Written by Noel Black, Directed by Mel Danski
Starring: Doug McKeon, Chris Nash, Kelly Preston, Catherine Mary Stuart
It`s small town, Ohio, 1956-a staid, placid, respectable place: until a blue jean-wearing, leather jacket-clad motorcycle-riding hood moves into the neighborhood and all heck begins to break loose.
The newcomer causes a stir in the local high school, but remains aloof-he`s been through this before. Young, innocent Chris is fearful of badboy Doug, but is assigned to guide him around school for a short initiation period. They begin to get close as the latter`s more intelligent and sensitive real self slips through the cracks of his carefully-constructed public image.
When Doug rescues middle class Chris from some rich socialite students` harrassment, and they realize they have both fallen in love with rich girls, the two Outsiders vow to fight to the end against the Soshes and get the girls!
The poorer guys` defiance makes them seem a little dangerous, and therefore desirable to Kelly and Catherine. With much prodding from the braver Doug, young Chris approaches the fair Catherine and makes good progress. Doug, however, has selected as his love target the most desirable gal in school, who also happens to be firmly steady with the BMOC. Will he succeed in his quest for true love?
With Chris running interference against the soshes and partially distracting the richie rich boyfriend, Doug has a little time to woo his potential beloved. It is slow going at first, but the hidden sensitive side that made Chris his friend is what wins over Kelly in the end. They eventually elope, leaving Chris alone to face the wrath of the rich guys and deal with the disappointment of having to break it off with the very shallow rich girl Catherine.
A final showdown with the soshes takes place in the town square, beginning badly for the outnumbered young hero. But he makes it to his car and the resulting demolition derby wrecks the rich boys` cars and makes them all give up and cry. Needless to say, there has been a large but silent anti-sosh crowd who are as liberated by this victory nearly as much as daring Chris has been!
Unbeknownst to our boy, meanwhile, there has been a nerdy-type of plain girl who`d been admiring him from afar for the entire film. She finally gathers her courage, gets a great makeover, and approaches him just after his moment of triumph. Confident that he`s finally earned his props, Chris gladly takes in the newly- beautiful girl whom he`d never noticed before and happily drives his beaten up old jalopy into the sunset as the new couple goes on their first date.
Trivia: a young and dorky-looking Jami Gertz was the plain girl (though she was fine after the makeover). Also, Kelly Preston is now Mrs. John Travolta.
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