the story take place in the late 1930s and begin a the high school new principal and michael rossi ( lee philip ) and arrive in town to assume his duty . constance mackenzie ( lana turner ) be an attractive widow who own a dress shop . she run it efficiently but be an over protective mother who remove all choice from her teenager daughter and allison ( diane varsi ) and include her selection of friend allison seem a strong candidate for rebellion once the opportunity arise allison best friend be selena cross ( hope lange ) and who live in a shack on the wrong side of town with her mother and constance housekeeper betty field and and her drunk stepfather and lucas ( arthur kennedy ) . there be also russ tamblyn and stick in a failure cycle emotionally and and socially while barry coy and the wild son of the town rich businessman while terry moore and the high school flirt while david nelson and the boyfriend of selena cross while and doc swain ( lloyd nolan ) and the voice of logic . these be the most distinguished character among a great collection of townspeople whose life form a model of misunderstand and scandal and and nasty secret mark robson drama draw nine oscar nomination .