Summer of '42 (1971)

Director:

Robert Mulligan

Writer:

Herman Raucher (writer)

Release Date:

9 April 1971 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

In everyone's life there's a "Summer of '42"

Plot:

During his summer vacation on Nantucket Island in 1942, a youth eagerly awaiting his first sexual encounter finds himself developing a contradictorily innocent love for a young woman awaiting news on her soldier husband's fate in WWII.

Plot Keywords:

Music Score Features Piano | Orchestral Music Score | Groceries | Bikini | Attic

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 3 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

Jennifer O'Neill	...	Dorothy
Gary Grimes	...	Hermie
Jerry Houser	...	Oscy
Oliver Conant	...	Benjie
Katherine Allentuck	...	Aggie
Christopher Norris	...	Miriam
Lou Frizzell	...	Druggist
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Robert Mulligan	...	Narrator (uncredited)
Walter Scott	...	Dorothy's Husband (uncredited)
Maureen Stapleton	...	Hermie's Mother (voice) (uncredited)

Directed by
Robert Mulligan

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Herman Raucher		writer

Produced by
Don Kranze	....	associate producer
Richard A. Roth	....	producer

Original Music by
Michel Legrand

Cinematography by
Robert Surtees

Film Editing by
Folmar Blangsted

Casting by
Alixe Gordin
Nessa Hyams

Production Design by
Albert Brenner

Set Decoration by
Marvin March

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mel Efros	....	assistant director
Don Kranze	....	assistant director
Irby Smith	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Tom Overton	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Dave Friedman	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Music Department
Michel Legrand	....	conductor

Other crew
Anthony Goldschmidt	....	title designer

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. Pictures

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1971) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1975) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Warner Home Video (1995) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:R (original rating) (1971) | Australia:M | USA:PG (re-rating) (1972) | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:Btl

Filming Locations:

Fort Bragg, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Though unspoken in the film, the novel and script provide several characters' names and/or full names: Hermie is Herman Raucher, Oscy is Oscar Seltzer, and Dorothy's husband is named Pete.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: The scene directly after Dorothy removes her underwear, the camera pans up her bare back and her regular underwear for shooting the scene can still be seen on her.

Quotes:

Dorothy: Oh, you drink coffee, don't you?
Hermie: [trying to sound like an adult] ... I consume a couple of cups a day.
Dorothy: Well, I have milk.
Hermie: Oh, no. I take it black.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "My Secret Identity: The Video Connection (#1.13)" (1989)

Soundtrack:

Theme from Summer of '42

A True Classic

I have seen a classic that was indeed a keeper. Summer of '42 is a monster of a hit. Strong, gripping story of coming of age of three mischief makers wanting to know about love during the times of war. The setting was magnificent, Gary Grimes role of dreamer Hermie was outstanding, Jennifer O'Neal as Dorothy was fantastic! Lots of nostalgia, talking about sex was mainly the theme. But when it comes to love it shows. I felt a lot of wonder and awe when Hermie spent a lot of time with Dorothy with each level: Comedy,it's when he helped store some items; Drama, when she lost her husband in the war; Romance, when Hermie got his wish; Wonder, is when he doesn't see her again. This one encounter I think that Hermie will NEVER forget in his lifetime. The other two would have to find out themselves about their buddy. Hermie was the risk taker, and it made its payoff. I enjoyed the 10 minutes of silence between Hermie and Dorothy. If you like that try the sequel "Class of '44" and "Stealing Home". This movie gets the 100% grade of A+