This 1957 Blockbuster was cutting edge for its time, but is greatly watered down the tawdry nature of the book. Many vicious details presented in Grace Metallious' breakthrough novel were simply set aside for various reasons, likely 1950's censorship. In viewing this today, the film seems more like "Little House on the Prairie." It was just so unseemly that Allison McKenzie and Little Norman Page were under suspicion of skinny dipping even though they did no such thing.<br /><br />The novel and the movie both brilliantly spell out the underlying motif of New England Puritan hypocrisy. In the novel, Ms. Metallious points out that gossipy old middle aged women castigate against young people, because they themselves are just too old, fat, and ugly to go out and party any more. Since nobody wants them, they point the finger elsewhere to through attention from themselves.<br /><br />Lana Turner seems to have one mode in this film; that is, to walk around like a frigid bitter ice queen delivering harsh lines at everyone. All in all, quite a good show, but a bit dated.