I recently watched the movie American Graffiti again. What struck
me this time was how much this 1973 film really is a YA story, even
though it's more commonly considered a nostalgia piece about 1962 (the
year of its setting). It's true that the music and the cars are an
integral part of the film, and that some details of the story could not
easily be transported to any other time. (What current generations,
raised by helicopter parents, will notice especially is how all the
teens in the film are free to drive around until sunrise, with no hint
of curfew or parental involvement.)
But, boiled down, it's a
coming-of-age story. The bare bones of the plot could be told in many
settings, with many different characters. Two boys are supposed to leave
in the morning, for college on the other side of the country. The one
who's been eager to leave is suddenly unsure; the one who would just as
soon stay has already committed to going, breaking home ties to the
point of lending out his beloved car and suggesting to his steady
girlfriend that they be free to see other people. In the morning, one
boy leaves and the other stays, both of their decisions affected by the
events of the night, and both of their decisions setting the course for
their separate futures. At the same time, their nerdy younger friend
tries his hand at impressing a girl he's just met; this character, who
seems at first like just a lovable goofball, has a grim future at war.
The fourth main character, whose life has revolved around cars, is
beginning to realize that what makes you a king in your late teens won't
necessarily set you up for life. On the night in question, he is still
popular, still the best racer, still the envy of his peers, but he can
see the cliff's edge looming.
I suspect that what made this movie
such a success was not just fond recollections of drive-ins, drag
races, Wolfman Jack, and sock hops. There's a larger appeal in a story
about such nights: The last night your friends were all together. The
moment when you realized high school was really over. The day you
decided whether to stay or go.
