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Platinum High School

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Platinum High School
Directed byCharles Haas
Screenplay byRobert Smith
Based onIrving Shulman
Produced byAlbert Zugsmith
StarringMickey Rooney
Terry Moore
Dan Duryea
CinematographyRussell Metty
Edited byGene Ruggiero
Music byVan Alexander
Color processBlack and white
Production
company
Zugsmith-Fryman
Distributed byMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release dates
  • May 13, 1960 (1960-05-13) (United States)
  • May 25, 1960 (1960-05-25) (New York City)
Running time
95 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$627,000[1]
Box office$570,000[1]

Platinum High School is a 1960 American crime drama romance film directed by Charles Haas and starring Mickey Rooney, Terry Moore and Dan Duryea. It was based on the 1960 novel of the same name by Irving Shulman.

Plot

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Sailing to a coastal California island, Steven Conway sets out to find out what caused the mysterious death of his son. Denied food and lodging at his first two stops, Conway goes to a remote and elite military school on Sabre Island. The school is run by Major Redfern Kelly, whose secretary Jennifer Evans wonders why it took Conway four months to come inquire about his son.

Conway explains that he had been in Pakistan the past few months on a business project and only recently found out that the boy's mother, now deceased, had sent him to this exclusive academy with the $10,000 tuition. He asks to see his son's records and to speak to a student, Crip Hastings, who might have witnessed the boy's death.

Jennifer is having an affair with the married Kelly and warns the major not to let Conway speak to the Hastings boy. Three cadets begin to harass Conway, attempting to provoke him into a fight. They taunt Crip as well, warning him to say nothing.

Conway learns that his son was accidentally killed by the cadets in a brutal initiation rite. On the boat home, Jennifer pretends to help, but has arranged an ambush. It backfires as she falls into shark-infested waters while Conway sets the boat ablaze with Kelly aboard. He makes his way back to shore safely when Joe Nibley shoots at the sharks in the water.

Cast

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Production

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The film was the last made in a six-film deal between producer Albert Zugsmith and MGM.[2]

Reception

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According to MGM records the film earned $175,000 in the US and Canada and $150,000 elsewhere, making a loss to the studio of $270,000.[1]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c The Eddie Mannix Ledger, Los Angeles: Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study.
  2. ^ Scheuer, Philip K. (June 5, 1959). "Rooney to Rejoin Albert Zugsmith: 'Platinum High School' Vehicle; Trade Paper Raps High Prices". Los Angeles Times. p. A9.
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