THE DEVIL'S PLAYGROUND

The Devil's Playground is a 1976 movie about Tom Allen a 13 year old boy and his struggles in junior seminary. The movie is not necessarily gay but the story line arouses a gay interest. Allen gets in trouble frequently at the seminary. He wets his bed at night and so he has to wash the wet clothes every morning which makes him late for mass almost daily. Brother Francine finds Allen bathing naked and scoffs at him asking where is his modesty. The boys are supposed to bath with their inner wears on to prevent temptations. The movie gets its name from a quote in the seminary saying "an undisciplined mind is the devil's playground". The boys are just coming into puberty and the administration calls them one by one to talk about their sexual changes. Allen is caught by his friend masturbating outside the office. Allen's friend Turner is a religious fanatic who tells him to come over to some place at night. On arrival later that night he finds Turner whipping his naked colleague. Turns out they are practicing masochism and sadism. Allen is invited but he runs off and his friend Fitz rescues him from them. Brother Victor together with Francine and James decide to go out with the car. Victor and James decide to go watch a game while Francine decides he will be dropped off at a museum. Francine however goes to a public swimming pool where his sexual lust is awakened by the revealing costumes. James and Victor go to a bar after the game and see two ladies eyeing them. Victor decides to say hello while James runs off to the car. Victor gets drunk with the ladies and by the time he goes back to the car he is too drunk. He later causes an accident when he drives into trees but all three get out of it well. Allen's parents come to visit him. The mother will be staying over for two weeks at the guest house. Allen goes there after classes to spend time with them. His friends from home Nigel and Bryan talk to him about all the things he must be missing out on. A girl by the name Lynnette has been disturbing Allen by throwing stones. Allen runs after her and catches up in a nearby forest. They lie down facing the sky. Lynnette kisses Allen. The two begin developing feelings for each other. Later before leaving Lynnette makes Allen promise to write her. He accepts but tells her to write as his cousin so that the seminary does not suspect their relationship. The boys are going for retreat which is a period of deep prayer and meditation. Father Marshall comes to talk to them about it. Allen goes to see him in private to talk about his difficulties. He gives Allen Lourdes water to put on his tongue every night before sleep so as to prevent bed wetting. Fitz who works the kitchen with Allen asks him to put the Lourdes water on his penis instead so as not to masturbate and wet his bed. Brother Francine is still disturbed by the tempting experience at the swimming pool. Father Sebastian has always been free minded and advises Allen to live life and not to strive too much for perfection. When he eventually passes on Allen is very sad and brother Francine becomes more emotionally unstable. Tom goes to confession to talk about how he has been abusing himself by masturbating. Allen's friend Waite always likes to wrestle him. Allen thinks there is more to it and asks him to go ahead and say what he really wants. The two begin mutual masturbation but Waite does not know how to do it right. Allen is upset by his inexperience and explains what happens up to ejaculation. Waite is scared and he runs off with Allen scolding. Meanwhile Turner the fanatic is talking about crossing a nearby water body naked. When he later goes missing Allen reports it and his dead body is found by the water. Brother Francine later breaks down mentally and leaves the seminary. Fitz is one of Allen's best friends. When he gets kicked out of the seminary Allen pleads for the brothers to give him Fitz's address so he can write to him. They refuse citing he will be a bad influence. Allen escapes from seminary and hitchhikes. He is dropped off along the road as the driver is going to another location. He starts stopping cars to hitchhike again. One car stops and it turns out to be brother Victor and James. They tell him to get in as they are also heading his way and know he is running away. They decide to take him to the game to watch semi finals then ring his parents before taking him home. It turns out they are also fed up with the limited life in the seminary.