BRITISH NEW WAVE 'THE BOYS' WITH RONALD LACEY & JESS CONRAD

Tony Garnett with Jess Conrad and Dudley Sutton in THE BOYS Year: 1962 Rating: ***1/2

A kind of depending upon perspective RASHOMON of the rebellious teen set has a gang of four young Brits accused of murder; yet THE BOYS is more a street-set thriller than courtroom drama with creative director Sidney J. Furie unveiling a mystery where only the four suspects know the exact truth, leading to an inevitable twist that's worth the otherwise overlong wait...

Headed by the memorably offbeat Dudley Sutton as the group's shifty instigator while real life pop singer Jess Conrad's the most sympathetic with nerdy/likeable Ronald Lacey and a tough-sullen Tony Garnett in-between... 

Dudley Sutton and Carol White in THE BOYS

All morally ambiguous/ultra realistic in nature (1960's British cinema was a decade ahead of the US yet inspired by American Film Noir). Meanwhile side-character character-actors like Roy Kinnear (as an enraged bus driver) are more effective than stiff prosecutor Richard Todd, himself outshined by resilient defender Robert Morely... 

Yet both are equally burdened with the thankless task of forwarding the courtroom expository since, other than the English court's nifty multi-tier aesthetic, what's being remembered really matters and, considering our sources, probably isn't reliable — providing suspenseful anticipation for how things pan out. And had THE BOYS not been on trial — just watching them loosely roam the genuine London streets, getting wild kicks from juke joints and poolhalls while striking-out with a conceited Carol White, is all pretty worthwhile.

Roy Kinnear faces THE BOYS in THE BOYS

Robert Morely lectures client Ronald Lacey in THE BOYS

Tony Garnett, Jess Conrad and Dudley Sutton in THE BOYS with Ronald Lacey

Jess Conrad with Rita Webb in THE BOYS

Dudley Sutton and Carol White in THE BOYS

Brian Weske from Jungle Street plays MC in the background for THE BOYS

 Literal Kitchen Sink Drama with Ronald Lacey and dad David Lodge shaving for THE BOYS

 Ronald Lacey with Jess Conrad for THE BOYS

Sidney J. Furie directs THE BOYS with Ronald Lacey

Carol White takes a stand on THE BOYS

Stern first-billed Richard Todd prosecutes THE BOYS

Jess Conrad with Ronald Lacey and Tony Garnett THE BOYS

Jess Conrad with Ronald Lacey and Tony Garnett THE BOYS and Dudley Sutton

Dudley Sutton and the American Film Noir aesthetic of Britain's THE BOYS

Album soundtrack LP for THE BOYS circa 1962

Dudley Sutton with Ronald Lacey and Jess Conrad in THE BOYS