Harrad Summer

Synopsis

"Harrad Summer" (1974) is a drama film that delves into the complexities of youth, freedom, and unconventional relationships set against a backdrop of a communal living arrangement. The story follows two university students who invite a young woman to share their off-campus house for the summer. This setup leads to a provocative exploration of sexual mores and personal boundaries during a time of social change. Through candid interactions and encounters, the film confronts taboo topics about intimacy, love, and human connections, reflecting the counterculture spirit of the early 1970s. The narrative challenges traditional values and invites viewers to consider the nature of freedom and desire in a changing world.

Cast

• Richard Doran

  Harry Schacht

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  Victoria Thompson

  Beth Hillyer

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  Laurie Walters

  Sheila Grove

• Robert Reiser

  Stanley Kolasukas

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  Bill Dana

  Jack Schacht

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  Emmaline Henry

  Margaret Tenhausen

Reviews

Critically, "Harrad Summer" has garnered mixed to negative responses. On IMDb, it holds a rating of 4.1/10 based on user votes, indicating general dissatisfaction or lack of impact among audiences. Many critics have pointed out that while the film attempts to address progressive themes about sexuality and relationships, it suffers from dated portrayals and uneven storytelling. Some view it as an artifact of its era, offering insights into 1970s sexual experimentation but criticized for its slow pacing and melodramatic tone. Notably, the film has limited presence on Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic, lacking sufficient reviews to generate an aggregate score, which suggests it remains relatively obscure and hasn't been broadly reassessed in modern times. Positive remarks have occasionally focused on the film’s willingness to engage mature themes boldly for its time, while detractors emphasize its lack of nuance and depth in character development. Overall, "Harrad Summer" is seen as a niche, period-specific drama that may appeal to historians of cinema but is less compelling for contemporary mainstream audiences.