Review of Violent Playground (1958) by Stephen C — 10 May 2015
Basil Dearden and Michael Relph were a director and producer partnership who decided to take on more riskier subjects towards the end of the 50s and the start of the 60s .
They tackled the issues of race, closeted homosexuality and with this film the issues of teen rebellion.
Of course the film being made in 1958 does mean that the message does feel a bit grey around the edges ,but despite that and the decision to film on location in Liverpool the film is an excellent snapshot of the nations view on the subjects of youth.
Stanley Baker plays a top cop who is assigned to deal local youths which he feels is a step down.
During the course of the film he runs in to the Murphy family who have there own problems with teen tearaway Johnny who may or may not be responsible for a cluster of fires across the city.
What follows is a touch creaky in places but thanks to Bakers performance and David McCallum as the teen rebel who ends up in a siege situation Dearden manages to make a strong social comment while giving us a tense and exciting thriller.
This review of Violent Playground (1958) was written by Stephen C on 10 May 2015.
Violent Playground has generally received positive reviews.
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