Based on Irving Shulman's hot 1940s novel The Amboy Dukes, this was the picture for teenagers to see in 1949. It all takes place in the shade of the Brooklyn Bridge and purports to show how crowded tenement life leads to crime. The Amboy Dukes (so named after Amboy Street) are the tough
guys in the area and Fernandez, one of their members, goes too far when he and a pal rough up their shop teacher. The result is the teacher's death and Fernandez becomes a fugitive. The remainder of the film shows the boys hiding out, their ultimate hatred of each other, and a battle between
Fernandez and Ramsen on a rooftop. There are several sidebar stories involving the kids and some excellent first-times-out for a few of the young actors. The gang leader is played perfectly by Tony Curtis and especially memorable is Shelley as a somewhat retarded knifer. Much of WEST SIDE STORY
comes from the same roots and there are similarities in several of the characters. Benedict (Steens) went on to become a very successful TV director; Shelley is now teaching acting; Jaeckel still works often as an actor; Turkel is also often seen and often featured by Stanley Kubrick (THE SHINING,
PATHS OF GLORY).
