Image Credit: Courtesy of Universal Pictures Both Bel Geddes and Dunne, along with two of their costars, received Oscar nominations. When Katrin’s learns of Mama’s sacrifice, she has a true moment of growing up. As her parents can’t afford the set, Mama trades her heirloom brooch (which had been the intended gift) to get Katrin the set as a reward for her hard work. “Mama” Hanson (Irene Dunne) believes in the value of a good education, and Katrin is eagerly anticipating her high school graduation, with hopes that she’ll receive a vanity set she has long wanted as her graduation gift. In a series of vignettes, writer Katrin Hanson (Barbara Bel Geddes, the future Miss Ellie from “Dallas” fame) reflects on life growing up as one of four children of hard-working Norwegian immigrant parents in the early 1900s. One of the few memorable 1990s teen films, it features a cast of up-and-comers, including Ethan Embry, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Lauren Ambrose, Peter Facinelli and Seth Green. Storylines include the nerd looking for his chance with the most popular girl, who just broke up with her jock boyfriend, who is being targeted by a nerd he’s bullied throughout school and who’s bent on revenge. Image Credit: Courtesy of Sony Pictures ReleasingĪ throwback to 1980s teen flicks, “Can’t Hardly Wait” takes place during a party following graduation, with several members of the class gathering for one last night of shenanigans. The film features a young Natalie Wood as her bratty little sister, and the future TV mom from “Father Knows Best,” Jane Wyatt, and is an interesting glimpse into 1950s Americana. Her journey of self-discovery leads to a very moving graduation speech she gives as class vice-president. On her 18th birthday, Gail finds out that she’s adopted, which sends her into a tailspin, affecting her relationships with her parents, her sisters and her boyfriend, as she decides to seek out her birth mother. Image Credit: Courtesy of RKO Radio PicturesĪs the country heads into the “idyllic” 1950s post-WWII, there’s a lot of excitement in the MacCaulay household – their first television set is installed, and eldest daughter Gail (Ann Blyth) is a happy teenager anticipating her high school graduation. The friend picks geeky Laney (Rachael Leigh Cook), and what blooms is a fun romantic teen comedy that culminates in Zack honoring the terms of the bet in a very memorable graduation scene while winning the girl. In a modern take on “Pygmalion,” popular high school senior Zack (Freddie Prinze, Jr.) has been dumped by his popular girlfriend and accepts a challenge from his friend to turn any girl into Prom Queen within six weeks. Tour our photo gallery featuring the 20 best graduation and senior year movies, ranked, including the films mentioned above plus “Grease,” “Can’t Hardly Wait,” “Lady Bird” and “Superbad.” And there’s at least one film represented for each generation out there. From films like “Fame” that inspire us to films like “American Pie” that just make us laugh to films like the classic “I Remember Mama” that bring on the tears, here are some of the best films in which Graduation Day plays a very important part. For the most part, these are films about how friendships can change with these milestones, how graduation time often leads to self-discovery and how “adulting” isn’t always what we expect it to be at 18 or 22 – and how hard that life lesson can be. Most of these films don’t show the actual graduations, although a few (“Booksmart,” “Legally Blonde”) do offer some pretty memorable ones with heartfelt speeches. In looking for the best of these films, we’ve picked ones that were nominated for and even won prestigious awards and over time have become critically-praised classics (“The Last Picture Show”), while others are pop culture favorites, becoming classics through genuine love from fans (“Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?”). And the people in each of these generations are indelibly linked by certain tangibles – most especially music and film.Īnd so it comes as no surprise that many of the finest coming-of-age films are set right before or directly following a graduation, whether it be high school or college, and that many contain some really great soundtracks (“American Graffiti,” “The Graduate”). And then there are the adults who look back on their time like it was yesterday, remembering old friends and good times that were had, and reflecting on how different life is than what was expected all those years ago. Then there are the college graduates, degree in hand, ready to enter the “real world” and conquer their chosen field. There are those graduating high school who are anticipating college, internships or jobs – and freedom from mom and dad. It’s that time of year again for graduations, which always brings up a bit of nostalgia.
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