The Young Savages (1961)

Director:

John Frankenheimer

Writers:

Edward Anhalt (screenplay) and
J.P. Miller (screenplay) ...
(more)

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 teenagers accused of the murder of a blind Puerto Rican boy...

Plot Keywords:

Gang | Street Gang | Mean Streets | Deep Focus | Juvenile Delinquent

Cast

Burt Lancaster	...	Hank Bell
Dina Merrill	...	Karin Bell
Edward Andrews	...	R. Daniel Cole
Vivian Nathan	...	Mrs. Escalante
Shelley Winters	...	Mary diPace
Larry Gates	...	Randolph
Telly Savalas	...	Detective Lt. Gunderson
Pilar Seurat	...	Louisa Escalante
Jody Fair	...	Angela Rugiello
Roberta Shore	...	Jenny Bell
Milton Selzer	...	Dr. Walsh
Robert Burton	...	Judge
David J. Stewart	...	Barton
Stanley Kristien	...	Danny diPace
John Davis Chandler	...	Arthur Reardon
Neil Nephew	...	Anthony 'Batman' Aposto
Luis Arroyo	...	Zorro
José Pérez	...	Roberto Escalante (as Jose Perez)
Richard Velez	...	Gargantua
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Stanley Adams	...	Police Lt. Hardy (uncredited)
Fred Aldrich	...	Court Bailiff (uncredited)
Robert Biheller	...	Turtleneck (uncredited)
Jon Carlo	...	McNally (uncredited)
Leonardo Cimino	...	Mr. Rugiello (uncredited)
Robert Cleaves	...	Sullivan (uncredited)
Thom Conroy	...	Mr. Abbeney (uncredited)
Linda Dangcil	...	Maria Amora (uncredited)
John David	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
George DeNormand	...	Cole Supporter (uncredited)
Joel Fluellen	...	Court Clerk (uncredited)
Harry Holcombe	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Clegg Hoyt	...	Whitey (uncredited)
Crane Jackson	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Helen Kleeb	...	Mrs. Patton (uncredited)
Rafael López	...	José (uncredited)
Paul Marco	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Elaine Martone	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Lester Matthews	...	Dr. Androtti (uncredited)
Frank Mills	...	Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Henry Norell	...	Pierce (uncredited)
William H. O'Brien	...	Juror (uncredited)
Charles Perry	...	Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Bill Quinn	...	Police Capt. Larsen (uncredited)
Bill Raisch	...	Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Chris Robinson	...	Pretty Boy Savoricci (uncredited)
Mario Roccuzzo	...	Diavolo (uncredited)
William Sargent	...	Soames (uncredited)
Jeffrey Sayre	...	Reporter at Police Precinct (uncredited)
Irving Steinberg	...	Police Officer Wohlman (uncredited)
Johnny Walsh	...	Lonnie (uncredited)

Directed by
John Frankenheimer

Writing credits
Edward Anhalt		(screenplay) and
J.P. Miller		(screenplay) (as JP Miller)
Evan Hunter		(novel "A Matter of Conviction")

Produced by
Pat Duggan	....	producer
Harold Hecht	....	executive producer

Original Music by
David Amram

Cinematography by
Lionel Lindon		(photographed by)

Film Editing by
Eda Warren

Art Direction by
Burr Smidt

Set Decoration by
James Crowe

Costume Design by
Jack Angel		(uncredited)
Roselle Novello		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
Robert J. Schiffer	....	makeup artist (as Robert Schiffer)
Joan St. Oegger	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Gilbert Kurland	....	executive production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Carter De Haven Jr.	....	assistant director (as Carter DeHaven Jr.)

Sound Department
Harry D. Mills	....	sound (as Harry Mills)
Eldon Coutts	....	sound (uncredited)

Music Department
David Amram	....	conductor

Other crew
Sydney Pollack	....	dialogue coach (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Contemporary Productions

Distributors

• United Artists (1961) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1961) (France) (theatrical) (as Les Aristes Associés)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1965) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• EuroVideo (2011) (Germany) (DVD)
• Fang Video (video)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• United Artists

Also Known As:

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:

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

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)

sincere, but rather muddle headed and unrealistic

This is one of those social conscience movies that were popular in the 50s and early 60s. This is not an especially good example of the genre. It follows prosecutor Burt Lancaster's investigation into a gang killing. The movie seems to be designed around a series of points the screenplay wants to make about the nature of slums and gangs and whether the death penalty is a good thing and that sort of thing, but it approaches all this in an unconvincing, mechanical manner. While the movie isn't all bad throughout, and seems vaguely interesting most of the way through, the trial at the end is so utterly absurd that it ruined what little momentum the movie had going. This is standard Hollywood law, in which Lancaster exhibits fairly incompetent prosecutorial behavior in his quest for "the truth." The movie is sincere and has good credentials, so it looks like it should be a good movie, but it really isn't.