Product Details

• Actors: Jan-Michael Vincent, Joan Goodfellow, Pamela Sue Martin, Clifton James, Robert Englund
• Directors: Daniel Petrie, Sidney Sheldon
• Writers: Ron Bartron, Ron Turbeville
• Format: NTSC
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Studio: Columbia Pictures
• VHS Release Date: January 1, 2001
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00000F2NE
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #11,410 in Video (See Bestsellers in Video)

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  Video > Drama > Love & Romance > Young Love

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Love and Loss, January 19, 2006

By	john m mozuke - See all my reviews

This is a very good movie that I saw a long time ago on TV back in the mid to late 70's. I finally found a copy which wasn't easy or cheap at the time because it was out of print. The movie still holds up. It is a great story that takes place in the 40's or early 50's. Buster (Jan Michael-Vincent) is the most popular boy in school and a jock. He has a gang of buddies that he drinks with and carouses with. He also dates the school beauty who and does all the right things. His girl friend though is kind of frigid and won't let him have sex with her until they are married. Billy is a girl who lives out in the boondocks with her semi crazy or mentally challenged parents. She has nothing and is dirt poor. She is incredibly backward and shy and the boys of Busters gang use her for sex which she goes along with because it is the only way she is accepted. They ask Buster to go along with them to Billys but he never does because he finds the whole group thing distasteful and he has a girl friend and it would be wrong. But being sexually frustrated and young he goes to Billys by himself one night without telling anybody and takes her for a ride in his truck. They have sex and he begins to see her more and more often and actually falls in love with her. The reprecussions from the community and the scorn thrown his way bring Buster and Billy even closer.

This is a story of young love and loss. It is a very emotional tail and a very good one. If you can find a copy on VHS its worth it if you can afford it. This is a largely forgotten movie and should be out on DVD. This movie also has some sexual content which is very tastefully done and also some very violent content that is kind of disturbing.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very touching bittersweet love story, January 16, 2005

By	Norbert Evans (Nine Mile Falls, WA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

(Story takes place in Georgia 1948) Very touching bittersweet love story. [...]Beg, barrow or steal it and watch it as I wouldn't want to spoil it for you.

I recommend seeing this movie in one sitting because it is a movie that slowly builds your feelings for the characters which will impact you more at the end of the movie.

Buster Lane (Jan-Michael Vincent) is a typical country boy with maybe a little more scruples then the average southern country poke. Buster is engaged to be married to Margie (Pamela Sue Martin) in the upcoming June and he has been playing touchy feely with her but she wants to wait until they're married to have intercourse. Buster's main friend is Whitey (Robert Englund--"Freddy Krueger") and they hangout and drink beers together and take a trip to the ocean and we get an idea where Buster's friends minds and morals are at and this suffices as the story comes to a close later in the movie. I little more about these friends in the next paragraph.

In the meantime Billie (Joan Goodfellow) who is a very very shy country girl from a very poor family has been having sex with several of Buster's friends in a way of getting some attention. You are never made to feel anything but compassion for Billie, you never think of her as a [...]. Her performance radiates innocents and loneliness and sadness and then joy and happiness later in the movie, you can feel all her feelings as the movie progresses.

When Buster can't holdout any longer for sex with Margie his attentions turn to Billie and are not honorable at first. He finds her to be very very innocent and sees the beauty in her and finds himself falling in love but is not sure of his feelings reflecting his own youth and lack of experience to this new feeling called love.

Before Buster even realized what his feelings are he acts on his basic instinct and feelings and breaks off his relationship with Margie and is seeing Billie exclusively. You feel their new found love and see it as a rosebud just beginning to form. Billie is taken to her first movie with Buster to see a Tarzan movie, and you can see her elated joy at this new experience. When Billie and Buster go swimming Buster looks over at her to see if she is taking off all her clothes before he strips to the bare-ass as if to not offend her. It's little moments like this throughout the movie that all add up. The getting up in the middle of the night and waiting for the sun to show itself at the horizon and they jump up and down and then hold each other in a very very loving manner is touching as well. There are exchanges of gifts to one another and they both realize they love one another. Billie is taken to a dance with Buster and you again feel her joy. Billie is lit up like a Christmas tree by this time and you can actually feel her and his joy and happiness. but especially hers.

Meanwhile back at the ranch, the boys that were getting laid by Billie before her self-esteem got elevated by her new love comes for some more poontang. Of course Billie resist and fights back but is beaten, raped and killed by these boys.

