The Grand Illusion

Tickets on sale soon!

45th anniversary of the woefully underseen summer camp classic!

In the fleeting summer days of 1980, fifteen-year-old girls Ferris (Tatum O’Neal) and Angel (Kristy McNichol) attend Camp Little Wolf outside of Atlanta, Georgia. Coming from different walks of life, with the privileged Ferris at odds with the scrappy, streetwise Angel, the two immediately end up in a disagreement during their bus ride to camp, which is only exacerbated by their lodging accommodations once they arrive, bunking next to one another. Fueled by their competitive peers, the two enter into a contest to see who will lose their virginity first. Through the trial, the two learn as much about each other as they do themselves, turning a ribald competition into budding days of friendship.

Long elusive on home video, LITTLE DARLINGS was recently restored from archival elements and looks more pristine than ever. This charming teen sex dramedy is an evocative, funny, and surprisingly tender antidote and precursor to the more raucous (and masculine) sex comedies of its era, full of more earnestness and sophistication than its original advertising might lead one to believe. Written by Dalene Young and Kimi Peck, and featuring supporting performances from Armand Assante and a very young Matt Dillon, LITTLE DARLINGS is the epitome of an underrated gem.

Part of our Summer Camp series at Here-After.

Please note: Here-After is a 21 and over establishment. The entrance is via the alley in back of The Crocodile building. Get there early to order tasty beverages from the bar and delicious food from Tat’s Deli!

“…what’s truly ahead of its time about this cult classic is the respect it showed for the vulnerabilities and preternatural wisdom of a generation of girls forced to grow up fast. O’Neal and McNichol share a magnetic chemistry but McNichol, in particular, delivers a fierce, iconic performance that sparked countless young gay crushes.” UCLA Film & Television Archive