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Buster and Billie (1974)
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TODAY'S MOVIE-CLICHE - BROKEN VALENTINE-HEARTS
Released in 1974, BUSTER AND BILLIE is a somewhat 'better-than-average' Romeo'n'Juliet-type love story.
This is Teen Tragedy set in rural Georgia - 1948.
First - Meet Billie....
Billie is a rather plain-looking girl of 17. She is painfully shy and somewhat of a recluse. Not overly smart, Billie does manage to scrape by and make the required passing grades at school.
Billie's family is dirt poor. Her father is a lousy drunk. Billie's family live on the outskirts of town in an old, rundown farmhouse.
To be accepted, Billie allows herself to be used (sexually) by the local boys. Waiting outside of Billie's home, these boys grunt and squeal, like pigs, as a signal to Billie that they are waiting for her services. Billie's reputation for being 'easy' is known by all. The other girls at school detest and scorn her. To them Billie is nothing, but a common, garden-variety slut.
Alas, Billie is virtually friendless.
Now - Meet Buster.....
Buster Kane is, unquestionably, the most handsome/most dashing/most popular boy at Hickory High. Besides being the most adored Captain of Hickory's Football team, ever, Buster is an all-round athlete and super-jock extraordinaire. Buster is a Grade-A student, never failing to earn top honors in every subject from A-Z.
Buster's home-life is like an episode straight out of PLEASANTVILLE (before it was molested). Buster's well adjusted; upper middle-class rearing has rewarded him greatly.
Buster's father is a respected and successful Insurance Salesman. His mother is a really swell cook, and a conscientious chairperson on the local P.T.A.
Naturally, being 'Buster' means only one thing - He doesn't have to do nothing to be accepted - He 'is' accepted.
Early last month Buster asked Margie to marry him. Margie is (of course) the prettiest, little gal in the whole darn town of Hickory. Buster and Margie have been seriously dating for the past year. These ultimate high school sweethearts will be married immediately following graduation at the end of this school year.
Golly. Gee. It's a literal dream come true. The handsomest boy weds the prettiest girl. Cinderella and Prince Charming, eat your hearts out.
But - What's this!!?? - There seems to be one teeny-weeny problem with this ultimately perfect picture.
You see - Margie is a virgin. (Gasp!! As shocking as that may sound, teen-virgins actually did exist back in 1948) And Margie is absolutely adamant about 'saving' her well-guarded virginity until she and Buster are blissfully tied, as one, in the happiness of holy wedlock.
But, the ridiculously handsome, strong-willed, and super-horny, Buster wants a little sample of sex right now. On the double! Pronto! (C'mon, everyone else is doing it!)
How could Margie resist and deny her marvellous man?
As expected in such an emotional situation as this, a big, ugly argument ensues. So, it would seem that for Margie 'No!' really does mean 'NO!!' And, then, for his very first time, the sexually-frustrated Buster seeks out Billie. (It's all that men want, anyways) Before long Buster is seeking out Billie again, and again, and again. (You know, I think Buster likes it)
Always the gallant and noble gentleman that he is, Buster promptly breaks up with Margie without even batting an eye. With wings on his feet he rushes, like a bull during mating season, straight back to Billie. (Yep. Buster really does like it)
As unexpected as it might be, a colossally significant change, for the better, comes over both our Buster, and our Billie.
Yeah. That's right. They fall in love.
And violins begin to play -
Wouldn't you agree,
Baby, you and me,
Got a groovey kind of love.
But, unlike a fairytale-romance come true, Buster and Billie are not - I repeat - Are not permitted to live happily ever after, at all. Nope. That's not in fate's plans for these 2. It's tragedy, yes, tragedy that's waiting, in ambush, for our young, star-crossed lovers. And it's there, just around the next corner, ready to pounce.
JAN-MICHAEL VINCENT, as Buster, and JOAN GOODFELLOW, as Billie, put in really fine performances as our ill-fated lovers. But, unfortunately, the cliched corniness of the story holds this potentially promising flick back from being anything better than what it was.
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