Life Begins at 17
| Life Begins at 17 | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Arthur Dreifuss |
| Produced by | Sam Katzman |
| Written by | Richard Baer |
| Starring |
Mark Damon Luana Anders Edd Byrnes |
Production company | |
Release dates | July 1958 |
Running time | 74 minutes |
| Country | US |
| Language | English |
Life Begins at 17 is a 1958 American film starring Mark Damon, Edd Byrnes and Luana Anders.
Plot
Carol Peck, a 17-year-old from Indiana, has an older sister, Elaine, who is a beauty queen. Carol wins a local pageant, to the delight of her parents Virginia and Harry and her dependable, mild-mannered boyfriend, Jim.
A smug, prep-school boy, Russ Lippincott, openly declares during the beauty contest his intention to date the winner. Elaine is intrigued, but declines. Russ is determined to make a conquest, so he uses her little sister Carol, pretending to be interested in her instead. Elaine wins the title of Miss Indianapolis, then takes up with Russ, insisting he tell Carol the truth.
A misunderstanding leads to a false assumption that Russ and Carol have been intimate, compounded by a broken-hearted Carol claiming she is pregnant. Russ is threatened with expulsion from school and possible arrest for sex with a minor. When she confesses her lie, Carol wins newfound respect from Russ, who becomes genuinely interested in her while Elaine returns to Jim.
Cast
- Mark Damon as Russ Lippincott
- Luana Anders as Carol Peck
- Edd Byrnes as Jim Parker
- Dorothy Johnson as Elaine Peck
- Ann Doran as Virginia
- Hugh Sanders as Harry