Rating: 
Summary: : Now Voyager"
Review: " In the summer of 42', Benji broke his watch, Osky gave up the harmonica and in a special way..I lost Hermie..forever.Is that Herman Raucher narrating the film? Yes. Michael Legrand adds the right soundtrack to a very moving film of the coming of age of at least one young man..on an island. The narrative is poignant, " Things were different then" " I was never to see her again" The Andrews Sisters on the radio, " Now Voyager" is playing at the theater and you are a young guy just starting out in a journey of life. Directed with care by R. Mulligan
Rating:
Summary: Superb!
Review: A coming of age movie highlighted by a riveting musical score. This movie makes me think each time I see it (10 times now). You watch a boy grow to be a man around his less than maturing buddies. He learns love, life (good and bad) and reality. A fantastic flick. 6 stars if possible.
Rating:
Summary: A classic "guys" coming of age film
Review: A great, under-appreciated film. I put this dvd in and my wife, who'd never even heard of the film, loved it. They truly do not make films like this anymore.
Rating:
Summary: Jennifer O'neil is the ultimate girl next door in this movie
Review: a sweet, nostalgic look back at a time when life and love were kinder and gentler if not less complicated...Jennifer O'neil was at her radiant best in this movie...and the climax of Summer of 42 remains one of the most touching in cinematic history...a great movie!
Rating: 
Summary: Nine stars? You've got to be joking.
Review: After reading all the rave reviews here, I expected to love this film. No such luck. The Summer of '42 has its moments. The final love scene is beautifully done and the "making love" between Hermie and Dorothy is effectively contrasted with the "making out" between Oscy and Miriam. But the script is stilted, and the acting is wooden. I could have forgiven stilted dialogue between Hermie and Dorothy as a sign of Hermie's nervousness and uncertainty, but the dialogue between the three boys also seemed completely unnatural. There are a few effective reaction shots of Gary Grimes (Hermie) that do a good job of letting us see his longing and innocence, but he destroys this effect each time he opens his mouth. I think it is no surprise that we have seen nothing of Gary Grimes since he grew up and lost his youthful beauty. The voice-over narration and final letter seemed like cheap tricks. The gauzy atmospheric camera work was as cloying as the swelling strings. There were obvious continuity problems. For example, Hermie and Oscy have very short shadows when Hermie leaves his house to meet Dorothy, so it is clearly the middle of the day. But it is dusk when he arrives at the cabin, which makes no sense unless it is a six hour walk. I'd suggest renting rather than buying. If you like romantic coming of age stories, the love scene will scratch that itch. Unfortunately, it comes after 90 minutes of terrible acting.
Rating:
Summary: Nine stars? You've got to be joking.
Review: After reading all the rave reviews here, I expected to love this film. No such luck. The Summer of '42 has its moments. The final love scene is beautifully done and the "making love" between Hermie and Dorothy is effectively contrasted with the "making out" between Oscy and Miriam. But the script is stilted, and the acting is wooden. I could have forgiven stilted dialogue between Hermie and Dorothy as a sign of Hermie's nervousness and uncertainty, but the dialogue between the three boys also seemed completely unnatural. There are a few effective reaction shots of Gary Grimes (Hermie) that do a good job of letting us see his longing and innocence, but he destroys this effect each time he opens his mouth. I think it is no surprise that we have seen nothing of Gary Grimes since he grew up and lost his youthful beauty. The voice-over narration and final letter seemed like cheap tricks. The gauzy atmospheric camera work was as cloying as the swelling strings. There were obvious continuity problems. For example, Hermie and Oscy have very short shadows when Hermie leaves his house to meet Dorothy, so it is clearly the middle of the day. But it is dusk when he arrives at the cabin, which makes no sense unless it is a six hour walk. I'd suggest renting rather than buying. If you like romantic coming of age stories, the love scene will scratch that itch. Unfortunately, it comes after 90 minutes of terrible acting.
Rating:
Summary: Nine stars? You've got to be joking.
Review: After reading all the rave reviews here, I expected to love this film. No such luck. The Summer of '42 has its moments. The final love scene is beautifully done and the "making love" between Hermie and Dorothy is effectively contrasted with the "making out" between Oscy and Miriam. But the script is stilted, and the acting is wooden. I could have forgiven stilted dialogue between Hermie and Dorothy as a sign of Hermie's nervousness and uncertainty, but the dialogue between the three boys also seemed completely unnatural. There are a few effective reaction shots of Gary Grimes (Hermie) that do a good job of letting us see his longing and innocence, but he destroys this effect each time he opens his mouth. I think it is no surprise that we have seen nothing of Gary Grimes since he grew up and lost his youthful beauty. The voice-over narration and final letter seemed like cheap tricks. The gauzy atmospheric camera work was as cloying as the swelling strings. There were obvious continuity problems. For example, Hermie and Oscy have very short shadows when Hermie leaves his house to meet Dorothy, so it is clearly the middle of the day. But it is dusk when he arrives at the cabin, which makes no sense unless it is a six hour walk. I'd suggest renting rather than buying. If you like romantic coming of age stories, the love scene will scratch that itch. Unfortunately, it comes after 90 minutes of terrible acting.
Rating:
Summary: A great movie!
Review: An excellent adaptation of the Herman Raucher novel about a teenager's coming of age during WW II. This classic is as fresh and poignant today as it was when it was released over thirty years ago. Don't miss this one!
Rating:
Summary: Nine stars, please?
Review: Damn, this is such a great movie, timeless, beautiful, heartbreaking, funny as all get out... It's got everything, including wonderful acting.
Semi-autobiographical, Summer of '42 is an elegiac coming-of-age tale set amid the sand dunes at a small coastal town. Hermie, the protagonist, is just a kid trying to figure out what it means to grow up, how to act around girls, how to lose his virginity (which requires, first, a condom, and gives rise to one of the movie's many hilarious scenes). Then the beautiful woman in one of the summer cottages receives a 'We regret to inform you' letter and seeks comfort in her grief with....Hermie.
Beautiful setting, beautiful drama, beautiful movie. Watch it with your teenage son, watch it alone, watch it with a life-long lover. It's a winner and will stand the test of time.
Rating:
Summary: Poignant and Unforgettable
Review: Emotional, poignant, sad, funny...this movie has all the ingredients of an unforgettable tale. Every male adult can surely identify with Hermie as he grapples with the rapid and difficult changes in his young life as he navigates the thin line separating adolescence from adulthood. We see his easygoing, innocent and fun-filled existence suddenly bloom into one involving an awakening and burgeoning awareness of his sexuality. And we have Dorothy, a young and beautiful woman awaiting her husband's return from war only to learn of his death. Combine these two kindred spirits - a boy waking up to his sexual urges and a sad, lonely woman who has just lost a husband - and we have the centerpiece of a great and sensitive story. Theirs is a journey of innocence and awakening, quite similar to that in Bobby Goldsboro's 'Summer'. Then factor in Michel Legrand's brilliant musical score and we have a giant movie classic. Summer of '42 aptly defines what a good movie should be.
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