Bringing Up Buddy

Buddy, the impetuous offspring of a newly affluent family desperate for acceptance among the social elite, becomes the catalyst of a domestic farce that spirals into institutional exile. His parents, whose pretensions mask an insecurity about their sudden wealth, attempt to sculpt him into a paragon of propriety, yet his innate mischief thwarts every contrivance. After a series of calamitous incidents—ranging from a botched garden party that ends in a smashed fountain to a reckless escapade with a borrowed automobile that leaves the family’s reputation in tatters—his caretakers deem him beyond redemption and consign him to a stern military academy. The academy, a crucible of discipline, proves ill‑suited to Buddy’s irrepressible spirit; his antics—prank‑laden drills, unauthorized midnight concerts, and a notorious escapade involving the mess hall’s prized turkey—infuriate the staff to the point of expulsion. Defeated and humbled, Buddy returns home, where the family must confront the chasm between their aspirational veneer and the chaotic vitality of their son.