By Lee Pfeiffer
The Warner Archive has released a number of 1960s teen comedies starring Connie Francis, including the 1965 MGM musical When the Boys Meet the Girls. It boggles one's mind to realize that teenagers were still patronizing films like this as late as the mid-1960s. Within a year or two, the entire genre of squeaky clean teen comedies would seem like ancient history in the wake of the new found freedoms in music and cinema. Suddenly some former Connie Francis fans would find themselves bopping around topless at Woodstock. When the Boys Meet the Girls must have seemed hopelessly outdated even in its day. The film was produced by notable schlock master Sam Katzman, and the movie bares his hallmark traits: poor production design and lighting and a razor-thin budget.
The plot finds grad student Harve Presnell hiding out at a remote Western college in order to escape gold-digging fiancee Sue Ane Langdon. He meets cute with country girl Francis, who is trying to help her father save his failing horse farm. Seems dad has a weakness for gambling and the new casino that has opened is draining his life's savings. Remember those corny old Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland musicals where they would say, "Hey, kids-we can always put on a show in the barn"? Well, this one does them one better. Presnell suggests that they convert dad's farm into a world class dude ranch resort, a feat they seem to accomplish in a few days in between attending classes.