For a change, this column features a Hollywood film circa the ‘50s, one which teenagers of the decade can remember and identify with.
In the ‘50s, Elvis Presley was the King of Rock ‘n Roll, sexy and rugged. His exact opposite was Pat Boone. The guy was wholesome, refined and educated, a product of an Ivy League school, Columbia University in New York.
Pat‘s movies included April Love, opposite Shirley Jones, singing the theme April Love, Clover in the Meadow, Do It Yourself, Give Me a Gentle Girl and Bentonville Fair.
“A very attractive ‘family‘ picture of a kind we should have more frequently,“ wrote a reviewer.
His daughter Debbie Boone became a recording artist, coming up with the hit You Light Up My Life.
Shirley turned into a fine performer, winning in 1960 an Oscar best supporting actress award for Elmer Gantry. A daughter, Carrie Fisher, followed in her acting footsteps. — RKC
(Editor’s Note: This is the third of a series on Hollywood romantic films).