The Outsiders (1983)
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In 1965 Tulsa, two rival gangs, the affluent Socs and the poorer Greasers, clash in a story of youth, identity, and survival.
The story
In 1965 Tulsa, Oklahoma, Darry Curtis is left to raise his younger brothers, Sodapop and Ponyboy, after the deaths of their parents. The local youth culture is divided between the affluent Socs and the poorer Greasers. After Ponyboy is jumped by the Socs, he is rescued by his brothers and their friends. The tension between the two groups escalates when Ponyboy and his friend Johnny are confronted by the Socs after a night at a drive-in theater. The film explores the lives of these young men as they navigate the dangers of their environment and the complexities of their relationships.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1965 Tulsa, Oklahoma, Darry Curtis raises his brothers, Sodapop and Ponyboy, following their parents' death. The city's youth is split between the wealthy Socs and the lower-class Greasers. After Ponyboy is jumped by Socs, he is rescued by his brothers and friends. Tensions peak when Ponyboy and his friend Johnny are confronted by the Socs at a drive-in. Following a violent encounter, Johnny and Ponyboy flee to an abandoned church, where they are eventually joined by Dallas. After a violent confrontation in a park leads to the death of a Soc, the pair becomes fugitives. They eventually hide in a burning church, where they are hailed as heroes but suffer injuries. While Ponyboy recovers, the rivalry between the gangs culminates in a 'rumble.' Following the Greasers' victory, Dallas is killed in a police chase, and Johnny dies in the hospital. Ponyboy eventually finds inspiration in a letter from Johnny to write a final essay about their experiences.
- First release year
- 1983
- Runtime (minutes)
- 91
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Francis Ford Coppola
- Writers
- Kathleen Knutsen Rowell · screenplay
- Genres
- coming-of-age; crime drama
- Themes
- youth; social class; friendship; identity
- Tone and mood
- serious; nostalgic
- Setting
- Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1965
- Premise and plot tags
- coming-of-age; crime; gangs; drama
- Source material / true-story basis
- novel by S. E. Hinton
- Franchise connections
- The Outsiders
- Content notes
- violence; drinking; smoking
- Reception
- The film received mostly positive reviews from critics, particularly for its performances, and has earned a cult following.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 71% · review count: 52; Metacritic · score: 45 · scale: 100 · review count: 18
- Awards and nominations
- Young Artist Award · Best Young Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture · nomination; Young Artist Award · Best Family Feature Motion Picture · nomination; Golden Prize · 13th Moscow International Film Festival · nomination
- Production trivia
- The film was originally 133 minutes long but was cut to 91 minutes for the theatrical release.; The film was shot on location in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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