The Outsiders (1983)

The rivalry between two gangs, the poor Greasers and the rich Socs, only heats up when one gang member kills a member of the other.

Director:

Francis Ford Coppola (as Francis Coppola)

Writers:

Kathleen Rowell (screenplay) (as Kathleen Knutsen Rowell), S.E. Hinton (novel)

Stars:

C. Thomas Howell, Matt Dillon, Ralph Macchio

1 win & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
C. Thomas Howell	...	Ponyboy Curtis
Matt Dillon	...	Dallas Winston
Ralph Macchio	...	Johnny Cade
Patrick Swayze	...	Darrel Curtis
Rob Lowe	...	Sodapop Curtis
Emilio Estevez	...	Two-Bit Matthews
Tom Cruise	...	Steve Randle
Glenn Withrow	...	Tim Shepard
Diane Lane	...	Cherry Valance
Leif Garrett	...	Bob Sheldon
Darren Dalton	...	Randy Anderson
Michelle Meyrink	...	Marcia
Tom Waits	...	Buck Merrill
Gailard Sartain	...	Jerry
William Smith	...	Store Clerk

Storyline

Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1965. Fourteen-year-old Ponyboy Curtis is the youngest of three orphaned brothers who live on the north side of town, the "wrong side" of the tracks. Sensitive Ponyboy used to have a good relationship with his oldest brother Darrel, but since Darrel became the household caregiver, he is always on Ponyboy's case. Caught in the middle is third brother Sodapop, who dropped out of school to work full time. They all belong to The Greasers, a gang of boys from the north side also from working class families, often broken. Ponyboy's main concern is that any problem they may encounter, especially in their Greaser activities, will lead to the authorities splitting up their family. He also believes Darrel would have outgrown them and become something in his life if it wasn't for his loyalty to the gang, and the need to take care of the family. The rest of the world sees the Greasers as all the same, the face being Dallas Winston, the most volatile one who has just been released...

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Plot Keywords:

gang | rivalry | holding someone's head underwater | dysfunctional family | male objectification | 

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Taglines:

They grew up on the outside of society. They weren't looking for a fight. They were looking to belong.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA France

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 March 1983 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Outsiders: The Complete Novel

Filming Locations:

Admiral Twin Drive-In, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$10,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$5,068,165, 27 March 1983, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$25,600,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Zoetrope Studios, AMLF

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min 114 min (2005 edition)

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Adam Baldwin was tested for the role of Dallas.

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Goofs

The movie is set in 1965. However, when Dallas is reading the magazine, just before he robs the convenience store, comic books from DC Comics and Charlton Comics are shown with logos that were introduced in 1977 and 1973 respectively. Three comics can be clearly seen: Detective Comics #521, Fightin' Marines #166 and Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew #10. All three comics were originally published in December 1982.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Ponyboy: [voicecover] When I stepped out into the bright sunlight, from the darkness of the movie house, I had only two things on my mind: Paul Newman, and a ride home.

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Crazy Credits

Closing dedication: This film is dedicated to the people who first suggested that it be made... Librarian Jo Ellen Misakian and the students of the Lone Star School in Fresno, California.

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Connections

Referenced in Late Night with Seth Meyers: Matt Dillon/Tatiana Maslany/Will Butler (2015)

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Soundtracks

Mystery Train
Written by Junior Parker (as Herman Parker Jr.) and Sam Phillips (as Sam C. Phillips)
Performed by Elvis Presley
Sun Studios, rereleased by RCA Victor

User Reviews

The Outsiders

The Outsiders is one of the best movies and books ever written! It was manatory for me to read it and I got right in with the characters. The movie is......... I can't describe it, it's that awesome! I personally, fell in love with it so much that I've read it 5 times and have seen it 45 times. This movie really brings out the book and if you have not seen it, but you've read it go to your local movie store and rent it! Or, if you have not even read it go read it! This is a movie that you will talk about with your friends and will always remember. Both Coppola and Hinton did a great job with this. This movie included excellent acting to, Matt Dillon, C. Thomas Howell, Ralph Macchio, Emilio Estevez, Rob Lowe, Patrick Swayze, and Tom Cruise. This movie will surly be popular with those who love Drama.