Posted: Sat., Dec. 31, 1955, 11:00pm PT

Crime in the Streets

By Variety Staff

Lindbrook/Allied Artists. Director Don Siegel; Producer Vincent M. Fennelly; Screenplay Reginald Rose; Camera Sam Leavitt; Editor Richard C. Meyer; Music Franz Waxman;; Art Director Serge Krizman

James Whitmore John Cassavetes Sal Mineo Mark Rydell Virginia Gregg Peter Votrian

Crime in the Streets, in its jump from a TV origin, sets out to be a gutsy melodrama about slum area delinquents and, within the framework of Reginald Rose's highly contrived story, succeeds in making its shock points under Don Siegel's pat directorial handling.

Plot poses the pitch that the young bums shown here need love and understanding to offset their squalid surroundings. However, as characterized by story and acting, it's likely they would be just as unpleasant and unwholesome in any setting.

John Cassavetes is the bitter, unlovable young tough who leads the street rat pack. When an adult (Malcolm Atterbury) slaps the young bum across the mouth for getting too uppity, the juve hood plots murder. Only two of the gang (Sal Mineo and Mark Rydell, latter repeating from TV) go along with the scheme to kill Atterbury.

James Whitmore heads the cast as a settlement worker who does little more than observe and offer unheeded counsel.

(B&W) Extract of a review from 1956. Running time: 91 MIN.