American Graffiti

"Where were you in '62?"

American Graffiti is a 1973 coming-of-age comedy directed by George Lucas. It was co-written by Lucas alongside Gloria Katz and Willard Huyck.

Plot
In September 1962, friends Curt Henderson, Steve Bolander, and Terry "The Toad" Fields meet at Mel's Drive-In. Steve gives Curt a $2,000 scholarship from the Moose Lodge, as the two of them prepare to leave for college the next day. However, Curt is uncertain if he actually wants to go. Laurie Henderson - Curt's sister and Steve's girlfriend - and friend John Milner soon join them.

John and Curt complain about the selection of girls in town while Steve and Laurie eat in Steve's car. Steve proposes that while he is away at school, they see other people to ensure the strength of their relationship. The proposition clearly upsets Laurie. Steve then gives Terry possession of Steve's car while he is gone.

Curt, Laurie, and Steve plan on going to the high school's back-to-school hop, which angers John, since Curt and Steve just got out of high school and are able to leave it all behind while he will be stuck in town.

John and Terry each go cruising through the streets of town as Steve, Laurie, and Curt make their way to the school. While at a stoplight, Curt looks out the window, spotting a blonde driving a T-Bird, who says something to him, which Curt believes to be "I love you." He desperately urges Steve to drive after the blonde, but Steve and Laurie are unconvinced.

John drives alongside a car full of girls, offering one a ride. The group lets out Carol Morrison and she joins him, much to his dismay as he realizes she is very young. He tries to search for a way to get rid of her while attempting to hide her.

Terry attempts to race another vehicle, but backs into a man's car, promptly fleeing to a car dealership, where a fast-talking car salesman attempts to have him sell the car. Terry eventually manages to escape from the salesman and dealership without selling the car.

Herby & the Heartbeats perform at the hop while Laurie complains to her friends about Steve's proposal, but they offer him no comforting words, while Steve's friends praise his decision. Laurie refuses to dance with Steve and dances with Eddie instead.

Curt runs into a teacher, Mr. Wolfe, who attended school in Middlebury, Vermont for only a semester before returning home. Learning of Curt's uncertainty in going to college, Wolfe urges him to go and experience life.

John continues to resent Carol and he is pulled over by Officer Holstein, who has pulled him over due to his license plate light being out, but hopes to catch him in the act of crimes that he has most likely committed.

Meanwhile, Bob Falfa searches for John to race him. Terry drives alongside Debbie Dunham, eventually getting her to come over when he says she looks like Connie Stevens. Fascinated by the car, she gets in with him.

Steve and Laurie are asked to begin a snowball dance, but they stay together, reminiscing on their relationship, eventually making Laurie upset.

Outside, Curt runs into his ex Wendy and he joins her and her friend Bobbie Tucker in Bobbie's car. Steve and Laurie leave the dance for the canal.

Terry and Debbie go to the drive-in, where they run into one of her exes who was only after her for sex. They leave the drive-in in search of booze.

With Wendy and Bobbie, Curt pursues the blonde, but they lose her. Bobbie explains that the blonde is the wife of Mr. Beeman, the owner of Hepcat Jewelers, but Curt has his doubts.

Discussing Curt's plans to potentially stay in town, Wendy joins him in the backseat. Kip Pullman pulls up alongside them and Bobbie asks Curt to get Kip's attention. Curt tells Kip that Bobbie is madly in love with him, prompting her to kick him out, leaving him alone on the sidewalk. He sees the T-Bird and attempts chasing it on foot, to no success.

John and Carol go to the drive-in, where John's friend Al asks him about some car repairs while John explains his situation with Carol as babysitting, prompting her to leave the car and wander the streets, where a group of guys attempts to pick her up. John goes after her and she gets back in.

Terry waits outside a liquor store, trying to get an adult to buy Old Harper for him and Debbie. A bum agrees to get it for him, but buys wine for himself. He goes in and attempts to buy the Old Harper himself, but is unable to without an ID. He goes back outside and another man agrees to get the alcohol, but steals it from the store and tosses it to Terry as the thief flees the armed store clerk.

