Directed by John Milius, Big Wednesday, a 1978 film, acquaint with the true life of passionate surfers and real surfing. John Milius had also been a surfer in his early life. The film tags on three friends who spend much of their time what youngsters often do; hang out with buddies, going to parties but in addition to this, they can be seen playing on those Californian waves which drive their craze acutely.

Matt, Jack, and Leroy are three mates of different mind-sets who share an identical identity as watermen. The film successively portrays the life of surfers of 1960’s and 70’s.

Just great surfing sequences and the special appearance and stunts of some international surfing title holders made this film a great success. Jan-Michael Vincent plays the role of Matt Johnson who is a self-destructive chap with a blithe outlook. Gary Busey can be seen in the cast of Leroy Smith as ‘The Masochist’ and the calm and responsible character of Jack Barlowe is played by William Katt.

The movie goes on showing their adventures and surfing at their home-pitch waves in the summer of 1962. It continues with their efforts to flee from the Vietnam War in 1965 and also to the peak of their innocence in 1968, when one of their friends gives-up the ghost to a gnarly swell of 74 feet in Vietnam.

The time put them before inevitable adulthood which fights back with their zealous fondness to the surfing. After a long time, they bring back together. Though the span of ten years made these friends change their attitude, beaches and waves do not undergo any transition. And at last, the film touches the reality of life that with time innocence goes not to ever come back and so it attests what the film is also known as – “Summer of Innocence”.