Youth Aflame

Youth Aflame (1944)

* 1/2 (out of 4)

Sister Katy (Joy Reese) and Laura (Kay Morley) are about to hit the dating scene, which isn't smiled upon by their widowed father (Ed Cassidy). Soon Laura starts going around with a bad guy while Katy and her friends start up a "Jive" club where they can listen to music and drink milk. However, the club gets into trouble when someone spikes the milk.

YOUTH AFLAME was, for some reason, re-released several times including under the title of HOODLUM GIRLS. No matter what you call it this is a rather weak melodrama that was later sold as some sort of exploitation film. If you're expecting something like REEFER MADNESS, SEX MADNESS or THE COCAINE FIENDS then you're going to be disappointed because the only "bad" thing going on here is someone slipping some alcohol into the good kids drinks.

I will say that for the most part the performances really weren't all that bad and I thought the film moved along well enough. At just 57 minutes there's certainly nothing ground-breaking here but if you enjoy these types of movies then there are certainly much worse out there. The biggest problem here is the lack of story and the bottom of the barrel attempt at a "naughty" subject. I'm sorry but a milk bar?