John takes Carol to a junkyard, telling her about some of the trashed cars that lay there in rest.

Curt watches TV while sitting on the hood of a car until a gang, the Pharoahs, show up. After noticing he scratched the car, belonging to their friend, they take Curt with them. They listen to Wolfman Jack and Curt learns that he broadcasts from a station outside town.

John and Carol drive alongside a car of girls, who throw a water balloon in the car, hitting Carol in the face. The pair get out and vandalize the car and let out the tires.

Terry and Debbie park and begin to make out, but realize there is barely any room in the car, so they resolve to find a better spot in a nearby field.

The Pharoahs take Curt to a shop, where Hank Anderson of the Moose Lodge congratulates Curt as the Pharaohs rob the coins from the pinball machines outside.

Terry notices that he no longer hears the car and they learn that it has been stolen.

Steve and Laurie park, discussing Curt's reasoning for why he might stay, Laurie desperately trying to convince Steve to think the same way. Steve starts to make out with her, but gives up when she isn't responsive. He brings up a time where she watched her brother, and she becomes fed up, kicking him out o the car and driving away.

Terry and Debbie walk, hearing someone nearby. They hide until realizing that it is Steve.

Bob Falfa follows John and Carol, trading insults, with Bob challenging John to a race. The two speed down the street until John stops at a red light.

Curt asks the Pharaohs about the blonde and they tell him that she is a $30 prostitute. They see police hiding at Jerry's Cherry.

Steve leaves Terry and Debbie for the drive-in.

The Pharoahs have Curt tie a cable to the police car's back axle, which breaks off when they try to pursue the speeding Pharoahs.

John finally gets Carol to reveal her address by making an advance on her.

At the drive-in, Steve talks to carhop Budda, who propositions him as Laurie sadly watches them through the window, though Steve refuses Budda after Laurie leaves.

The Pharoahs take Curt to the drive-in and they part ways. Curt gets into his car, hearing a request on the radio. He sees the T-Bird, but can't get his car's engine to start.

Laurie drives alone until she sees Bob and gets into his car, though she is resistant to his advances.

John takes Carol home with a parting gift from his car.

Steve reveals to Curt that he is now uncertain about leaving for college.

Terry gets sick from his alcohol consumption and sees Steve's car, making his way toward it, planning to steal it back.

John tunes up his car in preparation to race Bob.

The car thieves catch Terry trying to hotwire Steve's car and begin to rough him up until John comes to his aid, fending them off.

Steve, sitting alone at the drive-in learns from a couple of girls that Laurie is with Bob Falfa. Terry brings the car back to the drive-in and Steve ushers them out so he can find Bob. Terry admits to Debbie that he has no car. Debbie admits that, in spite of the night's unfortunate events, she had a good time and likes him.

Curt makes his way to the radio station, where he meets a disc jockey to request for the Wolfman to send out a message for the blonde that night. The disc jockey urges Curt to be like the Wolfman and to travel, rather than stay in town. As Curt leaves, he hears the Wolfman reading his message and sees that the disc jockey is actually the Wolfman.

John, Toad, Bob, Laurie, and Steve all head to Paradise Road for the race as Curt stays by a payphone in wait of the blonde's call.

At the race, Bob's car veers off the road and flips, catching fire. Bob and Laurie manage to escape the wreck and Laurie goes to Steve, begging him not leave, which he promises not to do.

In the morning, Curt is awakened by the phone ringing and learns that it is the blonde on the other end. She says she knows him and that they might meet on Third Street that night and hangs up.

Curt leaves for college on his own, bidding his family and friends goodbye.

End titles reveal that John was killed by a drunk driver in December 1964, Terry was reported missing in action in December 1965, Steve is an insurance agent in Modesto, and Curt is a writer living in Canada.

