Little Darlings (1980)

The Worst Film Ever

Such a frustrating disappointment

If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

At "Camp Little Wolf" for girls, two 15-year-olds compete to see who will lose her virginity first. Marlboro smoking Kristy McNichol (as Angel Bright) sets her sights on nearby "Camp Tomahawk" hunk Matt Dillon (as Randy Adams), while rich kid Tatum O'Neal (as Ferris Whitney) targets hairy camp counselor Armand Assante (as Gary Callahan). By the time you get to the food fight, you realize "Little Darlings" meets expectations for being dumb and disappointing. However, stick around to see Ms. McNichol give her role some unexpected depth. She and Mr. Dillon are quite believable. He and the girls are cute.****** Little Darlings (3/21/80) Ronald F. Maxwell ~ Kristy McNichol, Tatum O'Neal, Matt Dillon, Armand Assante

I must admit that the subject matter more than left me a little uneasy, two teenage girls in a bet to determine who would be "deflowered" first while attending summer camp, but Kristy McNichol is so damn good in her role as Angel that the movie, LITTLE DARLINGS earned brownie points with me for just that. Tatum O'Neal has the flashy name on the poster, and seems to be the ideal person to take a crap on, but I think she fulfilled the requirements of the role of pampered princess, with eyes for handsome Armande Asante, one the camp counselors. Matt Dillon is a prick as always, annoyed at Angel's reservations towards putting out, considering himself quite the lothario. I think the intention with him was to show that it's all external toughness, for show, while he's actually a vulnerable kid on the inside. Whatever your sentiments, I found him to be a rude jerk, with a rather crude personality. Anyway, McNichol has these two excellent scenes, so authentic and real, her feelings after having sex, losing her virginity, and finding that this supposedly grand event wasn't so precious or special, and the superb "admission" where she informs Ferris(O'Neal)that she actually did "forfeit her innocence" to Randy(Dillon). There's so much presented to us, the conflicts and inner turmoil, in how McNichol handles Randy's frustrations in her "teasing him" before eventually succumbing to the pressure, that I had to applaud such work from a young actress who seemed to channel the exact feelings many teenage girls face when going through the hormonal stage of adolescence into adulthood. There are summer camp clichés apparent, such as a food fight, infighting between girls, and sex talk. If it's true that O'Neal had her pick of role to play, I'm tickled pink she chose Ferris and McNichol got the part of Angel..Ferris is more surface stereotype while Angel has various levels to her that evolve over course of the film.

Very entertaining movie but what really makes it worthwhile is the wonderful performance by Kristy McNicol. That alone makes it worth watching - she carries the movie all the way through. Love the scene where she and Tatum have their heart-to-heart confession of what really happened - Kristy shows true emotion. Matt Dillon sure was a cute thing back then! Also, watch for a very young Cynthia Nixon from Sex in the City playing the hippie kid. And Armand Asante - what can I say! He was sure in his prime in the looks department! Tatum is only just okay in this film but then maybe that's how her character was supposed to be. A fun watch!

I remember seeing this movie back in 1980. It was an awesome film and very funny. My favorite scene was when Cinder ask Angel Bright for the bread, and Angel Bright just throws it at her. That scene has always made my laugh. The ending song in the video version is different from the original version. I remember hearing the song "Let your Love Flow" by the Bellamy Brothers and now it's something different. I hope that when they release it on DVD, they put the original song. But Kristy and Tatum deliver excellent performances. Matt Dillion also delivers a good performance. The movie is bound to become a classic. I just hope that the ending original song "Let your Love Flow" is put back on.