Stometer Save your money for something good and enjoyable

JinRoz For all the hype it got I was expecting a lot more!

Gutsycurene Fanciful, disturbing, and wildly original, it announces the arrival of a fresh, bold voice in American cinema.

Bumpy Chip It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

Lechuguilla Almost everyone in this film is angry about something, in this social drama, set in Harlem's slums, about two rival youth gangs at war with each other, and the adults caught in the middle trying to understand all the angst and anger. The script's inciting incident occurs when one of the gang members is murdered.The main adult, and the story's protagonist, is Hank Bell (Burt Lancaster), who tries to build a criminal case against the aggressor gang, even as he once had a romantic interest in the mother of one of the boys charged.The heavy-handed script, combined with Director Frankenheimer's attempt to convey social relevance to the then contemporary theme, forces actors to try to out-angst other actors in a series of monologues. In so doing, the film telegraphs the approximate outcome of the story long before the ending. And that ending occurs in a clichéd courtroom setting instead of in the urban jungle where it would have been more effective.The B&W lighting is okay but rather bland. So much more could have been made of the lighting, with higher contrast lighting and more unconventional, i.e. rebellious-theme, camera angles. Editing is generally effective, though I question whether all those monologues are really needed. Casting, costumes, and production design are fine. Background music, for the most part, is either 1950s jazz, heavy on the sax, or sleepy elevator music, depending on a scene's emotional tone.Despite the directing and script issues, the film did hold my attention, mostly because of its interesting theme and the effective casting of several actors, such as Shelley Winters and Neil Burstyn. "The Young Savages" is basically a social melodrama relevant to its historical era, as it examines the complexities of growing up in urban poverty.

kijii This movie was released the same year as West Side Story, At the beginning of this movie, one sees a gang of hoods swaggering down the street. One almost expects them to break out into song and dance like the Jets did in West Side Story. In fact, the beginning of this movie has MANY parallels to West Side Story—right down to the two NYC ethnic gangs fighting to protect their respective street turfs. One gang is Italian (but HERE they call themselves the Thunderbirds--rather than the Jets.) The other gang is Puerto Rican (but HERE they call themselves the Horseman—rather than the Sharks). These parallels are eerie and it almost seems like one movie is copying the other. However, at this point, the two movies diverge since The Young Savages is no musical, no modern retelling of 'Romeo and Juliet,' no love story. Furthermore, far from the self-satirizing done in 'Gee Officer Krupke,' The Young Savages DOES explore and probe factors such as the criminals' age, personal problems, ethnic background, and social surroundings to judge when and how 'crimes' should be judged and punished.The movie starts with the brutal gang killing of a blind Puerto Rican boy. The suspects are arrested as they flee the scene of the murder, but claim that the killing was done in self-defense. Hank Bell (Burt Lancaster) is the district attorney who prosecutes the case. His investigation takes him on a search that will teach as much about himself and HIS motives as it does with those of the suspects. First we learn that his wife, Karin (Diana Merrill), is a privileged WASP who is a critic of capital punishment; Hank is vengeful (which lead to tension with their marriage). As the prosecutor, Hank is basically working against the Italian gang (the suspects) and for the Puerto Ricans (the victims). BUT he, himself, is an Italian who had escaped (through education, marriage, and status) the same neighborhood where the suspects come from. In fact, he had formerly dated one of the suspect's mothers, Mary de Pace (Shelley Winters). The case that had looked like an open-and-shut capital murder, turn out to be more complicated than he had thought, as the fact about both side (suspects and victims) emerge.

