Dennis Clark Fimple Movies

As he lies dying in Vietnam, a young soldier (Michael Douglas) recalls the events leading up to this moment. He remembers his sweetheart (Brenda Vaccaro), to whom he couldn't make a commitment. He recalls the battles he'd had with his parents (Jack Warden, Barbara Bel Geddes), when he forsook college to become a musician and when he planned to evade the draft. And he remembers the "summertree" where he spent many of his happiest days before being shipped off to Southeast Asia. Based on Ron Cowen's off-Broadway play, Summertree has one or two compelling moments, but most of it is a compendium of 1970s movies cliches, right down to the fragmentary storyline and "hip" photography. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide