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ACTOR
Paul NewmanBarbara RushAlexis SmithBrian Keith
DIRECTOR
Vincent Sherman
SYNOPSICS
The Young Philadelphians (1959) is a English movie. Vincent Sherman has directed this movie. Paul Newman,Barbara Rush,Alexis Smith,Brian Keith are the starring of this movie. It was released in 1959. The Young Philadelphians (1959) is considered one of the best Drama movie in India and around the world.
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The Young Philadelphians (1959) Reviews
Last Warner 'Contract' Role a Winner for Newman...
By 1959, Paul Newman's career was moving into high gear, with CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF, THE LONG, HOT SUMMER, and SOMEBODY UP THERE LIKES ME all critical and commercial successes. Even his harshest critics grudgingly admitted he was far more than just a "Brando look-alike" (as he had been labeled in his first films), but his contract to Warner Bros. forced him to also appear in potboilers (THE HELEN MORGAN STORY), and misguided comedies (RALLY 'ROUND THE FLAG, BOYS!), and Newman was chafing at the bit to be able to pick and choose his own projects. Vincent Sherman's THE YOUNG PHILADELPHIANS, the last film under Newman's WB contract, proved to be one of the best, and he showed the dazzling sexuality and near-arrogant confidence that would mark many of his films of the next decade. As Anthony Judson Lawrence, illegitimate son of Brian Keith (performed with a brogue and a wink, as Keith was, actually, less than 4 years older than Newman), and social climbing mother Diane Brewster, he carried the name of an 'upper crust' father (Adam West, as wooden as he would be in "Batman"), whose homosexuality had been carefully hidden and whose inability to 'perform' and suicidal death on his wedding night would result in a 'deal' between mother and in-laws; the boy could keep the name, but would not have access to the family fortune. Flashing ahead a few years, Lawrence is a strapping, 'blue collar' kind of guy, much to the chagrin of his mother, who hopes that his name will gain him inroads into Philadelphia 'society'. Working construction with his (yet unknown to him) birth father, between semesters at law school, he meets pretty socialite Joan Dickinson (Barbara Rush), who quickly falls for his sweaty, sexy charm. Lawrence's best friend, to his mother's relief, is alcoholic fellow student 'Chet' Gwynn (Robert Vaughn, in an Oscar-nominated role), heir of another elite family, who sees in Lawrence a personal courage he lacks. Vaughn's performance is a film highlight, quite similar to Lew Ayres' role in HOLIDAY, twenty years earlier, through the early part of the film. Young Lawrence is fighting his mother's battle for acceptance, and, in the first of several 'upwardly mobile' decisions, he postpones a quick marriage to Joan, in return for help in his law career. While he is convinced the delay would help the two of them, it costs him her love. Bitterly, he decides to 'play the game', using whatever means necessary to get ahead. With a brief interruption by the Korean War, his career flourishes, aided by a willingness to use 'inside' information to obtain a choice clerking appointment, while toying with a near-affair with the 'younger' wife of the aged lawyer he is studying with (Alexis Smith, gloriously beautiful at 38). When he achieves a spot in a prestigious law firm, he 'woos' a major client (Billie Burke) over to him. With unscrupulous ease, he reaches a pinnacle his mother had only dreamed of. But Lawrence's world is about to come crashing down, as Gwynn, his college friend, crippled in Korea, has been arrested for murder, and begs the lawyer to represent him. The trial promises to expose the seamy underbelly of Philadelphia society, revealing secrets that could destroy many lives, including his own. Lawrence faces a moral dilemma, whether to save his friend, or preserve the fiction of his own life... Entertaining and at times powerful, THE YOUNG PHILADELPHIANS is a fitting conclusion to the early stage of Paul Newman's career; ahead was EXODUS, and a decade of roles that would cement his position as a superstar!
