Go Ask Alice (1973)

Go Ask Alice Poster

A 14-year-old girl in late 1960's America is inadvertently sucked into an odyssey of sex and drugs. She eventually seeks help.

Film Summary
"Go Ask Alice" is a 1973 American television drama film directed by John Korty, based upon the unauthenticated, bestselling book of the exact same name. The movie features Jamie Smith-Jackson, William Shatner, and Ruth Roman delivering the story of a troubled teenage lady who gets caught up in the drug culture of the 1960s and 70s.

Plot
The movie focuses on a fifteen-year-old girl called Alice, played by Jamie Smith-Jackson. Alice is a trainee who succeeds academically, possesses an excellent quantity of interest, and holds a strong bond with her household. However, her world turns upside down when she relocates to a brand-new town and goes to a different high school. The desperate need for acceptance and social recognition press her into the business of drug users.

Alice's harmful journey begins when she unintentionally takes in LSD at a party. This event presents her to the world of drugs, leading her to try out cannabis, amphetamines, and ultimately culminating with heroin. She begins to lose grip on her truth as the drugs start to control her life, causing her to experience hallucinations, fear, despair, and seclusion.

Character advancement and Storyline
Alice's moms and dads, played by William Shatner and Ruth Roman, are depicted as encouraging and loving, yet oblivious to their daughter's struggles. Their awareness comes late when Alice escapes from home and becomes immersed totally in the harmful and disastrous world of drug dependency.

Alice's journey into addiction is represented with painful honesty. Jamie Smith-Jackson's fantastic efficiency encapsulates the horrifying and terrible ordeal Alice goes through. Her downfall from an all-American, small-town girl who had dreams and possible to a drug abuser is represented convincingly.

Public Reaction
The movie provides an authentic view of the drug crisis in America during the 60s and 70s, not sparing any dark details about Alice's life and storms of feeling. This explicit portrayal made "Go Ask Alice" a deeply impactful film, provoking broad public responses.

Some audiences discovered the film exceptionally educational and relevant, resonating with the continuous drug issues of that age. Nevertheless, others criticised the film for its relatively overstated representation of substance abuse and grim repercussions.

Conclusion
Despite the controversy, "Go Ask Alice" achieved a status of a cult classic, laying bare the horrors of substance abuse and addiction compellingly. The film forces audiences to face the ugly reality of the drug culture during the 60s and 70s, leaving an indelible mark on the viewer's mind.

While the story is set in a bygone age, its styles of drug abuse, peer pressure, the requirement for social acceptance, and a young person's battle with identity and self-confidence are still pertinent today. In this regard, "Go Ask Alice" continues to retain its strength as a cautionary tale about drug abuse.

Top Cast

  • William Shatner (small)
    William Shatner
    Sam
  • Ruth Roman (small)
    Ruth Roman
    Psychiatrist
  • Wendell Burton (small)
    Wendell Burton
    Joel Clements
  • Julie Adams (small)
    Julie Adams
    Dorothy
  • Andy Griffith (small)
    Andy Griffith
    Priest
  • Ayn Ruymen (small)
    Ayn Ruymen
    Ran
  • Mimi Saffian
    Beth Bonds
  • Jennifer Edwards (small)
    Jennifer Edwards
    Chris
  • Jamie Smith-Jackson (small)
    Jamie Smith-Jackson
    Alice
  • Robert Carradine (small)
    Robert Carradine
    Bill
  • Mackenzie Phillips (small)
    Mackenzie Phillips
    Doris