Terry (Jackie Cooper) and old brother Al Parker are at an archaeological dig site with their father John Parker. Their parents are divorced. The summer is ending and Terry has to go back to his mother who reveals that she has married Dr. Shumaker. Al gets out of military school and comes back to live with his new family.
This family drama is struggling to maintain a tone. Jackie Cooper is doing some broad kiddie comedy. The family dysfunction seems more adult serious. There is friction between the two sides and it keeps the movie unstable. This may work better if it steered into Terry's childish story and keeping the adult story a bit of a mystery to him. This should be Terry's coming-of-age story.
This family drama is struggling to maintain a tone. Jackie Cooper is doing some broad kiddie comedy. The family dysfunction seems more adult serious. There is friction between the two sides and it keeps the movie unstable. This may work better if it steered into Terry's childish story and keeping the adult story a bit of a mystery to him. This should be Terry's coming-of-age story.