The Outsiders (1983)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Francis Ford Coppola

Writers:

S.E. Hinton (novel)
Kathleen Rowell (writer)

Release Date:

25 March 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Tagline:

They grew up on the outside of society. They weren't looking for a fight. They were looking to belong.

Plot:

When two poor greasers, Johnny, and Ponyboy are assaulted by a vicious gang, the socs, and Johnny kills one of the attackers, tension begins to mount between the two rival gangs, setting off a turbulent chain of events.

Plot Keywords:

Compassion | Cartoon On Television | Coming Of Age | Face Slap | Atmospheric

Awards:

1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

Matt Dillon	...	Dallas 'Dally' Winston
Ralph Macchio	...	Johnny Cade
C. Thomas Howell	...	Ponyboy Curtis
Patrick Swayze	...	Darrel 'Darry' Curtis
Rob Lowe	...	Sodapop Curtis
Emilio Estevez	...	Keith 'Two-Bit' Mathews
Tom Cruise	...	Steve Randle
Glenn Withrow	...	Tim Shepard
Diane Lane	...	Sherri 'Cherry' Valance
Leif Garrett	...	Bob Sheldon
Darren Dalton	...	Randy Anderson
Michelle Meyrink	...	Marcia
Gailard Sartain	...	Jerry Wood
Tom Waits	...	Buck Merrill
William Smith	...	Store Clerk

Also Known As:

The Outsiders - The Complete Novel (USA) (director's cut)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for violence, teen drinking and smoking, and some sexual reference. (edited version)

Runtime:

91 min | 114 min (2005 edition)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16 | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Iceland:16 | Canada:18A | South Korea:15 | USA:PG | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:PG-13 (edited version) | West Germany:12 | Norway:16

Filming Locations:

Owasso, Oklahoma, USA

Company:

Pony Boy

Trivia:

Helen Slater auditioned for a part in the film.

Goofs:

Continuity: Johnny's newspaper photo has him with short hair, but he didn't have his hair cut until just before the fire- from which he got severe burns. In his photo he is fresh faced.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Ponyboy: [voicecover] When I stepped out into the bright sunlight, from the darkness of the movie house, I had only two things on my mind: Paul Newman, and a ride home.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Far Out Man (1990)

Soundtrack:

Loveless Motel

Teen tensions mount on both sides of the tracks

"The Outsiders" was one of my favorite novels I read in high school, and the film version is just as powerful. -- Set in a small town in 1963 Oklahoma, two groups of teenagers from opposite sides of the tracks defend their "turf" and rival for girls. The "Greasers" are tired of being shown-up by the "Soashes", who drive around in fancy cars and wear expensive clothes, and when someone calls for a "rumble", both sides are in for the fight.

The main plot line centers around two of the younger "Greasers" who are on the run after one of them kills a "Soash", even though it was clearly self defense. Later the boys are celebrated as heroes when they rescue children from a burning building. The dying words of the alleged killer sum up the entire story: The fighting must stop; there are better ways to communicate other than kill one another. The Stevie Wonder song "Stay Gold" is a nice finishing touch. I especially recommend this film for teenagers or young adults; the message is a powerful one and it hasn't aged over the decades.