The Young Savages (1961)

50% of critics liked it
(6 reviews)
48% of users liked it
(96 ratings)

The Young Savages is what used to be called a "thinking man's picture" about a potentially lurid subject: urban juvenile delinquency. A blind Puerto Rican boy is knifed to death in Spanish Harlem, and three teenage gang members are accused of the crime. Politically ambitious assistant DA Burt… More The Young Savages is what used to be called a "thinking man's picture" about a potentially lurid subject: urban juvenile delinquency. A blind Puerto Rican boy is knifed to death in Spanish Harlem, and three teenage gang members are accused of the crime. Politically ambitious assistant DA Burt Lancaster initially presses for the conviction of all three boys. But as he gets deeper into the case, he realizes that what appears cut-and-dried on the surface is tortuously complex: for starters, the murder victim was hardly the paragon of virtue that the prosecution claims. Despite pressure from his superiors and from members of the accused boys' gang (who at one point threaten Lancaster's wife Dina Merrill with a switchblade,) Lancaster nonetheless sees to it that justice is properly administered. The defendants are portrayed with varying degrees of Brando/Dean "method" by John Davis Chandler, Neil Nephew and Stanley Kristien; more believable, less affected performances are rendered by Shelley Winters, Pilar Seurat and Telly Savalas. Filmed on location in New York, The Young Savages was based on the Evan Hunter novel A Matter of Conviction. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 50 min.
Directed By: John Frankenheimer
Genres: Drama, Classics

In Theaters: May 24, 1961 Wide
On DVD: Jan 22, 2008

Critic Reviews

Walter Chaw, Film Freak Central
quaint to the point of incoherence and inconsequence
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
It's a West Side Story without the romance and music.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Randy T

Hollywood depiction of juvenile delinquency in the tradition of <i>Blackboard Jungle</i> and <i>West Side Story</i>. Dramatic and entertaining but decidedly unrealistic.
jay n

Solid drama of racial tension and prejudice well directed by Frankenheimer and acted with feeling by the cast. Lancaster is earnest but he is put somewhat in the shade by Shelley Winters in a strong supporting performance full of sad resignation and vulnerablity, when she was on her… More
Solid drama of racial tension and prejudice well directed by Frankenheimer and acted with feeling by the cast. Lancaster is earnest but he is put somewhat in the shade by Shelley Winters in a strong supporting performance full of sad resignation and vulnerablity, when she was on her game as she is here and reigned in her inner ham they were very few actresses as good at presenting the human condition. Edward Andrews is very good as usual in a small part as an ambitious politico, another underrated and unfortunately obscure actor who was always good whether in drama or comedy. As a study on the effects of poverty on people it is sadly still a timely story.

Cast

            Burt Lancaster as Hank Bell

            Dina Merrill as Karin Bell

            Shelley Winters as Mary Di Pace

            Edward Andrews as Dan Cole

            Larry Gates as Randolph

            Vivian Nathan as Mrs. Escalante

            Telly Savalas as Lt. Richard Gunnison

            Pilar Seurat as Louisa Escalante

            Jody Fair as Angela Rugiello

            Roberta Shore as Jenny Bell

            Milton Selzer as Walsh

            Robert Burton as Judge

            David J. Stewart as Barton

            Stanley Kristien as Danny di Pace

            John Davis Chandler as Arthur Reardon

            Neil Nephew as Anthony Aposto

            Luis Sosa Arroyo as Zorro

            Jose Perez as Roberto Escalante

            Chris Robinson as Pretty Boy

            Stanley Adams as Lt. Hardy

            Rafael López as Jose

            Henry Norell as Pierce

            Bob Biheller as Turtleneck

            Mario Roccuzzo as Diavolo

            Harry Holcombe as Doctor

            Helen Kleeb as Mrs. Patton

            Thom Conroy as Mr. Abbeney

            Johnny Walsh as Lonnie

            Irving Steinberg as Officer Wohlman

            Clegg Hoyt as Whitey

            Joel Fluellen as Clerk of the Court

            Robert Cleaves as Sullivan

            Bill Quinn as Capt. Larsen
See full cast