The Outsiders (1983)

Nothing to do with Band of Outsiders, except that both feature young criminals. I chose to see this one mainly because Francis Ford Coppola directed, but its claim to semi-fame is the casting of a bunch of guys who became household names only later: Matt Dillon, Ralph Macchio, Patrick Swayze, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez, even pre-Risky Business Tom Cruise. (Among the ladies, I'm afraid Diane Lane's about it.) There's also an early acting role for Tom Waits.

Based on an S.E. Hinton book set in mid-'60s Oklahoma, it focuses on the creatively real-named Ponyboy (C. Thomas Howell) and Johnny (Macchio, one of the oldest but seeming youngest), members of a gang not so creatively named the Greasers. After an especially harmful clash with the Socs (pronounced "Soashes" because they're socialites), they take the advice of more experienced Dallas (Dillon) and leave town for a while. This seems to have a salubrious effect on their souls, as they discover classic literature and their capacity for heroism, but it doesn't mean the worst has come and gone for them or the people they care about.

This being Coppola, you know going in that these Greasers are going to show more grit than in Grease or Happy Days. Fortunately, they retain just enough innocence that we can feel sorry for them, especially near the end. Even the biggest jerks in either gang aren't all bad. Nor is there a whole lot of on-screen violence, tho I understand that Howell really did get knocked cold. (Coppola was so big on authenticity that he gave the Soc actors more luxurious arrangements and asked Dillon, unsuccessfully, to spend a night in jail.)

The version I saw runs a mere 91 minutes and feels no longer. Fans of the novel -- some of whom had lobbied for Coppola to adapt it -- miss a lot of key moments. I read that he later threw in deleted scenes because his granddaughter's class would see it after reading, but they had been deleted for good reasons. Guess if you want the whole story, you'd best stick to print.

For all the skill that went into the film, it doesn't feel very important to watch. Maybe I had expected more originality or quotability. Hinton did write the story in her teens, so a certain level of simplicity makes sense, but she was twice as old now and overseeing much of the production.

It's an OK way to spend time, but I don't think I'll bother with the companion piece, Rumble Fish (same film year, author, and director and several of the same actors). In retrospect, I probably should have started there, seeing as it is slightly more popular on IMDb and significantly more on Rotten Tomatoes.