This movie anticipated the man-who-takes-the -law-in -his-hands subject which became very common in the seventies and eighties ;a bloated Alan Ladd -who is no longer physically the "Shane " lawman -,who was beaten up by a gang after hours -finds the cop's work ( Rod Steiger gives an amazing performance restraint in his gestures and words ) not effective and not quick enough .
The gang is particularly interesting :first appearance may make think of boys coming from the wrong side of town-even the car may have been stolen- ,rebels against the establishment (represented by a scientist : the beginning of the movie has something incongruous )and their rules;actually ,with the possible exception of the boy who works in a drugstore , they are rich kids ,born silver spoon in hand ,with parents who provide them with protection (see the scene by the pool ,when Chuck tells his mom he always lies to the police and she thoughtlessly approves of his behavior .
Chuck-a good performance by M. Callan- is actually the most fascinating character : perhaps inspired by Richard Fleischer's Artie Strauss (played by Bradford Dillman in his masterful "compulsion" ,based on real facts) ,he's the evil genius of the gang which he dominates ;like both heroes of "compulsion" ,he belongs to the high society .
The screenplay is too dense and too eventful in its last part ; but its inexorable escalation of violence makes sense , and it does not pass over in silence that an honest citizen can turn into a criminal too.
The gang is particularly interesting :first appearance may make think of boys coming from the wrong side of town-even the car may have been stolen- ,rebels against the establishment (represented by a scientist : the beginning of the movie has something incongruous )and their rules;actually ,with the possible exception of the boy who works in a drugstore , they are rich kids ,born silver spoon in hand ,with parents who provide them with protection (see the scene by the pool ,when Chuck tells his mom he always lies to the police and she thoughtlessly approves of his behavior .
Chuck-a good performance by M. Callan- is actually the most fascinating character : perhaps inspired by Richard Fleischer's Artie Strauss (played by Bradford Dillman in his masterful "compulsion" ,based on real facts) ,he's the evil genius of the gang which he dominates ;like both heroes of "compulsion" ,he belongs to the high society .
The screenplay is too dense and too eventful in its last part ; but its inexorable escalation of violence makes sense , and it does not pass over in silence that an honest citizen can turn into a criminal too.