Heavy Petting

For those who want to remember the sillier aspects of the 50s, in general, and the myriad of rules and regulations regarding the mysterious subject of sex, in particular, this amiable documentary is the ticket. And for those in their 30s or under, it's a fascinating glimpse at a cultural time capsule so different from the 60s, 70s, and 80s. Director Obie Benz has used a nice mix-and-match approach to the subject: contemporary interviews with musicians David Byrne, John Oates, and Laurie Anderson; writers William Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg; comics Spalding Gray and Sandra Bernhard; and many others, are intercut with film clips from The Wild One, Rebel Without a Cause, Bus Stop, and a host of sex-ed training films from the period. Although this is liable to cause a few cheeks to burn, the emphasis here is on the way things were, rather than on the intimate confessions of personalities' sexual escapades. Deep questions are tackled: what is a date? how morally degenerate is rock 'n roll? what does it take to be a good window man? (I didn't know what a "window man" was, either; you'll just have to watch the movie). Funny, offbeat, and like many wonderful films, the recipient of only a limited theatrical release, Heavy Petting is recommended. (R. Pitman)