The Young Philadelphians (1959)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Vincent Sherman

Writers:

James Gunn (screenplay)
Richard Powell (novel)

Release Date:

30 May 1959 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Guilty secrets. Shocking scandals. All in a day's work for on Philadelphian lawyer.

Plot:

Up and coming, young lawyer Anthony Lawrence faces several ethical and emotional dilemmas as he climbs the Philadelphia social ladder...

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Lawyer | Wrong Side Of The Tracks | Trial | Melodrama

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 2 nominations

Cast

Paul Newman	...	Anthony Judson Lawrence / Narrator
Barbara Rush	...	Joan Dickinson
Alexis Smith	...	Carol Wharton
Brian Keith	...	Mike Flanagan
Diane Brewster	...	Kate Judson Lawrence
Billie Burke	...	Mrs. J. Arthur Allen, Owner Allen Oil Co.
John Williams	...	Gilbert Dickinson
Robert Vaughn	...	Chester A. 'Chet' Gwynn
Otto Kruger	...	John Marshall Wharton, Partner in Wharton / Biddle / Clayton Law Firm
Paul Picerni	...	Louis Donetti
Robert Douglas	...	Uncle Morton Stearnes
Frank Conroy	...	Doctor Shippen Stearnes
Adam West	...	William Lawrence III
Anthony Eisley	...	Carter Henry (as Fred Eisley)
Richard Deacon	...	George Archibald

Also Known As:

The City Jungle (UK)

Runtime:

136 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

UK:A | UK:PG (video: 1995) | Canada:14A (video rating) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #19198) | West Germany:16 | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Will Rogers State Historical Park - 1501 Will Rogers State Park Road, Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Filmed under the title "The Philadelphian" (the title of the book.)

Quotes:

Anthony Judson Lawrence: This isn't very conducive to sensible thinking. I better go back before...
Joan Dickinson: I don't want sensible thinking!
Anthony Judson Lawrence: Neither do I.

A fine 1950's movie

The Young Philadelphians had all the ingredients to become the most horrid American melodrama, in the worst 1950's style. Instead, it was cooked up to be one of the fine 1950's movies.

William Lawrence III (Adam West) was not, indeed could not be, the father of young Tony (Paul Newman). After William kills himself in a horrible car crash (suicide?), his Mother wants Kate (Diane Brewster) to give up the family name for her and her baby boy. Because she could reveal the reason for this horrid condition (Gasp! Is it possible that the marriage was not consummated because William the third could only "do it" with boys?), Kate secures the Lawrence name, if not the Lawrence money, to give Anthony a chance in Philadelphia society. Can you see the most awful melodrama developing?

Well, it turns out that further developments provide us with a balanced mix of humor, cynicism, drama, real emotions. This movie shows first rate acting and directing, and superb black and white photography. It gives us a glimpse of what appeared to be a pretty gruesome society scene. Apart from the unlikely happy end (I'm not giving too much away by saying this about an American movie of the 1950's), this is an interesting incursion in the period, with a healthy dose of social realism. As a bonus, we get to see Paul Newman out of his shirt in a steamy scene with a frustrated woman married with Newman's much older boss, a delightful Billy Burke in one of her last screen appearances, a tortured Adam West trying to deal with... (Oh! no, I can't say it), and a whole cast of believable, if not overly subtle, characters. We even get a bit of courtroom drama, à la Perry Mason.

This is an excellent way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon...