A ruthless teen rules Wilson High with intimidation, corruption, and a gold coin at stake.
HIGH SCHOOL CAESAR
He had more rackets than Al Capone!
Matt Stevens is the big man at high school. He sweats the students for protection money, acquires copies of tests for a fee, and has rigged the votes so he can beat Kelly in the election for student president. Aside from his anointed acolytes, Matt is almost universally despised. His parents are obscenely rich and spend their time travelling in Europe rather than giving him the parental guidance he needs. Things begin to get ugly when some of the teens resist his power and show Matt up at the drag race.
Quick Answer
High School Caesar is a 1960 American drama film directed by O'Dale Ireland about Matt Stevens, a wealthy and manipulative teenager who rigs a high school election, extorts his classmates, and faces growing resistance from his peers.
Programmer's Pick
High School Caesar delivers a teensploitation punch with its proto-greaser overlord and a school so corrupt it makes student government look like the mob. Matt Stevens’ gold-plated ego—and gold coin—are on the line in a world where drag races decide power and love is just another transaction.
— SassyFlix Programmer
Overview
Details & Specs
- Director
- O'Dale Ireland
- Writers
- O'Dale Ireland, Ethelmae Wilson Page, Robert Slaven
- Release
- 1960
- Runtime
- 1h 15m
- Country
- United States of America
- Language
- English
- Genres
- Drama
Why This Matters
Released by Filmgroup as a double feature with Date Bait, this 1960 film typifies the era's teen-centered exploitation cinema and reflects the distribution strategies of pairing genre films for drive-in audiences.
Cast & Crew
View all →Why Cult
Matt Stevens runs Wilson High with intimidation, extortion, and a taste for rigged elections.
This independent film fully embraces campy teensploitation, featuring delinquent antics and drag races.
Student politics get the gangster treatment as Matt fixes votes and monetizes everything from tests to dances.
Matt’s villainy is fueled by absentee, globe-trotting parents, adding a layer of melodramatic pathos.
Scene Gallery
Questions from the Vault
When was High School Caesar released? +
High School Caesar was released in 1960.
Who directed High School Caesar? +
High School Caesar was directed by O'Dale Ireland.
How long is High School Caesar? +
High School Caesar has a runtime of 75 minutes.
What genre is High School Caesar? +
High School Caesar is a drama film.