In 1962 London, four troublesome teenagers are charged by the police with robbing a garage and murdering the night watchman.In 1962 London, four troublesome teenagers are charged by the police with robbing a garage and murdering the night watchman.In 1962 London, four troublesome teenagers are charged by the police with robbing a garage and murdering the night watchman.
Wilfrid Brambell
- Robert Brewer
- (as Wilfred Bramble)
Allan Cuthbertson
- Randolph St. John
- (as Alan Cuthbertson)
Wensley Pithey
- Mr. Coulter
- (as Wensley Pithey/Wensley Athey)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaJess Conrad has said in interviews that Sidney J. Furie told the "boys" to tear up the script and improvise their dialogue.
- GoofsThe events leading to the trial are said on numerous occasions throughout the film to have taken place on a Thursday, January 15, 1962. January 15, 1962 was actually a Monday.
- Quotes
Montgomery: Now then, when you first saw these boys, what was your impression?
Bus conductor: I don't know what you mean.
Montgomery: I mean what sort of people did they seem to be, Mr Salmon? Milkmen, postmen, politicians?
Bus conductor: Teddy boys.
Montgomery: What do you mean by 'teddy boys'?
Bus conductor: Well, they dressed like teddy boys and they behaved like teddy boys.
- Alternate versionsThe 2009 DVD master seems to come from a TV master. The movie is cropped to a ratio 1:1.77 with some strong anamorphic deformations. Also the nude calendar presented at the trial is blurred.
- ConnectionsReferenced in Talkies: The Boys Reunion (2017)
Featured review
Misunderstood
When I saw this film a couple of nights ago on late night TV I was struck by how much it captured the spirit of a time when I was a boy a little younger than 'The Boys' in the film
The Boys in question are four teenagers charged with murder of an elderly night watchman during a robbery.
Several social issues are 'on trial' Firstly, the generation gap. This was a time when 'teenagers' were a new concept in Britain (the four are described disparagingly by their elders as 'teddy boys'), and this perception his used by the defence to show that teenagers are harshly judged by their elders.
The four in question are rowdy and ill mannered enough but rather too well spoken for real working class teenagers (particularly teen idol of the day Jess Conrad). However their plight is gripping enough to hold the interest of the viewer.
In England in 1962 a) an 18 year old could hang for murder but not a younger accomplice (one of the most notorious incidents of the time was the hanging of 18 year old Derek Bentley - 1956 - while his younger accomplice who fired the fatal shot, could not be hanged) b) some types of murder - killing during a the commission of a crime - were capital, others not.
The film points up these anomalies and was making a serious social criticism at the time.
The film is a believable portrayal of poor lads on a night out that went disastrously wrong and has a nice little twist in the tail
Worth hanging about to see this one - 8 out of 10
The Boys in question are four teenagers charged with murder of an elderly night watchman during a robbery.
Several social issues are 'on trial' Firstly, the generation gap. This was a time when 'teenagers' were a new concept in Britain (the four are described disparagingly by their elders as 'teddy boys'), and this perception his used by the defence to show that teenagers are harshly judged by their elders.
The four in question are rowdy and ill mannered enough but rather too well spoken for real working class teenagers (particularly teen idol of the day Jess Conrad). However their plight is gripping enough to hold the interest of the viewer.
In England in 1962 a) an 18 year old could hang for murder but not a younger accomplice (one of the most notorious incidents of the time was the hanging of 18 year old Derek Bentley - 1956 - while his younger accomplice who fired the fatal shot, could not be hanged) b) some types of murder - killing during a the commission of a crime - were capital, others not.
The film points up these anomalies and was making a serious social criticism at the time.
The film is a believable portrayal of poor lads on a night out that went disastrously wrong and has a nice little twist in the tail
Worth hanging about to see this one - 8 out of 10
helpful•291
- rmc129-1
- Oct 22, 2001
- How long is The Boys?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Runtime2 hours 3 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1
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