Buster finds her body shortly after the killing and ends up killing two of the boys who had the evidence literally written on their faces. Buster is released from jail just after Billie's funeral and she was buried with only Buster's parents and the preacher being present, her parents weren't even there. The movie closes with the opening song and you get a big lump in your throat in the closing scene at the cemetery with Buster at Billie's graveside.

I have seen reviews that see this movie as a sweet movie that turns into a sadistic mean spirited movie and was rated as a poor to fair movie because of it. I do not subscribe to this view. We live in a world where ugly things happen every day. We can be sure of two things, it was inevitable that these boys were going to come back for more poontang and that she would refuse them. I'm not sure how else this outcome might be played out. I suppose she could have been assaulted and then just told Buster about it and he could deal with it in a nonviolent manner. We all like happy endings and I love a good Cinderella story as much as anyone. American Beauty is a great movie and didn't end on a very happy note for the main character either, but these same reviewers don't knock that, go figure?

Bottom line is this is one of my favorite movies. I seen it at a drive-in movie theater as the second feature back in 1974 when it was released and just bought a copy last month from an e-bay seller. It was sweeter then I remembered from 26 years ago. Joan Goodfellow doesn't seem to have done any visible acting since 1984. She gives one very sweet performance in this movie. I give Joans performance an 11 and the movie a 10. This movie will always have a soft spot in my heart.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Buster&Billie-a wonderful story of love simple, pure & true!, February 25, 2003

By	Bill Zontrin (Atlanta, GA United States) - See all my reviews

This is a well written and touching love story set in rural Georgia in the 1940's. Starring Jan-Michael Vincent as "Buster Lane", the most popular boy in high school! Buster rules the school with his pack of friends and dates the prettiest girl in town, "Margie Hooks" (Pamela Sue Martin). Buster Lane is a typical country boy with maybe a little more scruples than the average southern country poke. Buster is engaged to be married to Margie in upcoming June and he's been playing touchy-feely with her, but she wants to wait until they're married to go all the way. Buster's best friend is "Whitey" (Robert Englund), they hangout, drink beers together and talk about guy things, especially what else, girls! Whitey's labeled a Geek and he's so pale (almost albino like) that's where he gets his nick-name of "Whitey" from. He was severely picked on when he first moved to town by the other kids until Buster befriended and protected him, giving you an ideal of Buster's good heart and kind nature. "Billie" (Joan Goodfellow) is an painfully shy country girl from a very poor family, she's often known to have sex with several of towns young men in a way of getting some attention and just trying to be accepted. The thing is, you feel nothing but compassion for Billie ... you never think of her as a "loose girl" (to put it politely). Her performance radiates innocence, loneliness, sadness and then absolute joy later in the movie ... you can feel all her feelings as the movie progresses, you are living through these moments with her!
When Buster convinces himself that he just can't hold out any longer for sex with Margie his attention turns to Billie and they're not honorable, not at first. He finds her to be very innocent and sees the beauty in her so pure, he's moved when a simple gesture like buyer her a grape crush soft drink brings her to tears, somebody finally thought of her feelings. He finds himself falling in love but is not sure of his feelings, are they reflecting his lack of experience to this new feeling called love?
Before Buster even realized what his feelings are he acts on his basic instinct. He breaks off his engagement with Margie and begins seeing Billie exclusively. Billie is taken to her first movie with Buster to see a Tarzan movie, and you can see her elated joy at this new experience. When Billie and Buster go swimming Buster looks over at her to see if she is taking off all her clothes before he strips, as if to not offend her. Its little moments like this throughout the movie that all add up, and are very touching. Then getting up in the middle of the night and waiting, cuddled together on a blanket, for the sun to show itself at the horizon. When it does they jump up and down, then hold each other in a very loving embrace, love is good and it's a new day, a new beginning! In time they both begin to realize just how deeply they do love one another, more than each realized they were capable of loving! Billie is taken to a dance by Buster and he walks proudly with her in his arm, you again feel her joy at another new and wonderful experience. Billie is lit up like a Christmas tree, you can actually feel their happiness, especially hers ...
I'd love to tell you more but I can't ruin it for you ...
Bottom line, this is one of my all time favorite movies! I give Joan's performance an 11 and the movie a 10, with 10 being perfect. This movie will always have a soft spot in my heart ... enjoy! :o)