City life in New York City in the early 60's has rival teen gangs fighting turf battles. The gangs are made up along racial and ethnic lines with the Italian Wanders, the psychotic misfit Fordham Baldies, the black Del-Bombers, the Irish Ducky Boys, and the Asian Wongs. When the gang members are not fighting against one another they are cruising for girls. Joey (Friedrich), Richie (Wahl), Buddy (Youngs), and Perry (Ganois) are friends trying to survive the dog-eat-dog world of the Bronx and graduate from high school. Former Wanderer Turkey (Rosenberg) changes alliances and becomes a Baldie. Richie and Joey each experience dysfunctional family lives and because of it they bond as friends.
Click here to see the rest of this review...
A Tully High School teacher with good intentions tries to get the young men in his class to act in a more benevolent way toward their fellow classmates, but it only makes the racial issues worse. As the anger builds Richie and Clinton (Wright) plan to have their gangs meet for a rumble. Instead the Wanderers are coerced by local Italian businessmen into a game of football against the Del-Bombers with money riding on the outcome. Joey and Richie meet Nina (Allen) and get into trouble when they follow her home by venturing onto rival turf.
When Richie's girlfriend Despie (Kalem) throws a party Joey brings Nina. Richie, Joey, Despie, and Nina play strip poker. Later when Richie ditches his girlfriend for Nina, the two lovers are caught fooling around in a car by Joey and Despie. Friendships are broken and Nina drives off. On the day of the assassination of President Kennedy, Richie informed by Despie that she is pregnant agrees to get married. When the big football game is played Richie is forgiven by the Wanderers and joins the contest. The two gangs are jumped by the Ducky Boys but prevail with some assistance from the Wongs. Joey and his dad come to blows. The boys must make some serious decisions about their future lives at Richie's bachelor party.
The review of this Movie prepared by David Fletcher
