The film opens with a bunch of high school kids (who, as usual, look like college graduates) partying in a beach house. Some of them decide to spend the night. Trust me, nothing happens, otherwise there might have been a plot. Two of the girls (Patty McCormack and Suzi Carnell) tell their parents that each spent the night at the other's house. No chance of this idea going to pot.
Enter William Shatner, who plays Mr. Gifford, a high school teacher of some unknown subject. All these kids just happen to be in his class. McCormack raises the subject of sex, probably because she just got a text message from somebody named "Carlos Danger." Shatner suggests the entire class write down their thoughts on the subject. What he should have done was beam in Dr. McCoy to answer their questions. Before anyone can say "Kinsey," the Shat hits the fan, and pretty soon there is a meeting with Principal Ed Platt, and assorted parents. Platt offers to burn the papers before they can be read to the class, and everyone is satisfied, but not for long. Shatner returns to his class and says he cannot read their work, but his students start complaining that if they can't discuss sex, what other subjects will be off limits? The H-bomb? The military? Algebra? Shatner relents, and is about to read the papers, when Platt shows up. Class dismissed. Shatner suspended. Students ticked off. Hey kids, let put on a protest!
Spearheaded by McCormack's boyfriend Lee Kinsolving, all the students congregate outside the school but refuse to enter. They yell "Gifford! Gifford!" Imagine their disgust when Kathie Lee shows up. Platt calls the cops, and also agent Maxwell Smart. So the students decide to enter the school, and give the Principal, teachers, and cafeteria lady the silent treatment. Now let's see - high school kids keeping their mouths shut all day - and the problem is? This is just an excuse to hear some annoying bongo music on the sound track. Eventually, Platt relents and lets Shatner return, but Shatner tells Platt to stick it because he just signed a big deal with a margarine company.
The actors aren't much help. Kinsolving and McCormack are blah as a couple. Students Beau Bridges and Billy Gray look old enough to be teachers. The parents are portrayed as puritanical idiots, which is no surprise. It's a wonder any of these people had sex back then. Shatner does a decent job of emoting, but he breaks most of the rules in the teacher's handbook. For one thing, he touches too many of his students; that would land him in jail today, or in Congress. Also, he should kill his fashion designer. His sport coats are awful, and he wears a ridiculous hat in one scene which makes him look like a Swiss Yodeler. On the other hand, he does drive a cool car, which he obviously could not afford on a teacher's salary. Platt frowns a lot, and is his usual cranky self. I suspect he has suffered from constipation since the day he got into acting.
Enter William Shatner, who plays Mr. Gifford, a high school teacher of some unknown subject. All these kids just happen to be in his class. McCormack raises the subject of sex, probably because she just got a text message from somebody named "Carlos Danger." Shatner suggests the entire class write down their thoughts on the subject. What he should have done was beam in Dr. McCoy to answer their questions. Before anyone can say "Kinsey," the Shat hits the fan, and pretty soon there is a meeting with Principal Ed Platt, and assorted parents. Platt offers to burn the papers before they can be read to the class, and everyone is satisfied, but not for long. Shatner returns to his class and says he cannot read their work, but his students start complaining that if they can't discuss sex, what other subjects will be off limits? The H-bomb? The military? Algebra? Shatner relents, and is about to read the papers, when Platt shows up. Class dismissed. Shatner suspended. Students ticked off. Hey kids, let put on a protest!
Spearheaded by McCormack's boyfriend Lee Kinsolving, all the students congregate outside the school but refuse to enter. They yell "Gifford! Gifford!" Imagine their disgust when Kathie Lee shows up. Platt calls the cops, and also agent Maxwell Smart. So the students decide to enter the school, and give the Principal, teachers, and cafeteria lady the silent treatment. Now let's see - high school kids keeping their mouths shut all day - and the problem is? This is just an excuse to hear some annoying bongo music on the sound track. Eventually, Platt relents and lets Shatner return, but Shatner tells Platt to stick it because he just signed a big deal with a margarine company.
The actors aren't much help. Kinsolving and McCormack are blah as a couple. Students Beau Bridges and Billy Gray look old enough to be teachers. The parents are portrayed as puritanical idiots, which is no surprise. It's a wonder any of these people had sex back then. Shatner does a decent job of emoting, but he breaks most of the rules in the teacher's handbook. For one thing, he touches too many of his students; that would land him in jail today, or in Congress. Also, he should kill his fashion designer. His sport coats are awful, and he wears a ridiculous hat in one scene which makes him look like a Swiss Yodeler. On the other hand, he does drive a cool car, which he obviously could not afford on a teacher's salary. Platt frowns a lot, and is his usual cranky self. I suspect he has suffered from constipation since the day he got into acting.