Review of The Wanderers (1973) by Jeff H — 13 May 2008

Set in 1963 New York, a coming of age story set around a High School Italian gang known as â??The Wanderers.â?? Based on the novel by Richard Price and directed by Phillip Kaufman.

Watching this movie I couldnâ??t help but wonder how much in royalties Dion made off of the filmâ??s reoccurring use of his hit song, â??The Wandererâ?? and the difficulties that would have incurred had the filmmakers not been able to secure the rights to it (Like when Dustin Diamond tried to save his house by selling those â??I Paid $10 to Save Screechâ??s Houseâ?? t-shirts, only he didnâ??t own the rights to the characterâ??s name so he had to settle with â??I Paid $10 to Save Screeechâ??s House.â?? Hmm, somehow â??The Wandererersâ?? just doesnâ??t have quite the same ring to it) Itâ??s an unbalanced blend of humor and hard-hitting drama (at times unwelcome) but for the most part it works (Though just once I would like to see a 60s movie/ sequence that didnâ??t rely so heavily on its soundtrack. I mean, itâ??s fun, but do we really need to hear Dion and The Four Seasons every ten minutes to be reminded that itâ??s 1963? I would think the overabundance of plaid skirts, bob haircuts and Kennedy references would be a dead giveaway â?? no pun intended). Itâ??s essentially an ensemble piece that features some fine performances, but in my mind this movie belonged to one man and one man only: the seemingly abusive father with a heart of gold, Emilio. Hereâ??s my own short version of the movieâ?¦â?¦.

Cue the Rocky Theme Music:

â??THE WANDERERERSâ??

MONTAGE (1963):

-- INT. NY APARTMENT â?? DAY.

Emilio degrades his son.

-- INT. NY APARTMENT - LATER THAT DAY.

Emilio pumps iron.

-- INT. NY APARTMENT â?? DAY.

Emilio cheats on his wife.

-- INT. NY APARTMENT â?? LATER THAT DAY.

Emilio pumps iron.

-- INT. NY APARTMENT â?? DAY.

Emilio degrades his son.

-- INT. NY APARTMENT â?? LATER THAT DAY.

Emilio pumps iron.

END MONTAGE.

CUT TO:

EXT. FOOTBALL FIELD â?? DAY.

EMILIO KICKS ASS!!!

After LEVELING the rival football team, Emilio hoists his son onto his shoulders. You donâ??t need to be a Grimm Brother to comprehend this moral, folks: â??Itâ??s not the size of your biceps that counts; itâ??s the size of your heart.â?? They walk off into the sunset together. A family.

As CREDITS ROLL, we HEAR the singing of BILLY JOEL:

â??Iâ??m a wanderererâ?¦â??

â??Yeah Iâ??m a wanderererâ?¦â??

â??I wandererer around and around and around and aroundâ?¦â??

The END.

I see Christopher Plummer as the dad and Samuel L. Jackson as the son.