13 West Street (1962)

13 West Street (1962)

„13 West Street“ is a 1962 neo noir crime film directed by Philip Leacock. The screenplay by Bernard C. Schoenfeld and Robert Presnell Jr. is based on the 1957 novel „The Tiger Among Us“ by Leigh Brackett.

A rocket aerospace scientist, Walt Sherrill, is driving along an empty city street late at night when his car breaks down. After he is almost run down by a speeding car, he is brutally attacked and, for no apparent reason, viciously beaten by the occupants, a gang of well-dressed teenagers, the opposite of a slum dwelling street gang.

The police, including investigating juvenile officer Detective Pete Sergeant Koleski, are in the Sherill’s opinion „acting too slowly“, and seem too busy to focus on finding the culprits. So, brooding over his injuries, Sherrill becomes impatient with Koleski’s failure to get immediate results. Sherrill decides to take the law into his own hands, and to go after them on his own.

Obsessed by his thirst for vengeance, this quest becomes an addiction for Sherrill which threatens the stability of both his job and his marriage, interferes with Koleski’s work, and antagonizes innocent citizens.

Sherrill proves to be an amateur sleuth at best, going over ground the police have already covered. His wife, Tracey Sherill uncomfortably watches him use a gun he has purchased to take target practice on tin cans.

One night, Sherill spots a convertible that resembles one belonging to his assailants and tails it at high speed. The driver turns out to be a frightened teenage girl who calls the police, and Sherill spends an uncomfortable night in the holding tank before Koleski has him released.

Following the death of Finney, a private investigator Sherill hired to track down the boys, Walt finally catches up with Chuck Landry, the gang’s leader, at his family’s home.

Sherill’s non-stop search for revenge and coercive attempts to see justice done eventually causes one of the gang members to panic and commit suicide. Chuck Landry, the wealthy psychopathic gang leader, counters by luring Finney to a dangerous section of road where he is killed, then coming to Sherill’s home where he terrorizes Sherill’s wife, Tracey, in revenge, and plans to shoot Sherill when he returns home.

Landry escapes from the police but Sherill takes the boy’s address from his abandoned car, and is waiting there when Landry arrives. Sherrill beats him savagely with his cane. On the verge of killing him by drowning him in the Landry family’s swimming pool, Sherill finally relents, realizing that he is sinking to the youth’s own vicious level. Coming to his senses at last, he turns Landry over to Koleski to be placed under arrest. Tracey and Sherill leave the scene to go home.

A 1962 American Black & White neo-noir crime film directed by Philip Leacock, produced by William Bloom and Alan Ladd, screenplay by Bernard C. Schoenfeld and Robert Presnell Jr., based on Leigh Brackett’s novel „The Tiger Among Us“ (1957), cinematography by Charles Lawton, Jr., starring Alan Ladd, Rod Steiger, Michael Callan, Dolores Dorn, Margaret Hayes, Stanley Adams, Chris Robinson, Jeanne Cooper, Arnold Merritt, Mark Slade, Henry Beckman, and Clegg Hoyt. Screen debut of Brenda Scott, and final screen appearance for Kenneth MacKenna. Alan Ladd’s production company produced the film.

The rocket launch failure at the beginning of the film is that of an Atlas SM-65 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

Film rights to Leigh Brackett’s novel were purchased by producer Charles Schnee, who had just left MGM and signed a deal with Columbia Pictures. He hired John Michael Hayes, Alfred Hitchcock’s „Rear Window“ (1954), to write the script. John Wayne was announced as a star. It was then reported that Valentine Davies was working on the script, retitled „Fear No Evil.“ Production plans were delayed when Schnee announced he was leaving Columbia, claiming he was unable to get his films in development made because of „almost insurmountable casting difficulties.“ The project stayed with Columbia and was assigned to producer Boris Kaplan. Roger Presnell wrote a version of the script. Philip Leacock was given the job as director and Alan Ladd and Rod Steiger were cast in the leads. The title „The Tiger Among Us“ was changed out of fear audiences might expect a jungle film. The new title was „13 East Street“ then Alan Ladd requested „east“ be changed to „west“. „The story concerns a teenage gang from Los Angeles east side but I suggested the locale be switched to the swank purlieu of Bel Air“, said Ladd. „I have nothing against Bel Air but I want to show that juvenile delinquency can breed in exclusive areas, too.“

Penultimate film and last leading role for Alan Ladd before his death in 1964 at age 50. He appeared in a supporting role in „The Carpetbaggers“ (1964). Alan Ladd and Margaret Hayes previously shared the screen in „The Glass Key“ (1942). They do not have a scene together in this film.

A very good drama, far better than many of the mediocre films Ladd had been making through the 1950s and 60s, and a good way for Ladd to wrap up his all-too-short career.

Cast:

• Alan Ladd – Walt Sherill
• Rod Steiger – Detective Sergeant Pete Koleski
• Michael Callan – Chuck Landry
• Dolores Dorn – Tracey Sherill
• Kenneth MacKenna – Paul Logan
• Margaret Hayes – Mrs. Madeleine Landry
• Stanley Adams – Finney
• Chris Robinson – Everett Bush
• Jeanne Cooper – Mrs. Quinn
• Arnold Merritt – Bill Quinn
• Mark Slade – Tommy
• Henry Beckman – Joe Bradford
• Clegg Hoyt – Noddy
• Adam Roarke – Jack
• Robert Cleaves – Doctor
• Bernie Hamilton – Negro
• Pepe Hern – Mexican
• Frank Gerstle – Mr. Johnson
• Ted Knight – Baldwin
• George Chester – Barfly
• Noble „Kid“ Chissell – Barfly
• Craig Curtis – Boy
• Tony Michaels – Detective
• Derrik Lewis – Gas Station Attendant
• Brenda Scott – Girl
• Leo Needham – Guard
• Chris Ponti – Guard
• Jason Johnson – Mr. Bush
• Ann Staunton – Mrs. Bush
• Bernard Sell – Neighbor
• Robert Biheller – Odd Job Boy
• Avon Long – Police detective sitting at desk
• Jack Berle – Police Officer
• Barry Cahill – Policeman
• Pat Patterson – Policeman
• Russ Whiteman – Policeman
• Joe Evans – Prisoner
• Cedric Jordan – Prisoner
• Tom London – Prisoner
• John Zimeas – Prisoner
• Alexander Lockwood – Schaffer
• Ralph Nilson – Staff Member
• Olan Soule – Staff Member
• Richard Rogers – Student
• Johnny Walsh – Teenager
• Ronnie Steiner – Tennis Player
• Tom Palmer – Watkins
• Elizabeth Camp – Woman
• Michael Vandever – Young Man

„Der Tiger ist unter uns“ (13 West Street) ist ein Neo-Noir-Kriminalfilm von 1962 unter der Regie von Philip Leacock. Das Drehbuch von Bernard C. Schoenfeld und Robert Presnell Jr. basiert auf dem 1957 erschienenen Roman „The Tiger Among Us“ von Leigh Brackett.

Der Luft- und Raumfahrtwissenschaftler Walt Sherrill fährt spät in der Nacht eine leere Straße entlang, als sein Auto eine Panne hat. Nachdem er fast von einem rasenden Auto überfahren wurde, wird er brutal angegriffen und ohne ersichtlichen Grund von den Insassen, einer Bande gut gekleideter Jugendlicher, dem Gegenteil einer Straßengang aus den Slums, brutal zusammengeschlagen.