What About Juvenile Delinquency (1955)

★★★★ · Some kids will do anything for a pencil . . . · 23_skidoo · 2007-07-19

First, let me say that I have just recently discovered the Internet Archive and think that Prelinger Archives in particular is one of the greatest things ever invented. It's absolutely fantastic going through these old little educationals and industrials that reveal so much about the culture and attitudes of a bygone era. This film in particular is culturally and historically significant. I don't know why, but in the boom of industrial/educational film production in the U.S. following World War II, it seemed the Midwest dominated the field, with Coronet in Chicago, Calvin Co. in Kansas City…

★★★★ · A very freudian drama ! · criticalthinker · 2004-06-04

This is movie is an evolution in Juvenile Delinquency communication. It is subtile in it's portrait of the human psyche. As a matter of fact, "What About Juvenile Delinquency?" presents the three basic elements of the psychanalytical construction of the human mind. The Ego, prensented as the main character, the subconscious as the immoral gang which the main character leave at some point in this totally educationnal short. And the superego, which is represented by the football team captain, the senior class president and finally the head of student council. All litlle perfect kid's what a…

★★★★ · Let Them Talk! · Yowp · 2020-09-27

It was a kindler, gentler time, a time with Buicks with portholes. Today, Jamie would go all John Wick and wipe out his former gang buddies in a hail of violent post-production. However, this is 1955, so we get some less-than-nuanced acting (the "angry citizen" screws up a cue), and weaponless gang members wearing jackets that could have come from the local Kresges. The teenagers depicted left their teen years behind them in real life some years earlier. Unfitting, dramatic stock music adds to the fun. The question at the end is still relevant.

★★★ · What About Juvenile Deliquency? · Christine Hennig · 2002-12-24

This film plays like a condensed version of a JD exploitation film. Teenaged Jimmy is a proud member of the local JD ganguntil the gang unknowingly rolls his father. He tries to quit the gang in a tense confrontation that is interrupted by a bunch of "nice kids" who want Jimmy to convince the city council not to pass a bunch of restrictive laws against teenagers as a response to a recent spate of delinquency. The film ends with a "what would you do?" ending designed to spark discussion. As campy as a typical JD film. Ratings: Camp/Humor Value: ***. Weirdness: **. Historical Interest…