SENIOR PROM

Carter (Tom Laughlin) and his chipmunk (Jill Corey)

SENIOR PROM (1958). Director: David Lowell Rich. 

College student Gay Sheridan (Jill Corey) is practically engaged to childhood buddy and equally wealthy Carter Breed III (Tom Laughlin) but her heart starts going pitter patter when she meets aspiring singer Tom Harper (Paul Hampton). It makes some sense that she would go for Tom, but little sense that Carter -- who is handsome, suave and rich -- would go for Gay, who looks like a chipmunk. Gay's friends include Dog (James Komack), who drags his bass everywhere, and his gal pal, Flip (Barbara Bostock), who is not even as attractive as Gay. Trying to impress Gay, Carter promises the senior prom entertainment committee that he can get "the hottest act in show biz" -- Louis Prima and his wife (one of several) Keely Smith -- to perform. But does Gay really prefer Tom to dreamy Carter? 

Paul Hampton and James Komack

Senior Prom eschews rock music in favor of pastiche show tunes that are pleasant enough but wouldn't make Rodgers and Hammerstein lose any sleep. One of the numbers, "Big Daddy," is a rather snappy and memorable tune and it is very well performed by Jill Corey, who is not untalented. She was primarily a singer and had only a few film and TV credits. Paul Hampton, who is primarily a composer as well as an actor, amassed quite a few credits after this, his first film. James Komack had many credits as actor, writer and producer. Barbara Bostock was the beatnik dancer in Jerry Lewis' Visit to a Small Planet. Tom Laughlin later became "Billy Jack" in several hit movies.

Chipmunk in love!

An actor who somewhat classes up this cheap Columbia production is Freida Inescort (of The She Creature), who plays Gay's mother, and who doesn't think Tom can take care of her in the style to which she is accustomed. But Tom winds up with a hit record and even appears on the Ed Sullivan Show. The climax is the performances of various entertainers at the senior prom, most of which you can easily miss. Louis Prima is not much to speak of, but Keely Smith had a terrific voice and a lot of energy. When he sings in this Paul Hampton comes off like a California beach boy who is trying to be a Latin Lover boy! David Lowell Rich also directed The Horror at 37,000 Feet. 

Verdict: Smooth if forgettable. **. 

THE DELINQUENTS

Eddy (Richard Bakalyan) checks out Scott (Tom Laughlin)

THE DELINQUENTS (1957). Written and directed by Robert Altman. 

Scotty (Tom Laughlin) is a nice young man who is going steady with 16-year-old Janice (Rosemary Howard), whose parents think she is too young to be dating one older boy. Encountering Cholly (Peter Miller) and his pals during a misadventure at a drive-in, Scotty is grateful when Cholly offers to pretend to be Janice's date, pick her up, and deliver her to Scotty -- the catch is they have to go to a party the gang is  holding without permission on an isolated estate. Thinking that Scotty tipped off the cops about the party, they basically kidnap him and then Janice -- and things get worse from there. 

Peter Miller and Richard Bakalyan

This alleged study of juvenile delinquency was written and directed by Robert Altman, his first film. Supposedly -- and inexplicably -- Alfred Hitchcock was so impressed that he hired Altman to helm some of the episodes of his TV series. (Let me make it clear that except for That Cold Day in the Park and maybe Popeye, I've never been a particular Altman admirer.) There is little impressive about this picture aside from the fact that it moves at a fairly good pace and is well acted by most of the cast. Laughlin certainly makes an impression in this. Years later he directed and starred in Billy Jack, a film that cost little to make and grossed 65 million! (Despite that, he never quite made the A list in Hollywood.) Peter Miller and Richard Bakalyan are also effective as the nastier members of the gang; Bakalyan had an especially long career. 

Verdict: They smoke, they drink, they make out -- and it's still not that interesting. **1/4.