My fourteen-year-old son has never been in trouble. He's an honor student scoring on standardized tests in the 99th percentile and he's also a participant in the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth Program. He's engaging and argumentative, fun and challenging. But he also wants his first job. How can I ignore the possibility he'll wind up, like the well-dressed, nicely spoken teen in "I Accuse My Parents" running felony errands for a local criminal mini-mind? I can't so last night I sat him down to see this 1944 sermon with songs about the seductive attractiveness of fast money in dubious enterprises.
By 1944 the morality message semi-documentary genre was on its way out, replaced by more realistic films depicting myriad evils. "I Accuse My Parents" is a somewhat more professional, better acted sequel to such unforgettable epics as "Reefer Madness." Like its predecessors it has a straight from the screen admonitory message for parents, here from a judge.
The plot is simple-nice only son has parents more interested in their separate social lives (dad gambles, mom imbibes) than in the kid's activities. He announces he's won an essay contest, dad gives him money. He mentions the next day is his birthday as dad and mom head out for hilarious partying, dad gives him money (my son liked THAT theme).
Good Kid lies to all about his homelife, painting it as idyllic. Then he meets Nightclub Singer/Gang Boss's moll and falls head-over-heels in love. Of course she's a blond. They hug and kiss-sex hadn't been invented yet. She tries to steer him away from her lover, he gets involved in a murder and flees. He comes back, confronts evil crime boss, a struggle, a shot - exit mob boss, enter prosecutor.
All ends well. Of course. And the end credits inform us that "I Accuse My Parents" will be shown in combat zones to America's fighting forces. I bet any G.I. would have preferred this film to having his time wasted by Bob Hope or Hedy Lamar.
A period piece but one better acted than the usual scare-the-parents comedy of its day. And only $5.99 for the DVD.
Maybe I'll show it again to my kid soon.
5/10
By 1944 the morality message semi-documentary genre was on its way out, replaced by more realistic films depicting myriad evils. "I Accuse My Parents" is a somewhat more professional, better acted sequel to such unforgettable epics as "Reefer Madness." Like its predecessors it has a straight from the screen admonitory message for parents, here from a judge.
The plot is simple-nice only son has parents more interested in their separate social lives (dad gambles, mom imbibes) than in the kid's activities. He announces he's won an essay contest, dad gives him money. He mentions the next day is his birthday as dad and mom head out for hilarious partying, dad gives him money (my son liked THAT theme).
Good Kid lies to all about his homelife, painting it as idyllic. Then he meets Nightclub Singer/Gang Boss's moll and falls head-over-heels in love. Of course she's a blond. They hug and kiss-sex hadn't been invented yet. She tries to steer him away from her lover, he gets involved in a murder and flees. He comes back, confronts evil crime boss, a struggle, a shot - exit mob boss, enter prosecutor.
All ends well. Of course. And the end credits inform us that "I Accuse My Parents" will be shown in combat zones to America's fighting forces. I bet any G.I. would have preferred this film to having his time wasted by Bob Hope or Hedy Lamar.
A period piece but one better acted than the usual scare-the-parents comedy of its day. And only $5.99 for the DVD.
Maybe I'll show it again to my kid soon.
5/10