Date Bait (1960)

Director: O'Dale Ireland

Writers: O'Dale Ireland, Ethelmae Wilson Page, Robert Slaven

Composer: Nicholas Carras

Starring: Gary Clarke, Marlo Ryan, Dick Gering, Carold Dawne, Jon Lindon, Gabe Delutri, Michael Bachus, Mildred Miller, Steve Ihnat, Chad Williams, Lemar Crast, Rita Guinan, Anton von Stralen, Trep Howard, Reggie Perkins, Johnny Faire

More info: IMDb

Tagline: AT SIXTEEN...a girl learns about love...ONE WAY OR THE OTHER!

Plot: A Troubled young man, Brad, returns home after six months rehab. On his first night he starts a fight in dance club with a man named Logan because he was dancing with Sue, a girl whom Brad is in love with. Brad's older brother ends the fight just to beat Logan up later himself. Although Sue's strict father is strongly against her relationship with Logan, they secretly get married in Las Vegas. Soon Brad's love turns to obsession and at the same time he falls back into using drugs. Sue's father takes matters into his own hands.

My rating: 6.5/10

Will I watch it again? Probably not.

I dig watching these 50+ year old teenager movies.  Sometimes they're so naive it's hilarious.  They also have a tendency with the drama to drag down the picture to a snail's pace.  This one's got a nice mix of dating (even teen marriage), crime, drugs and the rock & roll.  The acting is pretty good but you can only do so much with standard fare like this.  It's funny how old and how square parents are in these things.  As per usual you get the rock & roll song and dance where you hear the whole tune.  I'd say this one is better than the usual pictures of this kind.  One thing that stands out is the teen couple eloping and being a big bundle of nerves on their wedding night in a hotel.  Can't two married kids in love get their freak on?  Geez!  The cars are cool, the music is happening, the clothes, the dialogue, it's all groovy.  I doubt I'd watch this again only because there were tons of these pictures made back in the 50s and early 60s and I'd rather roll the dice and watch one I haven't seen before revisiting this one.