The Cross and the Switchblade (1970)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

Don Murray

Writers:

Don Murray (screenplay) and
James Bonnet (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

June 1970 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Crime | Drama

Tagline:

Now an explosive motion picture!

Plot:

Crusading minister gets involved in the lives of members of a New York street gang. |

Plot Keywords:

Gang | Hubcap | Trust | Water Balloon | Fall From Height

Cast

Pat Boone	...	David Wilkerson
Erik Estrada	...	Nicky Cruz
Jacqueline Giroux	...	Rosa (as Jackie Giroux)
Jo-Ann Robinson	...	Little Bo
Dino DeFilippi	...	Israel
Don Blakely	...	Abdullah
Gil Frazier	...	Big Cat
Don Lamond	...	Sergeant Delano
Sam Capuano	...	Mr. Gomez
Alex Colon	...	Mingo
Héctor Mercado	...	Moonlight (as Hector Mercado)
Stew Silver	...	Augie
Dorothy James	...	Mrs. Gomez
David Connell	...	Pusher
Michelle Galjour	...	Angela
Jackie Cronin	...	Norma
Virginia Alonso	...	Mary
Darryl Speer	...	Bottlecap
Thomas Mooney	...	Chance
Vince O'Brien	...	Judge (as Vincent O'Brien)
Jay Devlin	...	District Attorney
Paul Haney	...	Lawyer
Victor Bumbalo	...	Hugo
Stanley Finesmith	...	Trial Defendant
Sal Christi	...	Court Policeman
Andrew T. Murphy	...	Reporter
Kleg Seth	...	Photographer
Laura Figueroa	...	Mau Mau Deb
Jonelle Allen	...	Bishop Deb
Mark Dawson	...	Policeman
Norman Bly	...	Heckler
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Harry Reems	...	Gang member (uncredited)
Philip Suriano	...	Chi-Chi (uncredited)
Hechter Ubarry	...	Gang member (uncredited)

Directed by
Don Murray

Writing credits
Don Murray		(screenplay) and
James Bonnet		(screenplay)
Elizabeth Sherrill		book
John Sherrill		book
David Wilkerson		novel

Produced by
Ken Curtis	....	associate producer
Tom Harris	....	associate producer
Dick Ross	....	producer

Original Music by
Ralph Carmichael

Cinematography by
Julian C. Townsend

Film Editing by
Angelo Ross

Casting by
Kleg Seth

Art Direction by
Charles Bailey

Costume Design by
Pearl Somner

Makeup Department
John Jiras	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Robert Baron	....	in charge of production

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Sam Bennerson	....	second assistant director (as Samuel N. Bennerson)
Steve Marshall	....	assistant director (as Steven M. Marshall)

Sound Department
Christopher Newman	....	sound (as Chris Newman)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Martin Gaiptman	....	wardrobe (as Martin D. Gaiptman)

Music Department
Ralph Carmichael	....	conductor

Other crew
Nicky Cruz	....	technical advisor
Sue Leyden	....	assistant to producer
Noni Rock	....	production secretary
Renata Stoia	....	continuity
Maria Van Slyke	....	unit publicist (as Maria VanSlyke)
David Wilkerson	....	technical advisor

Production Companies

• Gateway Productions
• Responsible Entertainment

Distributors

• Gateway Films (1970) (USA) (theatrical)
• Twentieth Century Fox Film Company (1972) (UK) (theatrical)
• United/Vanguard (video)
• Video Beat (????) (USA) (DVD)
• Video Beat (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Vision Video (UK) (video)

Also Known As:

La cruz y el puñal (USA: Spanish title) (video title)

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:15 (2007 Re-Rating) | UK:AA (original rating) | West Germany:12 | USA:GP (original rating) | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Gateway Productions

Trivia:

According to an Erik Estrada biography published in 2004, the film is shown in roughly 500 youth centers every week.

Quotes:

Little Bo: Hey, he wants to meet the gang. Why don't you take him inside?
Angela: I can't. Mau-Maus are waiting for a war council with the Bishops. My brother's inside.
David Wilkerson: It's all right, Bo. We'll go in.
Little Bo: Now wait a minute, I don't know. Like I said, I'm a loner. I swing from one gang to another, they might not like it.
Angela: You're just afraid they might cut you.
Little Bo: Oh go on, take him in!
Angela: Anh-anh. I ain't gonna get bawled out... unless you give me five dollars.
Little Bo: C'mon, you can turn him loose once he's inside the door.
Angela: Five dollars is my price.
Little Bo: [pulls David away to talk in privacy] Five dollars is this chick's top dollar. For that you get two joints of marijuana, her body AND two bits change.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Version of Run Baby Run (1998) (V)

It's a TRUE story

I find it hilarious how other people are commenting that the film is unrealistic. Try reading the book, guys! This film is based on a true story, and although minor parts have been changed, the story about David and Nicky is true.

Also, another IMDb user wrote in their comment that David refuses to take a severely stabbed Nicky to hospital unless he accept Christ. Maybe this person hasn't seen the film, or their hate of Christianity was deluding them, but this does not happen in the film.

This film's a picture of what a messed up life on drugs is truly like, and the solution is Christ. Take it or leave it, but bagging a film just because it's Christian is just immature.