The Young Philadelphians (1959)

Up and coming, young lawyer Anthony Lawrence faces several ethical and emotional dilemmas as he climbs the Philadelphia social ladder. His personal and professional skills are tested as he ... See full summary »

Director:

Vincent Sherman

Writers:

James Gunn (screenplay), Richard Powell (novel)

Stars:

Paul Newman, Barbara Rush, Alexis Smith

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 2 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Paul Newman	...	Anthony Judson Lawrence / Narrator
Barbara Rush	...	Joan Dickinson
Alexis Smith	...	Carol Wharton
Brian Keith	...	Mike Flanagan
Diane Brewster	...	Kate Judson Lawrence
Billie Burke	...	Mrs. J. Arthur Allen
John Williams	...	Gilbert Dickinson
Robert Vaughn	...	Chester A. 'Chet' Gwynn
Otto Kruger	...	John Marshall Wharton
Paul Picerni	...	Louis Donetti
Robert Douglas	...	Uncle Morton Stearnes
Frank Conroy	...	Doctor Shippen Stearnes
Adam West	...	William Lawrence III
Anthony Eisley	...	Carter Henry (as Fred Eisley)
Richard Deacon	...	George Archibald

Storyline

Up and coming, young lawyer Anthony Lawrence faces several ethical and emotional dilemmas as he climbs the Philadelphia social ladder. His personal and professional skills are tested as he tries to balance the needs of his fiance Joan, the expectations of his colleagues and his own obligation to defend his friend Chester on a murder count.

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Plot Keywords:

lawyer | irish | law | trial | murder | 

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Taglines:

Guilty secrets. Shocking scandals. All in a day's work for on Philadelphian lawyer.

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

30 May 1959 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Philadelphian

Filming Locations:

Will Rogers State Historical Park - 1501 Will Rogers State Park Road, Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros

Technical Specs

Runtime:

136 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the French post-synchronized version, the actors are dubbed by Jacques Thébault (Paul Newman); Nadine Alari (Barbara Rush); Claire Guibert (Alexis Smith); Raymond Loyer (Brian Keith); Michèle Bardollet (Diane Brewster); Lita Recio (Billie Burke); Jean-Henri Chambois (John Williams); Roger Rudel (Robert Vaughn); William Sabatier (Otto Kruger); René Arrieu (Paul Picerni); Gérard Ferat (Robert Douglas); Claude Péran (Frank Conroy); and Jean Amadou (Adam West).

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Goofs

At the very end of the film when Paul Newman and Barbara Rush are walking out of the courtroom they're holding each others backs and in the next shot they're holding hands.

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Quotes

Anthony Judson Lawrence: I just learned the rules of the game.

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Soundtracks

"The Kiss Waltz"
(uncredited)
Music by Joseph Burke
Played on piano at the Dickinson party

User Reviews

A fine 1950's movie

The Young Philadelphians had all the ingredients to become the most horrid American melodrama, in the worst 1950's style. Instead, it was cooked up to be one of the fine 1950's movies.

William Lawrence III (Adam West) was not, indeed could not be, the father of young Tony (Paul Newman). After William kills himself in a horrible car crash (suicide?), his Mother wants Kate (Diane Brewster) to give up the family name for her and her baby boy. Because she could reveal the reason for this horrid condition (Gasp! Is it possible that the marriage was not consummated because William the third could only "do it" with boys?), Kate secures the Lawrence name, if not the Lawrence money, to give Anthony a chance in Philadelphia society. Can you see the most awful melodrama developing?

Well, it turns out that further developments provide us with a balanced mix of humor, cynicism, drama, real emotions. This movie shows first rate acting and directing, and superb black and white photography. It gives us a glimpse of what appeared to be a pretty gruesome society scene. Apart from the unlikely happy end (I'm not giving too much away by saying this about an American movie of the 1950's), this is an interesting incursion in the period, with a healthy dose of social realism. As a bonus, we get to see Paul Newman out of his shirt in a steamy scene with a frustrated woman married with Newman's much older boss, a delightful Billy Burke in one of her last screen appearances, a tortured Adam West trying to deal with... (Oh! no, I can't say it), and a whole cast of believable, if not overly subtle, characters. We even get a bit of courtroom drama, à la Perry Mason.

This is an excellent way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon...