Verdict
Summary
At only 91 minutes, the film feels a bit skimpy, but it does what it set out to do, ending on an ambiguous note that left me a little unsatisfied, but it’s still a relevant film, even close to 50 years after it was made. As a coming of age drama, it’s got the moves, if not the stamina to really make an indelible impression.
Plot:
A college student falls hard in love with a fellow student, who is having an affair with an older man.
Review:
Handsome, perceptive, and sensitive college student Elgin (William Katt) excels at his literature studies, and he also plays soccer for the school team. His roommate (played by spunky John Heard) has a girlfriend (played by Beverly D’Angelo) who is flirty and is willing to swing over to Elgin’s bed if he wants her, but he’s holding out for “the one.” While bussing tables at a local diner, he serves coffee to a demure and attractive young woman who catches his eye: Caroline (Susan Dey), who also happens to be his classmate that he never noticed before. He asks her on a date, and they hit it off. They have mutual interests, and they begin a sexual relationship, with him not quite realizing or understand (yet) that she’s also having an affair with an older married man (played by Robert Loggia) who has promised to leave his wife and marry her. As these things tend to be, it’s complicated. Elgin falls hard for Caroline, committing his heart and soul to her, but when she chooses the other man, he reels with a broken heart and sleeps with his roommate’s girlfriend (fiancé, actually), but it can’t heal his wound, and he must move on …
A slight, but poignant look at the growing pains associated with college life, first-time sex, and heartbreaking love, First Love is nicely cast, well written, sensitively directed by Joan Darling, and nicely scored by John Barry (whose score was heavily cut out of the film), with source songs sprinkled throughout. At only 91 minutes, the film feels a bit skimpy, but it does what it set out to do, ending on an ambiguous note that left me a little unsatisfied, but it’s still a relevant film, even close to 50 years after it was made. As a coming of age drama, it’s got the moves, if not the stamina to really make an indelible impression. At times, it resembles a made-for-TV movie, but with nudity and profanity, it’s got its worldly cap on and never takes it off.
Kino Lorber reissues First Love on Blu-ray in a sparkling HD master from a 4K scan of the 35mm original camera negative, and it’s got an audio commentary by star Katt and film critic Lee Gambin.
