The Boys (1962 British film)

The Boys

Company type	Film
Industry	Film industry
Founded	1962
Founder	Sidney J. Furie (director and producer)
Products	Courtroom drama film

The Boys is a 1962 British courtroom drama directed and produced by Sidney J. Furie, featuring performances by Richard Todd, Robert Morley, and Felix Aylmer. The screenplay was crafted by Stuart Douglass.

Plot

On 15 January, four young Teddy boys stand trial accused of murdering a garage night watchman during a burglary.

The narrative unfolds through conflicting testimonies from witnesses and the defendants during a suspenseful night in London. Flashbacks delve into the teenagers' unstable and often isolated backgrounds, contrasting sharply with the courtroom's strict legal environment as the facts emerge.

The film’s opening segment offers snapshots from various witnesses who encountered the boys that evening, helping to build their character portrayals. A central theme highlights adults’ biases against the youths based on their looks rather than evidence. While the boys confess to acts of hooliganism, they refute involvement in the murder.

Further exploration reveals their domestic circumstances: Stan’s ailing mother and housing difficulties; Stan’s peculiar practice of cleaning his fingernails with a flick-knife identical to the weapon used in the crime; Barney is portrayed as the most upstanding; Ginger works on construction, earns more but remains reserved. The storyline frequently revolves around the Three Aces pub located opposite the crime scene.

The prosecution points out an inconsistency: Stan claimed to have purchased cigarettes for his mother despite lacking bus fare to return home. Ultimately, it is revealed that Stan led the burglary alongside Billy and Barney, while Ginger was uninformed of the plan.

Ginger is found not guilty; Billy and Barney, both under eighteen, receive indefinite detention ("at Her Majesty's pleasure"); Stan, who is eighteen, is condemned to death.

Cast

• Richard Todd as Victor Webster, prosecuting counsel
• Robert Morley as Montgomery, defence counsel
• Dudley Sutton as Stan Coulter
• Ronald Lacey as William (Billy) Herne
• Tony Garnett as Jim (Ginger) Thompson
• Jess Conrad as Barney Lee
• Felix Aylmer as The Judge
• Wilfrid Brambell as Robert Brewer (credited as Wilfred Bramble)
• Roy Kinnear as Mark Samuel (bus conductor)
• Allan Cuthbertson as Randolph St John (credited as Alan Cuthbertson)
• Colin Gordon as Gordon Lonsdale
• Wensley Pithey as Mr Coulter (credited as Wensley Athey)
• Kenneth J. Warren as George Tanner
• Patrick Magee as Mr Lee
• David Lodge as Mr Herne
• Mavis Villiers as Celia Barker
• Betty Marsden as Mrs Herne
• Laurence Hardy as Patmore
• Charles Morgan as Samuel Wallace
• Carol White as Evelyn May
• Patrick Newell as Crowhurst
• Rita Webb as Mrs Lee
• Tom Chatto as Morris
• Harold Scott as Caldwell
• George Moon as Mr Champneys
• Hilda Fenemore as Mrs Thompson (credited as Hilda Fennemore)
• Lloyd Lamble as Inspector Larner

Uncredited

• Olga Dickie as Mrs Coulter
• Ian Fleming as Court official
• Kevin Stoney as Police Inspector questioned at the trial
• Brian Weske as club announcer
• Ian Wilson

Soundtrack

The Shadows composed four tracks for this film, which were released in 1962 on a 7" EP titled The Boys under the Columbia label (SEG 8193).

Box office

According to Kinematograph Weekly, the movie was considered a financial success at the UK box office in 1962.

Critical reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin highlighted Furie's strong directorial approach but criticized the screenplay for its repetitiveness and excessive detail in the courtroom sequences. The choices of Richard Todd and Robert Morley for key roles were viewed as inappropriate, which undermined the film’s credibility. Despite these issues, the publication deemed the film to be above average in its depiction of youth facing societal condemnation.

The BBC characterized the film as an "innovative kitchen-sink drama that explores the emergence of teenage gang culture."

While TV Guide commended the acting performances, it found that the intricate flashback narrative complicated the storyline.

AllMovie noted that Furie's expert handling of flashbacks during witness testimonies enhanced the film’s impact.

In contrast, The Radio Times Guide to Films awarded it 2 out of 5 stars, describing it as an outdated courtroom drama that becomes condescending and predictable, despite a capable cast led by Richard Todd.

Legacy

On 17 September 2017, commemorating the film’s 55th anniversary, surviving cast members Conrad, Garnett, and Sutton gathered for a screening at Elstree Studios—the location where the courtroom scenes were originally shot. The event featured a Q&A session and marked their first reunion since filming.