Cast

 * Richard Dreyfuss as Curt
 * Ronny Howard as Steve
 * Paul Le Mat as John
 * Charlie Martin Smith as Terry
 * Cindy Williams as Laurie
 * Candy Clark as Debbie
 * Mackenzie Phillips as Carol
 * Wolfman Jack as Disc Jockey
 * Bo Hopkins as Joe
 * Manuel Padilla, Jr. as Carlos
 * Beau Gentry as Ants
 * Harrison Ford as Bob Falfa
 * Jim Bohan as Holstein
 * Jana Bellan as Budda
 * Deby Celiz as Wendy
 * Lynne Marie Stewart as Bobbie
 * Terry McGovern as Mr. Wolfe
 * Kathy Quinlan as Peg
 * Tim Crowley as Eddie
 * Scott Beach as Mr. Gordon
 * John Brent as Car Salesman
 * Gordon Analla as Bozo
 * John Bracci as Station Attendant
 * Jody Carlson as Girl in Studebaker
 * Del Close as Man at Bar (Guy)
 * Charles Dorsett as Man at Accident
 * Stephen Knox as Kid at Accident
 * Joseph Miksak as Man at Liquor Store
 * George Meyer as Bum at Liquor Store
 * James Cranna as Thief
 * Johnny Weissmuller, Jr. as Badass #1
 * William Niven Clerk at Liquor Store
 * Al Nalbandian as Hank
 * Bob Pasaak as Dale
 * Chris Pray as Al
 * Susan Richardson as Judy
 * Fred Ross as Ferber
 * Jan Dunn as Old Woman
 * Charlie Murphy as Old Man
 * Ed Greenberg as Kip
 * Lisa Herman as Girl in Dodge
 * Irving Israel as Mr. Kroot
 * Kay Ann Kemper as Jane
 * Caprice Schmidt as Announcer at Dance
 * Joe Spano as Vic
 * Debralee Scott as Falfa's Girl
 * Ron Vincent as Jeff
 * Donna Wehr as Carhop
 * Cam Whitman as Balloon Girl
 * Jan Wilson as Girl at Dance
 * Suzanne Somers as Blonde in T-Bird
 * Flash Cadillac and the Continental Kids as Herby & the Heartbeats

Music
In lieu of a score, several songs from the 1950s and 1960s play throughout the film. "At the Hop," "She's So Fine," and "Louie Louie" are performed at the sock hop by Flash Cadillac and the Continental Kids as Herby & the Heartbeats and a part of "Some Enchanted Evening" was sung by Harrison Ford.

The rest of the songs are as follows:
 * "A Thousand Miles Away" by The Heartbeats
 * "Barbara Anne" by The Regents
 * "Fannie Mae" by Buster Brown
 * "Gee" by The Crows
 * "Heart and Soul" by The Cleftones
 * "I Only Have Eyes For You" by The Flamingos
 * "Party Doll" by Buddy Knox
 * "Peppermint Twist" by Joey Dee & The Starlighters
 * "See You in September" by The Tempos
 * "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" by Frankie Lymon
 * "Ya Ya" by Lee Dorsey"
 * "Chantilly Lace" by The Big Bopper
 * "The Great Pretender" by The Platters
 * "Only You" by The Platters
 * "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" by The Platters
 * "Little Darlin'" by The Diamonds
 * "The Stroll" by The Diamonds
 * "Almost Grown" by Chuck Berry
 * "Johnnie B. Goode" by Chuck Berry
 * "Book of Love" by The Monotones
 * "Goodnight Sweetheart Goodnight" by The Spaniels
 * "Ain't That a Shame" by Fats Domino
 * "The Great Imposter" by The Fleetwoods
 * "Love Potion " by The Clovers
 * "You're Sixteen" by Johnny Burnette
 * "Maybe Baby" by Buddy Holly
 * "That'll Be The Day" by Buddy Holly
 * "Rock Around the Clock" by Bill Haley & His Comets
 * "All Summer Long" by The Beach Boys
 * "Surfin' Safari" by The Beach Boys
 * "Get a Job" by The Silhouettes
 * "To the Aisle" by The Five Satins
 * "Crying in the Chapel" by Sonny Till & The Orioles
 * "Do You Wanna Dance" by Bobby Freeman
 * "Green Onions" by Booker T & The MG's
 * "Runaway" by Del Shannon
 * "Teen Angel" by Mark Dinning
 * "Since I Don't Have You" by The Skyliners
 * "Come Go With Me" by The Del Vikings
 * "Sixteen Candles" by The Crests