Luminous drama; vastly underrated
It has commonly been said that full-fledged soap opera can never be a real work of art, but this excellent film proves to be a glorious exception to that rule. Director Vincent Sherman's luminous film adaptation of author Richard Powell's best-seller THE PHILADELPHIANS manages to tell the story of at least two generations in a single picture without ever feeling cramped, forced, or haphazard. The film's story line that begins as a romance, evolves into an underdog business story, and ends as a courtroom drama, and Sherman impressively manages to take all of these various story threads and create a completely coherent motion picture that never feels disjointed or episodic. Sherman also keeps things movie at a remarkably brisk pace the film never feels even half as long as it's 136-minute runtime. The entire cast turns in superlative work, with Newman being particular well-suited to his role as a good-natured-but-flawed lawyer (he would return to this type of role with even better results in the 1982 classic THE VERDICT). Barbara Rush, Brian Keith, Dianne Brewster, Billie Burke, and Robert Vaughn are all excellent, and Alexis Smith is particularly memorable as sexy socialite. Speaking of sex, the film retains a surprisingly sensual aura throughout, which helps to keep it from aging for modern audiences. Inexplicably forgotten by many classic film fans, THE YOUNG PHILADELPHIANS is a moving, compelling motion picture that holds up remarkably well nearly fifty years after it's original release.
Absolutely agree: Vaughn's performance a show-stopper.
Absolutely agree about the high quality of Oscar-nominee Robert Vaughn's performance. It must be his finest movie moment. And Barbara Rush does herself proud, too. Film's reality holds up even 40 years later; one of the era's more credible dramatizations.
Out-Dated, But Great Rainy Night Entertainment
The Young Philadelpians which was made in 1959 is tame by today's standards; out-dated for sure. Yet, when it was made it was not only controversial, but very daring for it's time; dealing with homosexuality, child-birth out of wed-lock, mental illness, adultery, suicide and alcohol abuse. Paul Newman was out-standing in the role of Anthony Judson Lawrence, a career driven lawyer, whose mother is hiding a deep dark secret. Newman is at his physical prime; handsome and lean. Everyone in this classic black and white soap opera was great. Just a really entertaining rainy night movie.
The magnificent temptress Alexis Smith taking the longest walk of her life after midnight...
In Warners' "The Young Philadelphians," Newman plays a young lawyer who abandons all values in search of success Directed by Vincent Sherman, who had made some of Joan Crawford's tough career-woman vehicles, this slick soap opera actually finds Newman in a Crawford role... Tony Lawrence is born into poverty, and his mother brings him up to believe that social position, good contacts and money are all that matter At first he resists, but events harden him into a cynical opportunist, and he sets out on an amoral journey to the top of his law firm He double-crosses, romances and ingratiates himself to success, but loses all his youthful idealism, and becomes unhappy with himself Finally deciding that success isn't worth, the price, he chooses integrity, risking the enmity of a prominent family by defending an alcoholic friend Tony, the ruthless opportunist, is superficially another Ben Quick ("The Long, Hot Summer"), but here the writing is superficially and Newman responds with an appropriately routine portrayal He goes through the motions well, conveying the smiling, eager innocent at the beginning, and the intense, jaded conniver later on But it's all on the surface, with no depth of feeling Tony doesn't even have the underlying devilish charm, only an attractive face And at crucial momentswhen Tony's girl marries another man and when he finds out who his real father isNewman falls back on heavy breathing, rapid blinking and feverish lip movements Barbara Rush gives her best performance as the depressed, cynical, high society daughter of one of Philadelphia's most prominent attorney Gilbert Dickson (John Williams). Robert Vaughn is excellent as the alcoholic victim, cheated and inherited... Billia Burke is delightful as the old millionairess whom Tony wins her trust by persuading her to transfer the administration of her possessions to a firm that could save her 'some' taxes... "The Young Philadelphians" is Vincent Sherman's best film of the fifties, with excellent supporting cast specially by Alexis Smith as the dissatisfied wife of an aging lawyer collaborating in unifying the arguments of the dramatic action... With 3 Academy Award Nominations for Best Supporting Actor (Vaughn), Best Cinematography and Best Costume Design, the film is gleamingly done and acted with assurance...