Review of The Outsiders (1983) by Lyndall M — 03 Oct 2009

Stay gold, Ponyboy. Stay gold.

I should really read the book, it's on my list of "books to read". Because I think I might understand the whole concept better then.

Ponyboy and Johnny are two greasers with friends and enemies. Johnny and Ponyboy gets attacked by a gang of Socs and Johnny kills one of them, to save Ponyboy from beeing drowned. And this sets off a series of events.

Francis Ford Coppola is a genius, we all know that. And his skill with the camera is not lost in this one either. A 80's movie with young stars like Matt Dillon, Rob Lowe and Patrick Swayze.

Pretty good preformances by all of them. Especially Matt Dillon as Dallas, C. Thomas Howell as Ponyboys and Ralph Macchio as Johnny.

It's about the unique friendship that Ponyboy and Johnny shares. The relatioship between Ponyboy and his brothers; Sodapop and Barry, after and before his parents deaths.

Basically it's about alot of different relationships between very interesting and unique characters. It's about the 50's, about Greasers and in this case Socs. Gangs and the fights between them.

But most of all it's about growing up, how fast some kids has to grow up. About staying a kid as long as you can, staying "Golden" so to speak.

It's an interesting story, which is why I want to read the book, because even with Ford Coppolas brilliance, it can be so much more. One of the scenes in the movie, features Ponyboy and Johnny watching the sunset. And Ponyboy describes it with a quote by Robert Frost. That alone shows some of the deep moments in the film. The scene itself is beautifully painted and filmed.

Nature's first green is gold, / Her hardest hue to hold. / Her early leaf's a flower, / But only so an hour. / Then leaf subsides to leaf, / So Eden sank to grief. / So dawn goes down to day, / Nothing gold can stay.

-Ponyboy Curtis-.