What is Summer of '42 like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Summer of '42 as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.

Is Summer of '42 violent?

Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Summer of '42 as mild.

Which films are like Summer of '42?

Films with a similar feel include The Last Picture Show, Stand by Me, A Room with a View, and The Way We Were.

How long is Summer of '42?

Summer of '42 runs 103 minutes.

Where can I watch Summer of '42?

In United States, Summer of '42 streams on TCM.

19711h 43mComedyDrama

Summer of '42

Name: Summer of '42
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Released: 1971-04-19
Duration: 1 h 43 min
Rating: 6.699999809265137
Cast: Jennifer O'Neill, Gary Grimes, Jerry Houser, Oliver Conant, Katherine Allentuck

On a wartime island summer, a shy teenager's infatuation with an older married woman becomes a tender and bittersweet passage into adulthood.

wistfultendernostalgicsummer afternoonnostalgic movie night

Ember's analysis

MoodWarm
EnergyEnergetic
PacingMeasured
IntensityModerate
ComplexityEasy to follow
ViolenceMild

More about the film

OverviewA nostalgic summer romance blossoms amidst the innocence of youth and the complexities of love.

A nostalgic summer romance blossoms amidst the innocence of youth and the complexities of love.

What critics saidCritics broadly value the film's charm, tenderness, performances, and beautiful production while finding its nostalgic framing and slack pacing limiting.

Critics broadly value the film's charm, tenderness, performances, and beautiful production while finding its nostalgic framing and slack pacing limiting.

What sets it apartMay contain story progression spoilers

The adult Hermie looks back on the summer through a nostalgic framework that softens and distances youthful desire and grief.
Hermie's shy attachment to Dorothy develops through hesitation, admiration, and indirect expressions of feeling.
The island vacation gives Hermie and his friends a bounded setting for confronting sexuality, desire, friendship, and adulthood.
Beach houses, sand, shoreline, and summer light create the film's defining visual atmosphere of beauty and wistfulness.

Films like Summer of '42, and whyThe Last Picture Show, Stand by Me, A Room with a View, The Way We Were

The Last Picture Shownostalgic coming of age, adolescent sexual awakening, and wistful romantic longing
Stand by Meadolescent friendship, summer nostalgia, and emotionally formative first experiences
A Room with a Viewromantic idealism, youthful desire, and reflective period atmosphere
The Way We Werebittersweet memory, restrained romance, and the transition from youth into adulthood

Movie DetailsRobert Mulligan · 1971 · 103 min

Director: Robert Mulligan
Release Date: 1971-04-19
Runtime: 103 min
Rating: 6.7 / 10 (167)

Common questionsWhat is Summer of '42 about?

What is Summer of '42 about?: On a wartime island summer, a shy teenager's infatuation with an older married woman becomes a tender and bittersweet passage into adulthood.
What is Summer of '42 like to watch?: Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Summer of '42 as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
Is Summer of '42 violent?: Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Summer of '42 as mild.
What did critics think of Summer of '42?: Critics broadly value the film's charm, tenderness, performances, and beautiful production while finding its nostalgic framing and slack pacing limiting.
Which films are like Summer of '42?: Films with a similar feel include The Last Picture Show, Stand by Me, A Room with a View, and The Way We Were.
How long is Summer of '42?: Summer of '42 runs 103 minutes.
Where can I watch Summer of '42?: In United States, Summer of '42 streams on TCM.