Blue Denim: Choose Life

Teenagers fall in love, and get pregnant in small town USA circa 1950’s is Blue Denim (1959) story line. The movie tackles controversial social issues of the day one being abortion. The year 1959 in my mind must’ve been a turbulent time in America. The cold war, teen violence, dawn of the Vietnam war, civil rights movement, just to name a few. Oh, and let’s not forget the abortion issue, which really wasn’t an issue until the 70’s, but there were “abortionist,” that were unscrupulous and many women ended up dead in the so called “back alley abortions.”

What I found most interesting was how not once, but twice, abortion was called “murder;” in this movie, it was something reprehensible and shameful. There is even a scene where the young father of the baby, (Brandon De Wilde) tries to justify the insignificance of a baby that had just been conceived.

Janet played by Carol Lynley is naïve and young. She lets her guard down when she falls for Arthur, (Brandon De Wilde). Like most us do at the tender age of 16. Funny that even with today’s sex education kids still make these life altering mistakes. Janet gets pregnant and doesn’t know what to do. In their haste to rid themselves of this problem, they find out about abortionist that will do it for a fee. The decision to have the abortion causes other vises to surface, things like, check forgery, and lying. After getting the money for the abortion, Arthur worries that Janet will die while having the abortion. After much pleading from his loyal friend Ernie played by Warren Berlinger with much humor and candor, Arthur builds up enough courage to tell his emotionally distant parents.

You can imagine the shock these parents felt when they got this news. Arthur’s family was a typical middle class family that did all the right things. How could this happen? When both families find out they head out to save Janet from the abortionist quack. They save Janet and bring her home. Janet decides to keep the baby, but doesn’t want to trap Arthur into marriage. She takes full responsibility for her actions. Her decision and demeanor make her seem much older than her 16 years. Janet decides to move away with an aunt to have her baby alone. When Arthur finds out he speeds off to meet her and reassures her that they can face this together, not apart. Arthur too takes responsibility.

While the movie maybe a little dated for some, it deals with a controversial issue that still resonates today. The abortion issue is still hot and debated today. The story is sincere and moving, a young couple choosing life despite the cost. The sequence in the movie where the teen lovers meet the ominous abortionist is still spooky even after all these years, and was considered quite frank in its day.

The lead roles were played brilliantly by a very young cast. My favorite is Brandon De Wilde, but I can only see him as the little boy in the movie Shane (1953). The musical score is great, if you like the 50’s sound you’ll love the scene with Ernie and another girl singing in the school dance. I caught this movie on Fox Movie Channel, and it’s not on DVD yet. I highly recommend you see it if you haven’t yet.