IMDb > The Wanderers (1979)
The Wanderers
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The Wanderers (1979) More at IMDbPro »

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The Wanderers (1979) -- Set against the urban jungle of 1963 New York's gangland subculture, this coming of age teenage movie is set around the Italian gang the Wanderers...

Overview

User Rating:
7.3/10   3,169 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 13% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Philip Kaufman
Writers:
Richard Price (novel)
Rose Kaufman (screenplay) ...
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Contact:
View company contact information for The Wanderers on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
4 July 1979 (USA) more
Genre:
Drama | Action more
Tagline:
It's 1963. Meet The Wanderers... They were the hottest guys in town. more
Plot:
Set against the urban jungle of 1963 New York's gangland subculture, this coming of age teenage movie is set around the Italian gang the Wanderers... more | full synopsis
NewsDesk:
Toronto’s got The (Edgar) Wright Stuff
 (From Fangoria. 24 February 2009, 2:26 PM, PST)

User Comments:
Screenplay Notes - Part 1 more (47 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
Ken Wahl ... Richie
John Friedrich ... Joey

Karen Allen ... Nina
Toni Kalem ... Despie Galasso
Alan Rosenberg ... Turkey
Jim Youngs ... Buddy
Tony Ganios ... Perry
Linda Manz ... Peewee

William Andrews ... Emilio
Erland van Lidth ... Terror (as Erland Van Lidth De Jeude)

Val Avery ... Mr. Sharp
Dolph Sweet ... Chubby Galasso

Michael Wright ... Clinton
Burtt Harris ... Marine Recruiter
Samm-Art Williams ... Roger
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Additional Details

Runtime:
117 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.66 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Stereo

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The "elbow-tit" scene, where Ken Wahl first meets Karen Allen, was shot on Lydig Avenue, one block south of Pelham Parkway, outside of the actual Wanderers' turf, which ranged from Allerton to Burke Avenues. more
Goofs:
Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): In a classroom scene, Mr. Sharp writes on the blackboard "all men are created equal." He asks the class "who wrote that?" The class jokes "you did." Then Sharp says it was 'A. Lincoln'. It was written by Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence. more
Quotes:
Peppy Dio: You guys are gonna win big tonight!
Joey: [about the bowling hustlers] What, are you kidding, Peppy Dio? These guys is good enough to be pros.
Peppy Dio: Now you're thinkin'. They is pros. Chubby checked up on them. They go around to the different lanes. Hustle the house bowlers. They hustle the hustlers. They are greedy boys.
Joey: Hey, what's Chubby gonna do?
Peppy Dio: Chubby got a way of creating miracles.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Old School (2003) more
Soundtrack:
I Love You more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
4 out of 4 people found the following comment useful.
Screenplay Notes - Part 1, 23 October 1998
8/10
Author: Larry B. from Chappaqua, NY

Interestingly enough, most of the gangs portrayed in the film were neither symbolic nor imaginary, but were based on various real gangs who existed at different periods throughout the fifties and early sixties.

Many of these gangs were not real gangs in the common theatrical sense, but were specific ethnic groups of teens from different Bronx and Manhattan neighborhoods. Of course, each group developed its own mythical idea of what the other groups were like, and in his novel, Richard Price used much of this teenage myth and lore.

Of all the well-embellished epics common to the teens in the Wanderers' neighborhood , those dealing with the Duckies were the most detailed and commonly accepted. The Duckies, whether or not they were truly an organized group with such a name, were "the guys across the tracks", insofar as The Wanderers were concerned (the tracks being the NY Central's Harlem Line). They lived in the predominantly Irish neighborhood directly across Bronx Park. I believe their frightening, near demonic quality in the movie was based on a single actual event when two of the Wanderers were actually attacked in the park. Since The Wanderers had never really engaged in any real "gang wars" (or any significant fighting for that matter), that particular episode was the source of most of their perceptions of the Duckie Boys' penchant for unbridled violence.

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Favourite Line? tonyjdriver
Warriors vs. Wanderers NaveedPony
Who's your favourite guy in the movie? grobertson2
Horrible Acting EddieTeach26
Richie + Despi...Did They Make It? jomalley-1
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