Review of The Young Savages (1961) by Daniel D — 23 Apr 2013

Frankenhiemers' early film, The Young Savages, is a film I found underrated. The film opens with a gang, that look like they're straight out of West Side Story, attacking a young blind boy. A conservative prosecutor is assigned to the case, who has a closer connection than what meets the eye.

What I found fascinating about this film, which was released in 1961, is how out dated it was. How is this a good thing? The film brought me back into the world of the 1960s, the traditionalism, the things that would be brushed off now were scandals in this town.

I'm not a golden age person, but I did feel that I went into a time machine. The film doesn't only focus on the case, but the racial tensions surrounding it. Burt Lancaster stars in this film, and had a solid performances.

The savages depicted weren't great actors, but they passed. The film did have scenes that I felt were dispensable , like the train and elevator scenes, which don't contribute to the story. I was hooked on the story line though, and despite the cheesiness, I was paying full attention to the faith of the boys.