The Boys (1962)

When the night watchman of a garage is found murdered, 4 young men are arrested and put on trial. Under cross-examination, suspects and witnesses give differing accounts of the same ... See full summary »

Director:

Sidney J. Furie

Writer:

Stuart Douglass (original screenplay)

Stars:

Richard Todd, Robert Morley, Dudley Sutton

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Richard Todd	...	Victor Webster
Robert Morley	...	Montgomery
Dudley Sutton	...	Stan Coulter
Ronald Lacey	...	Billy Herne
Tony Garnett	...	Ginger Thompson
Jess Conrad	...	Barney Lee
Felix Aylmer	...	The Judge / Judge
Wilfrid Brambell	...	Robert Brewer (as Wilfred Bramble)
Colin Gordon	...	Gordon Lonsdale
Kenneth J. Warren	...	George Tanner
Allan Cuthbertson	...	Randolph St. John (as Alan Cuthbertson)
Wensley Pithey	...	Mr. Coulter (as Wensley Athey)
Roy Kinnear	...	Mark Salmon
Patrick Magee	...	Mr. Lee
David Lodge	...	Mr. Herne

Storyline

When the night watchman of a garage is found murdered, 4 young men are arrested and put on trial. Under cross-examination, suspects and witnesses give differing accounts of the same incidents that led up to the crime. After re-examining the suspects' statements, the prosecuting counsel finally learns the truth.

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Plot Keywords:

judge | independent film | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

September 1962 (UK)

Filming Locations:

Soho, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Atlas Productions,Galaworldfilm Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

123 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Jess Conrad has said in interviews that Sidney J. Furie told "The Boys" to tear up the script, and improvise their dialogue.

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Quotes

Montgomery: Are you proud of being a lavatory attendant?
The Judge: That's a most unseemly question Mr Montgomery. The witness need not answer it.
Robert Brewer: Well I will answer it. I am proud. Very proud.

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Connections

References Adua e le compagne (1960)

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Soundtracks

Main Theme
(uncredited)
Written by Brian Bennett, Bruce Welch & Hank B. Marvin
Played by The Shadows

User Reviews

Dead End Kids in London

Four working class boys are accused of stabbing a night watchman at a garage for the money in the cashbox. It starts slowly as a courtroom drama, with lawyers and witnesses apparently attempting feeble comic turns. Where's the director? you wonder. Surely lawyers don't behave like this. The only good bits in this preamble are the flashbacks to the witnesses' encounters with the boys.

Then Robert Morley as the boys' defence lawyer visits them in the cells and zap! the film comes alive. Perhaps because Morley's in control? He was a great actor, not to mention writer and director.

The guys playing the boys are excellent too. They slouch in their chairs while Morley lays into them for not giving him anything to go on. He tells them how he was always taunted at school for being fat and gains their confidence.

Then the boys go into the witness stand one by one and tell the story from their point of view. Yes - it's the Rashomon plot. We see their poor homes and parents, some antagonistic, some sympathetic. They tell the story of their attempt to have fun 'up west' in London's entertainment district, foiled by their lack of cash. See it if you want to know if they're guilty!

There are some great British character actors including the lovely Betty Marsden, but the prosecuting lawyer is miscast - he looks about as dangerous as a kitten. Roy Kinnear is an embarrassment, but he's given the impossible task of trying to convey a witness with concealed and unspecified 'mental trouble' - something the British public were even more ignorant about back then.

Dudley Sutton stands out as the gang leader. I believe he became an alcoholic and recovered and since the late 70s has popped up on television playing charming old buffers. xxxxxxx