Toward Emotional Maturity (1954)

★★★★ · Toward Emotional Maturity · Christine Hennig · 2002-12-22

Teenaged Sally gains "maturity" by learning how dangerous emotions can be. This film hints much more strongly at the real teen problems underlying the "social guidance" movement. In particular, there's a disturbing scene of teens dancing around a bonfire at a pep rally that looks more like a Ku Klux Klan meeting. After a whispered rumor gains momentum, the teens vandalize the home of a disliked teacher, but the whole scene feels uglier than that. The whole point of the film seems to be that emotions are dangerous and should be tightly controlled. The makers seem to think that emotions are the…

★★★★ · I hate animals! (kick) · Spuzz · 2005-07-31

Towards Emotional Maturity tells of the psychological maturing of Sally, a senior in high school. A narrator, who sounds suspiciously like the one in Habit Patterns, (and Betty looks a lot like the character in Habit Patterns too) teaches us how Betty got to be this way, its a combination of several things. Her Psychology playing that hilarious game, Whats In The Box? Its a snake! Yikes! Sally gets so scared she trips over a desk. The teacher remarkably doesnt really do anything except put the desk back calmly. Such a thing wouldnt dare to be tried…

★★★ · A 1950's idealistic film. · ERD · 2006-07-14

A lot of 1950's idealism. Everything in Sally's life seems so perfect and uncomplicated- her parents, a nice secure home, etc. All these factor lend to make this bright girl ease into emotional maturity. She really doesn't have any serious problems to worry about.