History Film / LastSummer1969

* DaylightHorror: Most of the scenes take place during the bright sun on Fire Island. For most of the film, an ominous atmosphere pervades the story, contrasting with the sunny shoreline. [[spoiler: Rhoda is raped by Dan with the collusion of Peter and Sandy in the middle of a brightly lit forest on the sunniest day of the Summer.]]

* RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil:[[spoiler: In the film, Dan performs this on Rhoda with the full cooperation of Sandy and Peter. In the book, it's even worse: David and Peter take turns.]]

* DatingServiceDisaster: The main cast winds up setting up a date between [[spoiler: Rhoda]] and a Puerto Rican man named Anibal. This proves somewhat disastrous for both parties. [[spoiler: Although Anibal is personable and appears to be generally harmless, at bare minimum he has no issue drinking three Scotches in quick succession, and he's aiming for a woman much younger than him -- albeit not nearly as young as the cast actually is. The main cast clearly don't mind playing with someone else's feelings--Rhoda notwithstandig--and are trying to use him for free food and booze. They ultimately let him get beaten up by a [[GangOfBullies trio of rowdy young men]]. This leads to a conflict between Rhoda and the other three, which culminates in Dan raping her while the other two pin her down.]]

* RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil:[[spoiler: In the Film,Dan performs this on Rhoda with the full cooperation of Sandy and Peter. In the book, it's even worse: David and Peter take turns.]]

* RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil:
[[spoiler: In the Film,Dan performs this on Rhoda with the full cooperation of Sandy and Peter. In the book, it's even worse: David and Peter take turns.]]

* [[spoiler: RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil:]] [[spoiler: In the Film,Dan performs this on Rhoda with the full cooperation of Sandy and Peter. In the book, it's even worse: David and Peter take turns.]]

* [[spoiler: RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil]]: [[spoiler: In the Film,Dan performs this on Rhoda with the full cooperation of Sandy and Peter. In the book, it's even worse: David and Peter take turns.]]

* TheStoner: Implied with Peter's parents. Peter and the maid know that they smoke marijuana due to the intense smell it leaves(even with the windows open) and he seems to be able to effortlessly steal from their supply without alerting them.

* DisproportionateRetribution: [[spoiler:When Sandy gets bitten by the seagull that she rehabilitated, [[TeensAreMonsters she kills it with a rock]] the next day.]]

* DysfunctionJunction: Most of the cast has seen their parents divorce and most of those find terrible new partners. Additionally, both Sandy and Rhoda [[spoiler: have been molested by friends of their parents at least once]]. Rhoda's mother [[spoiler: drowned during a drunken dare]]. The boys don't have it much easier and it is likely that their parents are [[TheAlcoholic alcoholics]]. All four seem to be rather [[ParentalNeglect neglectful]] and the four certainly receive [[FreeRangeChildren supervision]] the entire length of the film.

* TheSixties: The film was made in (and takes place during) the late 1960s, though not so conspicuously as to make it an UnintentionalPeriodPiece.
* TheAlcoholic: Implied with Peter and Dan's parents.

* TheSixties: This takes place in the mid to late 60s, though its not terribly conspicuous. Most hairstyles and clothes worn have aged relatively well, though it is distinctly taking place later in the 60s and not closer to the 50s.

Towards the end of this project to help out the seagull, they encounter a younger and [[NoSocialSkills socially awkward]] girl named [[ShrinkingViolet Rhoda]] (Catherine Burns), who voices her issues with their attempts at rehabilitating the seagull. Though distant at first, the three warm up to the new girl, before vowing to teach her how to swim. Romance and horror ensue.

[[caption-width-right:350:''[[TitleDrop Last summer]] was too beautiful to forget and too painful to remember.'']]

* DatingServiceDisaster: The main cast winds up setting up a date between [[spoiler: Rhoda]] and a Puerto Rican man named Anibal. This proves somewhat disastrous for both parties. [[spoiler: While Anibal is personable and appears generally harmless, at bare minimum he has no issue drinking three Scotches in quick succession and he's aiming for a woman much younger than him -- albeit not nearly as young as the cast actually is. The main cast clearly don't mind playing with someone else's feelings -- Rhoda notwithstanding -- and are trying to use him for free food and booze. They ultimately let him get beaten up by a [[GangOfBullies trio of rowdy young men.]]]]

* DisproportionateRetribution: [[spoiler: When Sandy gets bitten by the seagull that she rehabilitated, [[TeensAreMonsters she killed it with a rock]] the next day.]]

* DatingServiceDisaster: The main cast winds up setting up a date between [[spoiler: Rhoda]] and a Puerto Rican man named Anibal. This is somewhat disastrous for both parties. [[spoiler: While Anibal is personable and appears generally harmless, at bare minimum he has no issue drinking 3 Scotch's in quick succession and he's aiming for a woman much younger than him - albeit not nearly as young as the cast actually is. The main cast clearly don't mind playing with someone else's feelings - Rhoda notwithstanding - and are trying to use him for free food and booze. They ultimately let him get beaten up by a [[GangOfBullies trio of rowdy young men.]]]]

A film produced in 1969, ''Last Summer'' is a [[ComingOfAgeStory coming-of-age story]] surrounding 4 teenagers with [[DysfunctionJunction hard lives]] and [[ParentalIssues strained relationships with their parents]] while on a summer vacation together in Fire Island. This is the [[TheFilmOfTheBook film adaptation]] of [[Creator/EvanHunter Evan Hunter's]] book of the same name released the previous year.

One day while playing on the beach, [[Creator/BarbaraHershey Sandy]] discovers a seagull with a broken wing, shortly before being greeted by the two boys [[Creator/RichardThomas Peter]] and [[Creator/BruceDavison Dan]]. Together, the three of them band together to fix the seagull's wing and learn to fly again. As this project continues, they [[WeAreStrugglingTogether bond and commiserate]] over issues they have with adults, particularly their parents. Also lots of [[TroublingUnchildlikeBehavior alcohol]].

Towards the end of this project to help out the seagull, the [[NoSocialSkills socially awkward]] girl [[ShrinkingViolet Rhoda]] discovers them and voices her issues with their attempts at rehabilitating the seagull. Though distant at first, the three warm up to the new girl, before vowing to teach her how to swim. Romance and horror ensue.

* [[spoiler: RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil]]: [[spoiler: Dan performs this on Rhoda with the full cooperation of Sandy and Peter.]]

* DawsonCasting: Less conspicuously than typical, but the characters are supposed to be about 15 or 16, while clearly being played by adults mostly in their early 20s. Necessary given the material. Lampshaded when Sandy tells Rhoda that she could pass for 22.