13 WEST STREET

US, 1962, 80 minutes, Black and white.
Alan Ladd, Rod Steiger, Michael Callan, Dolores Dorn, Margaret Hayes.
Directed by Philip Leacock.

13 West Street is a film about delinquency on the streets – indications of the violence that was to develop during the latter part of the 20th century.

The film is a star vehicle for Alan Ladd who had celebrated the heyday of his career in the mid-40s to the mid-50s. He is supported by Rod Steiger who had emerged in On the Waterfront and was building up a strong career which would culminate in an Oscar for his performance in In the Heat of the Night in 1967.

The film is directed by Philip Leacock, the British director who made The Kidnappers and moved to the United States. This was one of his earliest feature films but he achieved most in making a broad range of films for television in the United States.

Alan Ladd portrays a victim of violence in the streets. Steiger is the patient policeman who keeps steadily at his work. Michael Callan leads a young cast as a high school wealthy potential thug.

1. An interesting thriller? Its relevance in its time, now? Social themes?

2. Production quality, small budget, black and white location photography, the stars?

3. The tone and impact of the introduction: the background of space exploration, rockets? Audiences identifying with the professional world? The highlighting of Walt Sherill as a professional man and the implications for his subsequent behaviour?

4. Alan Ladd's style an Walt Sherill? His work, professionalism, intelligence? An everyman figure? His becoming a victim and the impact of this brutalisation on his life and attitudes? His becoming vengeful, rationalising his anger? The tooting of his patience to its limits? His changing and the growing obsession? His being unable to be persuaded by his wife or by Koleski?

5. The physical impact of the bashing? Its effect on his outlook, his reaction to later throats? His going to the same kind of violence in his own way?

6. How credible was the picture of Chuck? High school wealthy? His hold over his friends, his understanding the various personalities in his group? Seeing him at school, his wealthy home? His relationship to his mother? His callous feelings, lies? The importance of the investigator and the impact of his death? Billy? His threatening of Tracey? The various fears that he inculcated in people? His own fear of drowning? A credible thug? Considering what he did and why he did it?

7. The portrait of the other members of the group, their reaction to the various interviews with the police, their fears and the influence of Chuck, Billy and the interview in the shop. hanging himself?

8. The presentation of the police in Koleski? As a person, his skill and patience at his work, his expertise in his job? His reactions against Walt Sherill? The presentation of police work and the harassment of the criminals as well as of the victims? His working better with Tracey?

9. The portrait of police work with juveniles and their various methods?

10. The portrait of Tracey as the loving wife, her reaction towards violence, her reliance on Kolski's advice? The link with the high school? Being the recipient of threats? Her reaction to the gun? Deceiving Walt for the better?

11. The growing suspense and drama with the increased violence and deaths? Who was responsible? The important impact of Walt chasing the girl who was terrified of him? The role of the gun in American society?

12. The film an a moralizing fable about society, behaviour, the potential for violence?