Directed by Anthony Newly
My rating: 2.5 stars out of 4
IMDb
(DVD, Sony)
A young Michael Douglas stars in this time capsule of the early 70s when the Vietnam War was at the front of every young man's mind. It's a story of lost innocence, as symbolized by the tree at his parent's house he used to climb as a child. Douglas is an aspiring guitarist having second thoughts about college. He falls in love with a charming Brenda Vaccaro, his first real relationship, but it is not without problems. Douglas drops out of school, subjecting him to the draft, but applies to a music conservatory which would put him back on the deferment list. He isn't accepted which leads to the film's dramatic, downbeat conclusion. The filmmaker uses some rather obvious foreshadowing, graphic footage from Vietnam is constantly shown on TV and Douglas' father is a hunter, so the ending should not be unexpected for the attentive viewer. Look fast for Rob Reiner and Teri Garr as a hippie.
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