# I Need A Good "Teen Delinquency" Movie From The 1950's
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-good-teen-delinquency-movie-from-the-1950s/657729
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [May 7, 2013, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-good-teen-delinquency-movie-from-the-1950s/657729 "2013-05-07T18:29:19Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2013, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-good-teen-delinquency-movie-from-the-1950s/657729/1 "2013-05-07T18:29:19Z")
Forget “Rtebel Without a Cause” and “Blackboard Jungle”. What is a good classic movie that expresses the fear that 1950’s America had of their teenagers becoming criminals? Its an interesting theme, as the 1950’s was a time of great propserity for America-teens could own cars, drive, buy switchblade knives, and (gasp!) have sex?
Anyway, what are your faves of this genre?
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### Author:  [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2013, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-good-teen-delinquency-movie-from-the-1950s/657729/2 "2013-05-07T18:50:03Z")
I wish there was a YouTube clip, but \*\*The Beat Generation \*\* from 1959 with Ray Danton takes up where The Wild One leaves off and goes way, way over the top, daddyo. Like _gone_, you dig?
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### Author:  [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2013, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-good-teen-delinquency-movie-from-the-1950s/657729/3 "2013-05-07T18:58:37Z")
The Wild One slays me. Marlon Brando has his name (Johnny) embroidered on his leather jacket. This apparently inspires everyone else in the movie to say “Johnny” at least once per sentence. It’s like, “Hey Johnny! I missed you Johnny! Let’s go get a beer! Johnny. Johnny!”
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### Author:  [@lew\_cody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lew_cody)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2013, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-good-teen-delinquency-movie-from-the-1950s/657729/4 "2013-05-07T18:59:02Z")
**The Young Stranger** (1957) focuses more on one teenager than teens as a group, but it certainly fits within the 50s genre of delinquency movies.
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### Author:  [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2013, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-good-teen-delinquency-movie-from-the-1950s/657729/5 "2013-05-07T19:00:48Z")
[High School Confidential](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0051724/)
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### Author:  [@Sr\_Siete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sr_Siete)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2013, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-good-teen-delinquency-movie-from-the-1950s/657729/6 "2013-05-07T19:03:56Z")
High School Confidential, without a doubt. 1958. Evil ‘marijuana’ peddlers. The sexiest Mamie Van Doren. Jerry Lee Lewis appearing in the title credits singing “Great Balls of Fire”. Trust me, you won’t regret it.
Or rather, you probably will. But if you reeeeeally like cheese like I do, you won’t.
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### Author:  [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2013, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-good-teen-delinquency-movie-from-the-1950s/657729/7 "2013-05-07T19:17:32Z")
There were quite a few movies like [The Young Savages (1961)](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055633/) and [Town Without Pity (1961)](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055539/?ref_=sr_1) that dealt with the theme on into the early ‘60’s, not to mention a blue gillion hot-rodders and rock ‘n’ roll and surfin’ fare.
You might even push the notion enough to include the other James Dean biggie, [East of Eden (1955)](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048028/?ref_=sr_1)
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### Author:  [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2013, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-good-teen-delinquency-movie-from-the-1950s/657729/8 "2013-05-07T19:18:46Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#):
>
> The Wild One slays me. Marlon Brando has his name (Johnny) embroidered on his leather jacket. This apparently inspires everyone else in the movie to say “Johnny” at least once per sentence. It’s like, “Hey Johnny! I missed you Johnny! Let’s go get a beer! Johnny. Johnny!”
There’s also seeing Hank Kimball (your county agent) as a hoodlum.
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### Author:  [@randwill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randwill)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2013, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-good-teen-delinquency-movie-from-the-1950s/657729/9 "2013-05-07T19:43:21Z")
“Crime in the Streets” (1956), directed by Don Siegel and starring John Cassavetes, James Whitmore, Sal Mineo.
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### Author:  [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2013, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-good-teen-delinquency-movie-from-the-1950s/657729/10 "2013-05-07T19:50:22Z")
> [@Doug\_K](#):
>
> [High School Confidential](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0051724/)
Another vote for this one.
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### Author:  [@gwendee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwendee)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2013, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-good-teen-delinquency-movie-from-the-1950s/657729/11 "2013-05-07T20:34:36Z")
Consider [Teenage Rebel](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049831/)
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### Author:  [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2013, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-good-teen-delinquency-movie-from-the-1950s/657729/12 "2013-05-07T20:38:04Z")
West Side Story. Which is to say, it’s not exactly a new trope.
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### Author:  [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2013, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-good-teen-delinquency-movie-from-the-1950s/657729/13 "2013-05-07T21:35:02Z")
I saw this years ago on MST3K [The Violent Years - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Violent_Years)
It has the added bonus of being quoted in the Ministry song So What
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### Author:  [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)
#### Post date: [May 8, 2013, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-good-teen-delinquency-movie-from-the-1950s/657729/14 "2013-05-08T04:34:42Z")
> [@BurnMeUp](#):
>
> I saw this years ago on MST3K [The Violent Years - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Violent_Years)
>
> It has the added bonus of being quoted in the Ministry song So What
Full episode is available on YouTube. [TVY begins in part 4, about 1:30.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5L7hR2KlDEk&list=PLEB1EF7B31772C947)
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### Author:  [@HelenGawn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HelenGawn)
#### Post date: [May 8, 2013, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-good-teen-delinquency-movie-from-the-1950s/657729/15 "2013-05-08T13:52:56Z")
[The Incident](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061814/), featuring a young Martin Sheen in his Poor Man’s James Dean period.
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### Author:  [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)
#### Post date: [May 8, 2013, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-good-teen-delinquency-movie-from-the-1950s/657729/16 "2013-05-08T20:10:57Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#):
>
> West Side Story. Which is to say, it’s not exactly a new trope.
While the musical debuted in 1956, the movie came out in 1961, so it’s technically not a 1950’s movie.
My first thought was [Reefer Madness](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reefer_Madness), which was made in _1936_! Man oh man oh man.
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### Author:  [@PigArcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PigArcher)
#### Post date: [May 8, 2013, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-good-teen-delinquency-movie-from-the-1950s/657729/17 "2013-05-08T22:10:50Z")
[Beat Girl (1960)](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beat_Girl). It’s British, not American, but same themes. Some decent music as well.
[full movie on youtube](http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=deRgUVx6sP0)
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### Author:  [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)
#### Post date: [May 9, 2013, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-good-teen-delinquency-movie-from-the-1950s/657729/18 "2013-05-09T00:04:03Z")
There was that series of Eric Von Zipper movies, but they were from the 60s, not the 50s.
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### Author:  [@Renifer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renifer)
#### Post date: [May 9, 2013, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-good-teen-delinquency-movie-from-the-1950s/657729/19 "2013-05-09T03:03:07Z")
Steve McQueen in The Blob is a delinquent (drag races with his hooligan friends, etc)
The 1993 movie Swing Kids depicts delinquents during Nazi Germany. One of the more memorable lines: “Get a haircut.”
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### Author:  [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)
#### Post date: [May 10, 2013, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-good-teen-delinquency-movie-from-the-1950s/657729/20 "2013-05-10T10:17:54Z")
> [@Doug\_K](#):
>
> There’s also seeing Hank Kimball (your county agent) as a hoodlum.
Well, not a hoodlum. Maybe a juvenile deliquent?
Well, not a _juvenile_ delinquent. He was 33 years old…
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