The Young Philadelphians

The Young Philadelphians (1959) starring Paul Newman, Barbara Rush, Alexis Smith, Brian Keith, Robert Vaughn. Newman stars as a young man named Tony Lawrence in Philadelphia in the late 1940s through the 1950s. Something goes horribly wrong between his  parents on their wedding day, with the result that his father turns out to be someone other than the man who married his mother. It's all about social climbing and career success, however, and Tony learns his lesson early. Later, he goes on to act as defense lawyer for a friend (Vaughn) who is falsely accused of murder. It's all one great big melodrama, which is another way of saying it ain't art. But it is an entertaining movie, and I didn't feel like I had completely wasted my time. (Subtitles in English are available, as well as closed captions.) Grade: B