ma-cortes This is an original classic picture , being very worthy in its intention and including faith in American justice . It is set in N.Y. C. where gang leaders lead his groupies on a reign of terror through the streets and slums . These dangerous gangs are called the Horsemen and the Thunderbirds . After three adolescents hoods stab a blind Puerto Rican boy , upright assistant DA Hank Bell (Burt Lancaster) is tasked with prosecuting the criminal case . He's looking for evidences for first degree killing for all three of the teenagers , even 15 year-old Danny DiPace , son of his old sweetheart , Mary DiPace (Shelley Winters who played his former lover , she was actually former lover in real life) . Bell grew up in the neighborhood and investigates the convictions along with Lt. Gunderson (Telly Savalas) . He learns that Escalante may have pulled a knife and was really one of the chiefs of the Puerto Rican gang that fought usually with their Italian opponents . Bell's spouse is upset at the prospect that he's seeking the death penalty for teens and he thinks she's just a liberal living in her own little perfect world . Meanwhile , Hank attempts to find out motivation for killing on the three misfit boys . As he gathers more proofs against his superior , the General prosecutor Daniel Cole (Edward Andrews) . However , he starts to see that it is all far more complicated than it first suggested . Ring leader results to be a young psychopath Arthur Reardon (John Davis Chandler) , a baddie who doesn't seem human . The attorney starts investigating with no results and the bands pull off his owns objectives , leading to an ever higher tension at the justice court .It is a violent and strong movie by its time about gangs of cruel teens who terrorize the neighborhood , executing a terrible murder and a prosecutor assistant who is determined to do his job and starts to discover that the facts in the case aren't exactly as they seem to be , despite resistance from his superiors . Tough as well as thoughtful entertainment , set in the thunderous sixties . Well-remembered violent drama from the early 60s in which teenager gangs terrorize the entire streets and surroundings executing crimes and violence at random . Interesting script , screen-written by Edward Anhalt , based on the novel "A Matter of Conviction¨ by Evan Hunter . This entertaining as well as thought-provoking film contains thrills , intense drama , upsetting scenes , and with quite convincing , studious atmosphere . In fact , due to the film violent content had great notoriety and important impression as well as some problems with censorship . Very good acting , as always , by Burt Lancaster as a district attorney who pursues justice , investigating the racially charged case of three teenagers accused of a killing . Lancaster had never before worked with a director as Frankenheimer who used such innovative camera angles . He grew to trust John Frankenheimer, and they made four more films together . In fact , Lancaster was forced by United Artists to make four films for low salaries in the 1960s , all of them directed by Frankenheimer : The Young savages (1961 ), The birdman of Alcatraz (1962), The Train (1964) and Seven Days in May (1964) rather than his normal fee , because of cost overruns at his production company , Hecht-Hill-Lancaster, for which he was personally responsible . Acceptable acting by Dina Merrill ; however , Dina said that the treatment she received from director John Frankenheimer on this picture nearly drove her out of the business , as he literally told her at the end of a days' filming that she was the worst actress he'd ever worked with . It displays a very nice as well as memorable support cast , such as Edward Andrews , Shelley Winters , Larry Gates , Telly Savalas , Stanley Adams , Leonardo Cimino , Milton Selzer and unforgettable John Davis Chandler as nasty teen.Evocative cinematography in Black and White by Lionel Lindon . The picture was well directed by John Frankenheimer and achieved great success . John used strange camera movements , aiming upward and camera on the floor . Lancaster had never before worked with a filmmaker who utilized such innovative camera angles . In fact , Lancaster was startled and dismayed to see these rare work means . At the beginning John worked for TV and turned to the cinema industry with The Young Stranger (1957) . Disappointed his with first feature film experience he came back to his successful television career directing a total of 152 live television shows in the 50s . He took another opportunity to change to the big screen , collaborating with Burt Lancaster in The Young Savages (1961) and Birdman of Alcatraz (62) ending up becoming a successful director well-known by his skills with actors and expressing on movies his views on important social deeds and philosophical events and film-making some classics as ¨The Manchurian candidate¨, ¨Seven days of May¨ and ¨The Train¨ and ; in addition , including some great car races as ¨Grand Prix¨ and ¨Ronin¨ . Rating : Better and average and well worth seeing . The flick will appeal to Burt Lancaster fans . Above average for its thrilling premise as well as hard-hitting entertainment and had the youthful ripping up the seats on its first release .

David (Handlinghandel) The intentions are good. The acting is pretty good. The settings are believable. It is awfully formulaic, though. And at the same time, it is unstructured.It means well. OK: The Puerto Ricans are neither all bad nor all good. Neither are the Italians. Burt Lancaster is noble but not at his best. Dina Merrill seems to be not only from another culture but also from some other movie.I am a big fan of Lancaster. He was good in his early movies and brilliant in later ones such as "Conversation Piece" and "Atlantic City." He is not to blame for the ghastly "Elmer Gantry." Here he is OK. He probably wasn't the best choice for this role. On the other hand, this well meaning movie would probably not have been made without his star power.