There, Ben's clowning in class ticks off the local gang of tough guys, but he soon wins all of their admiration when he begins buying them beer, taking them to dances, giving them "kicks," and then finally turning them on to marijuana.

In the dramatic (or melodramatic) finale, Ben ends up killing the pusher for more marijuana only to find that there is none, and gets his just deserts in a fiery car wreck.

Rhoden Jr. began with a title: The Cool and the Crazy, and hired Richard C. Sarafian, a Kansas City writer and friend of Altman's, to write the screenplay for the film.

As with The Delinquents, Rhoden Jr. had The Cool and the Crazy post-production and editing executed under professional conditions in Hollywood by Helene Turner.

The Cool and the Crazy has recently gained a devoted cult following for its rabid anti-marijuana message and Dick Bakalyan's performance.