Little Darlings *** (1980, Tatum O’Neal, Kristy McNichol, Armand Assante, Matt Dillon, Maggie Blye) – Classic Movie Review 9280

Tomboy Angel (Kristy McNichol) and rich kid Ferris (Tatum O’Neal) – nicely contrasting 15-year-old girls – compete to be the first teenagers at a summer camp to lose their virginity, in director Ronald F Maxwell’s enjoyable and underrated 1980 teen comedy Little Darlings.

Little Darlings motors on the really skillful performances from the girls, who show their characters develop from instant enmity to adult understanding and overcome some of the tale’s rowdier elements.

There are also enjoyable appearances by Armand Assante as the much older camp coach trainer Gary Callahan and Matt Dillon as the girls’ lust object, appropriately called Randy. Cynthia Nixon makes a memorable film debut as Sunshine. Krista Errickson, Maggie Blye [Margaret Blye], Alexa Kenin and Abby Bluestone are also notable.

It is written by Kimi Peck and Dalene Young, based on the story by Kimi Peck.

Songs: Shake It, Oh My Love, One Way or Another, On Saturday Afternoon in 1963, Let Your Love Flow.

Tatum O’Neal and Kristy McNichol are the stars, but look at the advertising: ‘Presenting America’s newest sensation… Matt Dillon.’

Also in the cast are Armand Assante, Matt Dillon, Krista Errickson, Maggie Blye [Margaret Blye], Nicolas Coster, Alexa Kenin, Abby Bluestone, Cynthia Nixon, Simone Schachter, Jenn Thompson, Troas Hayes, Mary Betten, Marianne Gordon, Paige Conner, Edith Ivey, J Don Ferguson, Olivia Maxwell, Laura Whyte, Suzanne Hlavacek, Scott MacLellan, Martha Wolbrinck, Bill Gribble, Kathy Larson and Jonathan Maxwell.

Little Darlings is directed by Ronald F Maxwell [Ron Maxwell], runs 93 minutes, is made by Stephen Friedman/ Kings Road Productions, is released by Paramount Pictures (1980) (US) and Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (1980) (UK), is written by Kimi Peck and Dalene Young, based on the story by Kimi Peck, is shot in Metrocolor by Beda Batka [Bedrich Batka], is produced by Stephen J Friedman and Kimi Peck, is scored by Charles Fox and is designed by William Hiney.

Perry King was cast as Gary Callahan but there was a falling out. The crew shot around his role while his replacement was sought. Half of the movie was shot when Assante was cast.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 9280

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