1979
R
Orion Pictures
1 h 52 m

1979
R
Orion Pictures
1 h 52 m

Summary Set against the urban jungle of 1963 New York's gangland subculture, this coming of age teenage movie is set around the Italian gang the Wanderers. Slight comedy, slight High School angst and every bit entertaining with its classic 1950's Rock n' Roll soundtrack such as "Walk Like a Man", "Big Girls Don't Cry" by The Four Seasons and "My...

Directed By: Philip Kaufman

Written By: Richard Price, Rose Kaufman, Philip Kaufman

1979
R
Orion Pictures
1 h 52 m

1979
R
Orion Pictures
1 h 52 m

The Wanderers

Name: The Wanderers
Genre: Crime, Drama, Romance
Released: 1979-07-04
Duration: 1 min 52 s
Rating: 64
Cast: Ken Wahl, Karen Allen, John Friedrich, Toni Kalem, Alan Rosenberg

Metascore Generally Favorable Based on 13 Critic Reviews

User Score Available after 4 ratings

tbd

My Score

Hover and click to give a rating Saved

Where to Watch

Directed By: Philip Kaufman

Written By: Richard Price, Rose Kaufman, Philip Kaufman

Where to Watch

Critic Reviews

View All

Metascore

Generally Favorable Based on 13 Critic Reviews

62% Positive
8 Reviews

38% Mixed
5 Reviews

0% Negative
0 Reviews

All Reviews
Positive Reviews
Mixed Reviews
Negative Reviews

Critic Reviews

View All

Metascore

Generally Favorable Based on 13 Critic Reviews

62% Positive
8 Reviews

38% Mixed
5 Reviews

0% Negative
0 Reviews

All Reviews
Positive Reviews
Mixed Reviews
Negative Reviews

Newsweek

Price's vision was realistic and romantic at the same time, the violence painful but also sensual, the mood charged with a sweet hopelessness. Philip Kaufman's tough but tender film emphasizes this double vision. It's like Grease with brass knuckles. [16 July 1979, p.93]

By Jack Kroll FULL REVIEW

Time Out

The film survives cuts to deliver some great, gross, comic book capers. And rock history gets its most intelligent illustration since Mean Streets.

FULL REVIEW

San Francisco Examiner

This is a giddy parody of gang pictures, West Side Story without the music and set in the Bronx of the '60s. The music is solid early '60s rock 'n' roll ( My Boyfriend's Back, The Wanderer ) and the acting is broad and often silly.

FULL REVIEW

Variety

Despite an uneasy blend of nostalgia and violence, The Wanderers is a well-made and impressive film. Philip Kaufman, who also co-scripted with his wife, Rose [from the novel by Richard Price], has accurately captured the urban angst of growing up in the 1960s.

FULL REVIEW

Washington Post

The Wanderers is a well-made movie that leaves a so-what impression. [27 July 1979, p.B1]

By Gary Arnold FULL REVIEW

Time

By grafting stylistic affectations onto an otherwise naturalistic movie, Kaufman blunts the raw power that, is The Wanderers' greatest asset. Like his characters, he would have fared far better if he had stopped showing off and practiced a little self-control.

FULL REVIEW

New York Magazine (Vulture)

Apart from Wahl, the acting in the Wanderers is either embarrassingly flat or hysterically emotional, and the movie is an exhausting mishmash of styles. [23 July 1979, p.62]

FULL REVIEW

See All 13 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

There are no user reviews yet. Be the first to add a review.

Details

View All

Production Company Film Finance Group, Orion Pictures, Polyc International BV

Release Date Jul 4, 1979

Duration 1 h 52 m

Rating R

Genres

Tagline It's 1963. Meet The Wanderers... They were the hottest guys in town.

View All Details

Awards

The Stinkers Bad Movie Awards

• 1 Nomination

The Wanderers

Where to Watch

Where to Watch

Top Cast

Ken Wahl

Richie

Karen Allen

Nina

John Friedrich

Joey

Toni Kalem

Despie Galasso

Alan Rosenberg

Turkey

Jim Youngs

Buddy

Tony Ganios

Perry

Linda Manz

Peewee

William Andrews

Emilio

Erland van Lidth

Terror

Val Avery

Mr. Sharp

Dolph Sweet

Chubby Galasso

Michael Wright

Clinton

Burtt Harris

Marine Recruiter

Samm-Art Williams

Roger

Dion Albanese

Teddy Wong

Olympia Dukakis

Joey's Mom

George Merolle

Peppy Dio

Terri Perri

Terri Perri

John Califano

Bowling Bankroller

Critic Reviews

Critic Reviews

Critic Reviews

Critic Reviews

User Reviews

User Reviews

Details

Details

Awards

Awards

Related Movies

The Godfather

Touch of Evil

Pépé le Moko (re-release)

Rashomon

The Night of the Hunter

Rififi (re-release)

The Maltese Falcon

12 Angry Men

Mean Streets

Pulp Fiction

Collective

Double Indemnity

Taxi Driver

The Irishman

Carlos

The French Connection

Elevator to the Gallows

Shoplifters

The 39 Steps

Uncut Gems

Band of Outsiders

Days of Being Wild (re-release)

Related News

2024 Movie Release Calendar

Jason Dietz