THE DIARY OF A HIGH SCHOOL BRIDE

Can this marriage be saved? Ron Foster, Anita Sands

THE DIARY OF A HIGH SCHOOL BRIDE (1959). Produced and directed by Burt Topper.  

17-year-old Judy (Anita Sands) and 24-year-old Steve (Ron Foster of Ma Barker's Killer Brood) get married in Las Vegas and move into an apartment. Although Steve, studying to be a lawyer, seems like a perfectly upright and solid fellow, Judy's parents are appalled. Judy's mother (Louise Arthur) wants the marriage immediately annulled, but her father (Frank Biro) insists that she will move back home when she gets tired of playing housewife. Meanwhile Judy's nasty ex-boyfriend, Chuck (Chris Robinson), the spoiled son of a movie executive, is out to cause trouble for the couple any way he can. 

Chris Robinson and Wendy Wilde

If there is any problem with Diary of a High School Bride it's that the leading characters are actually perfectly nice and decent, which, alas, does not add up to perfect melodrama. There is so little plot to the movie that any "drama," if that's the word, comes from the actions of sleazy Chuck as he tries to cause an accident on the highway, gets clobbered by Steve, and even attempts the rape of Judy at the climax. The audience probably cheered when he got his final comeuppance, although they might have just been grateful that this lousy flick was over. Handsome and talented, poor Ron Foster often found himself in turkeys like this. After making her debut in this film, Sands had a few television credits. Her performance is nothing to rave about but Chris Robinson does a nice job as the fellow who just won't take no for an answer. John Hart shows up briefly as a police officer and Elvis imitator Tony Casanova sings the title song and does another number in a coffeeshop. Wendy Wilde plays Chuck's monkey-faced wannabee girlfriend. 

Verdict: Barely passable. *1/2.