In the Mood

In 1944, 14-year-old Sonny Wisecarver begins a forbidden romance with his 21-year-old neighbor Judy, a mother of two. The affair leads them to run off and get married, shocking their families and neighbors when the truth becomes known.

Law enforcement tracks them down after their Colorado escape, and they are transported back to California to stand before the courts. Their impromptu marriage becomes a sensational case that opens a flurry of scrutiny on juvenile romance.

Back in California, the judge annuls the marriage. Judy Wisecarver is placed on three years of probation and required to attend church regularly for 'moral training,' while Sonny is ordered to stay out of town for the summer.

Sonny is sent to live with an aunt in Northern California. He originally works on his uncle's rabbit farm but soon quits and finds a job in a local fish factory, starting a more independent chapter of his life.

Sonny meets Francine, a 25-year-old wife of a decorated soldier who is overseas. They quickly fall into a romance and secretly travel to Paradise, California to be together.

A local article exposes their romance, drawing sensational attention from neighbors and reporters. The story feeds the public's fascination with Sonny as a romantic figure.

To dispel rumors, Sonny goes to the local police, hoping to put the matter to rest. Instead, authorities detain him, which only amplifies the media spotlight on their relationship.

Sonny's father brings him back home, but the judge later brands him incorrigible and orders a youth correctional center stay until he turns 21.

Francine is sentenced for contributing to the delinquency of a minor, receiving three years' probation and a $250 fine. The penalties reflect the era's harsh stance on juvenile romance.

While imprisoned, Sonny is threatened by a fellow inmate and makes a bold escape. He slips into a broader wander, dodging authorities as he tries to reinvent his path.

He hops a train toward Utah but is recognized along the way and disembarks in Nevada instead. There, he begins to lay low and figure out his next move.

In Nevada, 15-year-old Wendy, an usher at a local cinema, helps him stay ahead of trouble. They fall in love, go out for coffee, and, after obtaining Wendy's parents' permission, marry three weeks later.

The press continues to chase Sonny, dubbing him 'Compton Casanova' and other sensational titles. Life magazine coins the enduring nickname 'The Woo Woo Boy, the world's greatest lover' that sticks in the public memory.