TEENAGE CRIME WAVE

TEENAGE CRIME WAVE (1955). Director: Fred F. Sears.

Jane (Sue England) goes out on a blind date and finds her life turning into a nightmare when the other teens in the group commit armed robbery and she's arrested along with them. Things get worse when crazy Mike (Tommy Cook), manages to steal away his girlfriend and moll Terry (Molly McCart) when she's being transported to a facility and drags poor Jane along with them. They all wind up holed up on a farm with a pious, bible-reading old couple and their soldier son. This would be a completely forgettable movie were it not for the vivid and convincing emoting of the two leads, Cook and McCart, who give strong portrayals of nasty, disaffected young people. McCart [also known as McCard] only made a few films after this; her last was Daughter of Dr. Jekyll in 1957. Cook, who also appeared in Missile to the Moon --wherein he was equally nasty -- amassed nearly 90 credits. Fred Sears also directed The Giant Claw, The 49th Man, and Earth vs. the Flying Saucers.

Verdict: Well, not exactly a crime wave, but it has its moments. **.