Crime in the Streets **** (1956, John Cassavetes, Sal Mineo, James Whitmore, Mark Rydell) – Classic Movie Review 5,251

Don Siegel delivers a fine, cultish movie with the 1956 film noir crime drama Crime in the Streets, encouraging good gritty acting from John Cassavetes, Sal Mineo and Mark Rydell.

John Cassavetes (aged 26 but playing 18) stars as Frankie Dane, a teenage crime boss who comes back from the edge of committing a vengeance murder of a neighbour because of the intervention of social worker Ben Wagner (James Whitmore) and the devoted love of his little brother, Richie (Peter J Votrian).

Delivering a fine, cultish little 1956 film noir crime drama movie on the then hot topic of juvenile delinquency, Don Siegel directs tautly and imaginatively. Always great with actors, Siegel also encourages good gritty acting from the young star, as well as Sal Mineo and Mark Rydell (who later became a film director, along with Cassavetes) as Angelo ‘Baby’ Gioia and Lou Macklin, his cohorts in crime.

It also stars Virginia Gregg as Mrs Dane, Will Kuluva and Malcolm Atterbury as McAllister.

The screenplay is adapted by Reginald Rose from his classic Fifties TV script for a 1955 episode of The Elgin Hour directed by Sidney Lumet. It keeps most of the TV cast but some scenes are expanded.

Also in the cast are Denise Alexander, Dan Terranova, Peter Miller and Steve Rowland as Glasses.

The advert line Rebels With Cause? reminds us that Mineo was in Rebel Without a Cause.

Sam Peckinpah is credited as dialogue coach.

It was low budget ($280,000) and popular, taking $1.2 million in the US and $300,000 overseas.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 5,251

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com

John Cassavetes (1929–1989).

Sal Mineo (1939–1976).