Die Unverstandenen (1959)
17KDie Unverstandenen: Directed by Philip Dunne. With Carol Lynley, Brandon De Wilde, Macdonald Carey, Marsha Hunt. Arthur Bartley and Janet Willard are fairly typical 1950s teenagers. Their lives are turned upside down however when Janet becomes pregnant. Desperate to tell his parents of the predicament they find themselves in, Arthur finds that he cannot do so. He arranges for Janet to have an abortion, but the internal turmoil this causes him finally forces him to tell his father, who races to save the girl from the back room abortionist.
“I watched this by chance yesterday. And was quit pleasantly surprised, itu0026#39;s a terrific little film. Far more sophisticated than I would have expected for a film made in 1959 dealing with teenage pregnancy. The two leads, were only about the same age as their characters at the time and looked it, it was quite surprising. Of course nowadays the early consummation of their relationship would have been shown in far more graphic detail, and this film made me realize that those kind of scenes arenu0026#39;t really needed to get the message across. I am not a prude, but I find sometimes the full revelation of a young performeru0026#39;s(normally female)unnecessary and exploitative. This mall film , makes itu0026#39;s point and is quite sensitive in doing so. Contrary to some of the other critics , I did not find myself tempted to laugh at all.”
