For Those Who Think Young Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.0

For Those Who Think Young Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf July 27, 2021

1964’s “For Those Who Think Young” was marketed as a Beach Party event, with the studio hoping to play into marketplace trends of the day with a trailer that sold the sun-and-sand excitement of California life. Trouble is, the movie isn’t really about catching waves, with just a small portion of the feature devoted to antics near the water. The rest of “For Those Who Think Young” is primarily about selling Woody Woodbury’s comedic abilities, with the older performer offered an enormous amount of screen time to showcase his crowd work club act. There’s something of a “young people” romance going on in the effort, but someone, somewhere found Woodbury to be an irresistible talent, making sure to let the whole world know just how great he was in this endeavor.

Ding (James Darren) is the grandson of a powerful businessman, living a carefree life with his servant, Kelp (Bob Denver). The only thing on Ding’s mind is Sandy (Pamela Tiffin), a sorority girl at a local college who won’t give the smooth talker the time of day. Desperate to charm Sandy, Ding tries to win her over after scoring a date, with the pair visiting her uncle, Woody (Woody Woodbury), a club performer at the end of his career. Electing to go out with a bang, Woody performs drunk, finding his voice as a sauced stand-up who interacts with the crowds. Becoming a major force in local entertainment, Woody remains concerned for Sandy, who grows to love Ding, finding his grandfather trying to sabotage their relationship.

“For Those Who Think Young” (the production took the terrible title from a Pepsi marketing campaign, and there’s soda product placement all over the movie) certainly tries to be a swinging good time with the kids of America. It deals with a college crowd (including the screen debut of Nancy Sinatra), and offers a few moments at the beach, where Kelp wows the surfers by painting his chin and singing something about a “Ho Daddy.” However, the heart of the film remains in the world of nightclubs, where Woody finds himself a sudden success after years of struggle, making a name for himself as a tipsy comic who wows the crowds with his zingers. It’s surprising to see focus on Woodbury, who’s gifted large chunks of the endeavor to do his thing. He’s perfectly talented and quick, but “For Those Who Think Young” never has time or energy to develop an interesting story to go along with the antics, settling on a vague romantic mission for Ding and Sandy to carry the picture.

For Those Who Think Young Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (2.35:1 aspect ratio) presentation for "For Those Who Think Young" resembles an average MGM catalog release. A fresh scan hasn't been ordered, and the viewing experience delivers a softer sense of detail, finding facial surfaces lacking texture. Colors are acceptable, dealing with the bright primaries of beach life, including swim gear and surfboards. Club hues favor a darker palette. Skintones are satisfactory. Source is in good condition, with some speckling and a few hairs.

For Those Who Think Young Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix is serviceable, dealing with clear dialogue exchanges that explore dramatic and comedic performances, including club performances. Crispness is lacking, but intelligibility is present. Musical numbers are equally satisfactory, with a slightly muddier sense of instrumentation.

For Those Who Think Young Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• A Theatrical Trailer (2:51, HD) is included.

For Those Who Think Young Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"For Those Who Think Young" isn't a particularly charming feature, missing a spunky sense of mischief and Beach Party revelry. There are curious casting choices, including the big screen debut of Ellen Burstyn (credited as Ellen McRae), here playing a student who can't tell the difference between fruit juice and booze. And future "Gilligan's Island" star Tina Louise makes an appearance as a stripper, joining Denver in the picture before T.V. fame came for the duo in late 1964. "For Those Who Think Young" isn't a complete drag, it's just uninspired, struggling to work up the energy normally associated with this type of entertainment, presenting itself as a teen distraction that's more interested in making their parents laugh.