Sometimes I have to chuckle when I see a new film described as a "date movie". It seems as if everyone knows the meaning of the term and the importance of careful movie selection in support of budding relationships, but that wasn't always so - or at least, it wasn't for me when I was a naïve teenager. Even if we didn't use the term in those days, the concept was the same, as were the pitfalls. I can pretty clearly remember at least one time that might charitably be described as a learning experience for me.
It was 1960 and a brand new movie was coming out that I was anxious to see. Since I was also exploring the possibilities with a new acquaintance, it seemed like a win-win opportunity to ask her to go to the film with me. She agreed and we made our plans. When she asked what we were going to see, I decided to tease her by keeping it a secret. Every time she asked about it I just kept telling her that she'd love it, and I truly believed that as I continued to throw shovel after shovel of dirt, effectively digging my own grave.
I was still a little new to serious dating, but I felt like I had this whole movie thing pretty well covered. After all, not only did it promise to be a good film, but I'd polished up my old Buick and spent a little time on myself too, and after checking the mirror decided I might not be Joe Cool but I wasn't exactly Quasimodo either. I was brimming with confidence - or at least what passed for it in a basically shy and tentative teenager.
Everything seemed to be going well, and the Buick had managed to run well enough to get us to the theater, but then as we walked up to it she spotted the marquee. Even then, I don't think I caught on to the fact that she'd gone very quiet. There in huge letters was the title of my eagerly anticipated movie event, the film that I'd kept telling her she'd love: North To Alaska - Starring John Wayne.
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