The Yellow Teddybears

Rating:
Summary: A cautionary tale
Review: Although a little slow in some of the opening scenes, this is an excellent movie for its day.

The story revolves around a girl's school where a strange club has arisen. Some girls wear small teddy bears pinned to their uniforms. This is a secret badge to show that they have lost their virginity. One of these girls, Linda, has also gotten pregnant and is central to the story.

As this film takes place at the start of the Sixties, these events are shocking. Linda spends much of the time worrying about what will happen to her and even looks into having an abortion (still illegal).

But the true strength of the film occurs near the end when a sympathetic teacher addresses the school board. This scene shows how society and its effects are changing (especially through the use of television) and how young people are now more confused than in previous generations. It also shows how the established order wishes to ignore the problem. Very powerful.

The DVD packaging can make one expect this to be a sexploitation film. It is not. Nor is it erotic. It is almost a training film, but better than that. It very nicely shows a troublesome period of history that is not usually shown.