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
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Murray Alper	...	Diner Counterman (uncredited)
Brandon Beach	...	Jury Foreman (uncredited)
Richard Boyer	...	Hotel Asst. Manager (uncredited)
Leonard Bremen	...	Carson, Construction Worker (uncredited)
Joe Brooks	...	Photographer (uncredited)
Peter Brown	...	Elevator Operator / Voice of Hotel Asst. Manager (uncredited)
James Burke	...	Police Officer Barney Flanagan (uncredited)
Wade Cagle	...	Corpsman (uncredited)
Gertrude Carr	...	Woman in Car (uncredited)
Isobel Elsom	...	Mrs. Dewitt Lawrence (uncredited)
Franklyn Farnum	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Bess Flowers	...	Carla Henry - Cricket Club Party Guest (uncredited)
Robert Haines	...	Court Stenographer (uncredited)
Ken Hardison	...	Corpsman (uncredited)
Sam Harris	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Jack Henderson	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Stuart Holmes	...	Cricket Club Party Guest (uncredited)
James Hope	...	Bailiff (uncredited)
J. Anthony Hughes	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Helen Jay	...	Floozy (uncredited)
Theodore Lehmann	...	Photographer (uncredited)
Louise Lorimer	...	Mary Judson (uncredited)
Al McGranary	...	Judge (uncredited)
Don McGuire	...	Bartender (uncredited)
David McMahon	...	Police Desk Sgt. McMahon (uncredited)
Claire Meade	...	Margaret O'Donnell (uncredited)
Patricia Michon	...	Chippy (uncredited)
Harold Miller	...	Cricket Club Guest (uncredited)
Jack Mower	...	Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Forbes Murray	...	Joan's Party Guest (uncredited)
Alan Paige	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Yvonne Peattie	...	Miss Lurie (uncredited)
Frieda Rentie	...	Maid (uncredited)
Carl Saxe	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Charles Sherlock	...	Ed, Construction Man (uncredited)
Bert Stevens	...	Cricket Club Guest (uncredited)
Fred Stromsoe	...	Photographer (uncredited)
Ruth Swanson	...	Receptionist (uncredited)
James Westmoreland	...	Bright Young Man (uncredited)

Directed by
Vincent Sherman

Writing credits
James Gunn		(screenplay)
Richard Powell		(novel "The Philadelphian")

Original Music by
Ernest Gold

Cinematography by
Harry Stradling Sr.		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
William H. Ziegler		(as William Ziegler)

Art Direction by
Malcolm C. Bert		(as Malcolm Bert)

Set Decoration by
John P. Austin

Costume Design by
Howard Shoup

Makeup Department
Gordon Bau	....	makeup supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
William Kissell	....	assistant director (as William Kissel)

Sound Department
Stanley Jones	....	sound

Music Department
Ray Heindorf	....	music supervisor

Other crew
Richard Michaels	....	script supervisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. Pictures

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1959) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (1991) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD) (included in "The Paul Newman Collection")
• Warner Home Video (2006) (Germany) (DVD)

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:

Barbara Rush replaced Natalie Wood who was put on studio suspension for refusing the role.

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.

Luminous drama; vastly underrated

It has commonly been said that full-fledged soap opera can never be a real work of art, but this excellent film proves to be a glorious exception to that rule. Director Vincent Sherman's luminous film adaptation of author Richard Powell's best-seller THE PHILADELPHIANS manages to tell the story of at least two generations in a single picture without ever feeling cramped, forced, or haphazard. The film's story line that begins as a romance, evolves into an underdog business story, and ends as a courtroom drama, and Sherman impressively manages to take all of these various story threads and create a completely coherent motion picture that never feels disjointed or episodic. Sherman also keeps things movie at a remarkably brisk pace – the film never feels even half as long as it's 136-minute runtime.

The entire cast turns in superlative work, with Newman being particular well-suited to his role as a good-natured-but-flawed lawyer (he would return to this type of role with even better results in the 1982 classic THE VERDICT). Barbara Rush, Brian Keith, Dianne Brewster, Billie Burke, and Robert Vaughn are all excellent, and Alexis Smith is particularly memorable as sexy socialite. Speaking of sex, the film retains a surprisingly sensual aura throughout, which helps to keep it from aging for modern audiences. Inexplicably forgotten by many classic film fans, THE YOUNG PHILADELPHIANS is a moving, compelling motion picture that holds up remarkably well nearly fifty years after it's original release.