How I Spent My Summer Vacation (1967)

The Age of Commercialism

From my favorite movies..

if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

I was looking at another post. Saw Wagner's name and suddenly remembered this movie. And here I thought I was the only one. This came out in 1968. So I probable saw if between then and 1973 when I went to college. That is forty years! And I can still remember scenes from it. Compiling the dossier on the people on the yacht. Wagner leaving on the helicopter. His humiliations by Peter Lawford.So why does this film stick with people? It is fun and kinda cool. Wagner doesn't start out on top. But eventually ends up their. Great locations. I would certainly pick it up. BTW-I saw Robert Wagners name when doing research on Clark Gable. Clark Gable's golf caddy at one time was------Robert Wagner. Small town Hollywood.

I frequently search to see if this has been released. As of 6/2011, still, no dice. I have a Betamax recording of it off of TV from some time in the early 80's (with commercials). I had it transferred to a DVD. I can watch it, but the quality is what you'd expect from an ancient VCR recording. God, I wish Universal would release this.This film made me a fan of Robert Wagner, Peter Lawford, and Walter Pidgeon (OK, Forbidden Planet made me a fan of Pidgeon). The movie was hugely influential on me. I guess I relate to Wagner's character -- he's a dilettante who just can't quite seem to make it to the top. It's unfortunate that Lawford didn't make more movies like this. He's a great villain, reminiscent of Largo from Thunderball.

This story was well produced, well cast, well directed, shot on location (good locations), with a solid script, story, direction and a strong memorability quotient. The story is a well conceived plot that builds, from the perspective of a young man (Robert Wagner) who starts off just being along for the ride, following a beautiful girl (Jill St John), onto the yacht of her rich father (Peter Lawford), who turns out to be very competitive, extremely mysterious and involved in something that becomes fascinating to Wagner's character to understand. As curiosity heightens, it becomes obvious what that what kills the cat could also kill a young man. And from there it keeps getting better. Just when you think it will end exactly as you'd thought, it doesn't. Despite all these years, I have never seen this played on cable or Saturday afternoon matinées, yet I still remember the story. It would be nice if someone, somewhere, would pick up this title before it is completely forgotten by those few of us alive long enough to remember having seen it. I seem to remember reading somewhere that even Robert Wagner was distressed that this title is not available on video. True or not, this title is worth consideration. It should be found and remastered for DVD.

To all the hunters of this great film please contact me as I will do the same when I find this gem. I will begin with Eddie Brandt's Saturday Matinee in North Hollywood and film clubs in Northern California. Thanks and good hunting Alan Lee Wong Stardust Productions