CrimeDrama

Violent Playground

- EVERY CITY HAS ITS DANGEROUS YOUTH. Stark, explosive drama - as the camera lays bare the heart of a big city and probe the secrets of its Violent Playground.

A Liverpool juvenile liaison officer struggles with a young and dangerous pyromaniac.

Release Date : 1958-01-14

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : The Rank Organisation

Production Country : United Kingdom

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Detective Sergeant Jack Truman

Original Name : Stanley Baker

Gender : Male

Character Name : Cathie Murphy

Original Name : Anne Heywood

Gender : Female

Character Name : Johnnie Murphy

Original Name : David McCallum

Gender : Male

Character Name : Father Laidlaw

Original Name : Peter Cushing

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sgt. Walker

Original Name : John Slater

Gender : Male

Character Name : Headmaster Evans

Original Name : Clifford Evans

Gender : Male

Character Name : Superintendent

Original Name : Moultrie Kelsall

Gender : Male

Character Name : Chief Inspector

Original Name : George A. Cooper

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mary Murphy

Original Name : Brona Boland

Gender : Male

Character Name : Patrick Murphy

Original Name : Fergal Boland

Gender : Male

Character Name : Alexander

Original Name : Michael Chow

Gender : Male

Character Name : Primrose

Original Name : Tsai Chin

Gender : Female

Character Name : Slick

Original Name : Sean Lynch

Gender : Male

Character Name : Meg

Original Name : Bernice Swanson

Gender : Female

Character Name : Tommy

Original Name : Freddie Starr

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mrs. Catlin

Original Name : Sheila Raynor

Gender : Female

Character Name : David Catlin

Original Name : Christopher Cooke

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mrs. Baker

Original Name : Irene Arnold

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jilly Baker

Original Name : Oonagh Quinn

Gender : Male

Character Name : Boy (uncredited)

Original Name : Ali Allen

Gender : Male

Character Name : Customer in Grocer's Shop (uncredited)

Original Name : Grace Arnold

Gender : Female

Character Name : Police Sergeant (uncredited)

Original Name : John Boxer

Gender : Male

Character Name : Pageboy at Hotel (uncredited)

Original Name : Jeremy Bulloch

Gender : Male

Character Name : (uncredited)

Original Name : John Bush

Gender : Male

Character Name : Police Officer in Patrol Car (uncredited)

Original Name : Michael Collins

Gender : Male

Character Name : William (uncredited)

Original Name : Keith Crane

Gender : Male

Character Name : (uncredited)

Original Name : Gerrard Gibson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Child (uncredited)

Original Name : Victoria Harrington

Gender : Male

Character Name : Kid in Johnnie's Gang (uncredited)

Original Name : Melvyn Hayes

Gender : Male

Character Name : Police Sergeant (uncredited)

Original Name : Lindsay Hooper

Gender : Male

Character Name : (uncredited)

Original Name : Robert Howell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Child (uncredited)

Original Name : Anthony John

Gender : Male

Character Name : Police Constable (uncredited)

Original Name : Stratford Johns

Gender : Male

Character Name : (uncredited)

Original Name : Billy Lawrence

Gender : Male

Character Name : (uncredited)

Original Name : Phyllis Morris

Gender : Female

Character Name : Doorman at Grand Hotel (uncredited)

Original Name : Robert Raglan

Gender : Male

Character Name : Stallholder (uncredited)

Original Name : Philip Ray

Gender : Male

Character Name : (uncredited)

Original Name : Anthony Richmond

Gender : Male

Character Name : Maureen Owen

Original Name : Lynne Roberts

Gender : Female

Character Name : (uncredited)

Original Name : Delene Scott

Gender : Female

Character Name : Hairdresser (uncredited)

Original Name : Cyril Shaps

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mechanic (uncredited)

Original Name : Jack Sharp

Gender : Male

Character Name : Spectator at Fire (uncredited)

Original Name : Leonard Sharp

Gender : Male

Character Name : (uncredited)

Original Name : Leslie Slysz

Gender : Male

Character Name : (uncredited)

Original Name : James Sutherland

Gender : Male

Character Name : (uncredited)

Original Name : Gareth Tandy

Gender : Male

Character Name : Police Sergeant (uncredited)

Original Name : John Tatham

Gender : Male

Character Name : (uncredited)

Original Name : Anne Tirard

Gender : Female

Character Name : Constable (uncredited)

Original Name : Dervis Ward

Gender : Male

Character Name : (uncredited)

Original Name : Kathleen Williams

Gender : Male

Character Name : (uncredited)

Original Name : Lynn Williams

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : John H. Watson

Gender : Male

Reviews

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2023-11-01

David McCallum features strongly in this rather gritty story of "Johnnie", a bit of a pyromaniac, who falls foul of local policeman "Truman" (Stanley Baker) who is charged with dealing with the town's more violently recalcitrant youth. The latter character is not just about law enforcement, though, he is about rehabilitation and the gist of the story is to demonstrate that, whilst never easy or straightforward, there is always a certain degree of hope. "Truman" alights on the young "Johnnie" after he encounters his young niece and nephew running petty - and quite clever - scams on their neighbours. When he takes them home, he sees that their mother "Cathie" (Anne Heywood) is trying to do her best against formidable odds and that their other life influence is caught up in the semi-legal world of sex, drugs and rock and roll. In itself, the story is nothing particularly remarkable - but the characters are engaging, not always likeable, but they have depth which Basil Dearden takes his time to let us experience. The writing is pretty overly simplistic, though, and Baker really only has one gear as an actor and though he isn't bad here, he falls to resonate much as a man who might actually care. Visually, this film shows us a Liverpool that was still in the grips of post war doldrums, and the photography does much to engender the sense of need felt by many of the working class residents; it also shows us that it wasn't just London that had a rich mix of "personalities" embedded within the community - some tolerated more than others! Most folk watching now will only recall McCallum from his "Duckie" role in "NCIS". This film clearly demonstrates that for a while in the late 1950s, he was an actor prepared to push boundaries and tackle some borderline taboo topics with enthusiasm and skill.