The Young Savages (1961)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

John Frankenheimer

Writers:

Edward Anhalt (writer)
Evan Hunter (novel)

Release Date:

24 May 1961 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Tagline:

HERE IS THE RAW TRUTH...NAILED TO THE SCREEN!

Plot:

A district attorney investigates the racially charged case of three Italian teenagers accused of the murder of a blind Puerto Rican boy...

Plot Keywords:

Juvenile Delinquent | Gang | Beautiful Woman | Deep Focus | Based On Novel

Cast

Burt Lancaster	...	Hank Bell
Dina Merrill	...	Karin Bell
Edward Andrews	...	R. Daniel 'Dan' Cole
Vivian Nathan	...	Mrs. Escalante
Shelley Winters	...	Mary di Pace
Larry Gates	...	Randolph
Telly Savalas	...	Police Lt. Gunderson
Pilar Seurat	...	Louisa Escalante
Jody Fair	...	Angela Rugiello
Roberta Shore	...	Jenny Bell
Milton Selzer	...	Walsh
Robert Burton	...	Judge
David J. Stewart	...	Barton
Stanley Kristien	...	Danny Di Pace
John Davis Chandler	...	Arthur Reardon

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Italian | Spanish

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.75 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Norway:16 | West Germany:12 (f) (cut version) | West Germany:16 (f) | UK:12 (2009) | UK:12 | UK:X (1961) | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

East Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Contemporary Productions

Trivia:

When Burt Lancaster walked onto the set the first day of shooting, he was startled and dismayed to see the camera on the floor, aiming upward. Lancaster had never before worked with a director who used such innovative camera angles. He grew to trust Frankenhiemer, and they made four more films together.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Portraits chinois (1996)

Well done but tame

A bunch of white gang members stab to death a blind Puerto Rican boy. Assistant D.A. Burt Lancaster is trying to get the death penalty for the three boys who attacked him...but are they all guilty?

I suppose this was hard-hitting in 1961 but it's very tame by today's standards. Teenagers killing teenagers is (sadly) no longer that shocking. The violence and language are also tame too.

Still, it is well-done and Lancaster (who hated making this film) and Shelley Winters are good. Director John Frankenheimer's moody direction helps. He shoots things at curious angles, always keeping you off balance. The b&w cinematography helps too.

So, familiar but good.