When an air raid alarm goes off at an elementary school in a rural town, signifying nuclear warheads have been launched at the US, the ladies in administration and the principal believe it must be a malfunction with the alarm system. Still, they get the kids out of their classes and individual teachers walk groups of them home, everyone filled with questions and personal terrors. A few of the children are pragmatic about a possible strike, others become hysterical, some are even wistful--even in the midst of panic--while the grown-ups reassure themselves (and each other) that it's all a mistake. Intriguing, observant film from director Frank Perry (who also produced) and his screenwriter wife, Eleanor Perry, working from Lois Dickert's story. The Perry's, having had a sleeper hit with "David and Lisa" the previous year, were probably hoping lightning would strike twice, and that the controversial nature of the film would generate strong word-of-mouth. However, "Ladybug Ladybug" didn't catch on with the public, who might have been put off by the depiction of school-age children enacting the stereotypes usually associated with adults in crisis dramas (the leader who enforces the rules and doles out the food rations, the boy who challenges her, the distraught girl who pounds on the door and is refused entry, etc.). The acting is a bit uneven (predictable with so many age groups), however there are several young people in the cast who do exceptional work. Their parents are shown to be the juvenile ones--fussy and overworked, they can't even make time in their schedules for the end of the world. **1/2 from ****
Review of Ladybug Ladybug
