Die Brut des Satans

Not only have I seen this movie but I also saw it being filmed -The location where it was shot was the Williamsburgh section of Brooklyn NY - The picture was an adaptation of popular book of the time titled "The Amboy Dukes". Amboy Street was actually located in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn. I guess the filmmakers didn't think Brownsville was seedy enough so they shot all exterior shots in Williamsburgh. Ironically my family lived in Brownsville before moving to Williamsburgh so you can see how the family fortunes were progressing. My mother had owned a candy store on Pennsylvania Ave. right across the street from Thomas Jefferson High School in Brownsville in the early 1940"s . The movie was shot around the corner from where I lived in Williamsburgh. I recall seeing some of the "gang" sitting in a small panel truck waiting for the set-up to be completed. Sitting there was Tony Curtis. I recall a crowd shot being filmed on Havemyer Street one night. The block was brightly lighted and I remember thinking that they needed an awful lot of light to film. When I actually saw the finished picture this scene was a day time sequence. What did I know. The film crew also placed a billboard on the building at the corner of South 2nd St. (where I lived) and Havemyer Street. "Happy Times Poolhall" it flashed. That billboard was still there months after filming but it reminded me of our brief connection with Hollywood every time I saw it. I sure would like to see this picture come out on DVD so I could constantly play it and see the "old neighborhood".

There was a boatload of talent in this film; but not from the leads or even supporting actors, except for the incomparable Thelma Ritter. Richard Jaekel went on to a fine career in many roles. But we find a little gem for Anthony Curtis, who is Tony Curtis, of course. He shows little of the promise of his fine later acting career. but certainly fits in Brooklyn. The film could without the corny commentary by the overblown newspaper icon. On its own merit and without voiceover, the film is good enough by itself. So stop making guns in shop, kids.

City Across the River is a 1949 film from Universal about juvenile delinquency. We are treated first to a lecture about it by newspaper columnist Drew Pearson. He appears at the beginning of the film and has a voiceover at the end.

This was Tony Curtis' first credited appearance. He played Mitch under his original billing of Anthony Curtis. He was first discovered by fans while dancing, uncredited, with Yvonne de Carlo in Criss Cross.

The story concerns a Brooklyn neighborhood gang, The Dukes. They're tough kids who take occasional jobs from goombas where they beat someone up, carry handmade guns, go to trade school and can be difficult with teachers.

On the other side is the community center, run by Stan Albert (Stephen McNally), who knows the kids and tries to get them involved in things like basketball. Frankie (Peter Fernandez) is basically a good kid who has been involved with the center, but has fallen in with the Dukes.

His hard-working parents (Thelma Ritter and Luis van Rooten) want to get out of the neighborhood. Frankie's father decides to give up his dream of a grocery store in a better area and instead use their savings to purchase a house. However, a hospital bill takes that money.

The Dukes get into big trouble with a teacher, Mr. Bannon (Robert Osterloh). He demands to see the Dukes' parents. Frankie and Benny (Al Ramsen) try later to reason with him, Benny's zip gun goes off, killing Bannon.

The cops (Jeff Corey and Al Eben) know Frankie was involved, but he won't talk.

A depressing film in a way - even though it was 70 years ago, people still work hard to attempt to better themselves, and it remains difficult. We still have bored, disenfranchised kids everywhere. Dismal.

The actors are very good. Curtis has a small part, but he makes a perfect juvenile. The rest of the gang - those mentioned, plus Joshua Shelley, Richard Jaeckel, Mickey Knox, and Joe Turkel.

The production values aren't as high as other films focusing on juveniles, but the realistic, gritty presentation is right for the subject matter. Maxwell Shane did an effective directing job. Someone commented parts of the area looked like postwar Berlin - true.

Sensitive study about the lives and loves of street gangs, their loyalties, and interactions with the police. Peter Fernandez is a bit too feckless as the protagonist, but all others are excellent in the supporting roles. Joshua Shelley and Tony Curtis are standouts. Worth watching

No matter how depressing this film appears to begin with, it's a great film and much ahead of its time. It's like a documentary probing the gang mentality of youngsters getting brought up to become good fellas and worse, and there are many aspects to the drama, one being that of the teachers, who really have a hard time and sometimes can't control their own classes. It's a social drama as well, Thelma Ritter has a poignant part as the worried mother, and Frankie's little sister has an important part also. Everything about the film is professional, and they are all convincing, from the poor people of the shabby back streets of Brooklyn to the policemen, the gangsters, and most striking of all is perhaps the character of "Crazy" whose real name is Theodore (Joshua Shelley), a fantastic clown with a penchant for cruelty. Tony Curtis has only a small minor part but is already Tony Curtis - it's like a hint at a prelude to his later great appearances. The final great dancing hall scene when things are getting really hot is a masterpiece in itself of polyphony bringing out all the true colours of the major actors including the leading gangster, fabulously contrasted against the fervent musicians and their frenzied music. Although I hesitated if I would see it through at all because of its dark depressive elements, I was finally deeply impressed - a great documentary film like all those "Naked City" films.