned about teen girls.

They got part of it right. Public bathrooms, called 'tea rooms' by those who frequented them, were part of the scene. But it was usually where adults hooked up as they really could not do it more openly. Those pesky sodomy laws you know. It was the love that dare not speak its name.

Looking at Boys Beware one wonders how could we have been so dumb?