13 West Street
| 13 West Street | |
|---|---|
Theatrical poster
|
|
| Directed by | Philip Leacock |
| Produced by | William Bloom Alan Ladd |
| Screenplay by | Bernard C. Schoenfeld Robert Presnell Jr. |
| Based on | The Tiger Among Us (1957) by Leigh Brackett |
| Starring |
Alan Ladd Rod Steiger |
| Music by | George Duning |
| Edited by | Al Clark |
|
Production
company |
Ladd Enterprises
|
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
|
Release date
|
June 6, 1962 |
|
Running time
|
80 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
13 West Street is a 1962 American black-and-white drama film starring Rod Steiger and Alan Ladd. It was based on the novel The Tiger Among Us (1957) by Leigh Brackett, who called the film "very, very dull".
This was the last leading role in a film for Ladd before his death at age 50. He appeared in only one more movie, The Carpetbaggers in 1964, in a supporting role. This was also Kenneth MacKenna's last film.
For no discernible reason, scientist Walt Sherill is assaulted and viciously beaten by a group of well-dressed young men. When the police, including investigating officer Detective Koleski, are in his opinion too slow in finding the culprits, Sherill decides to go after them on his own.
A private investigator's work leads him to Chuck Landry, the gang's leader. Sherill's non-stop search for revenge causes one member of the gang to commit suicide. Landry counters by kidnapping Sherill's wife, Tracey, and the private eye is killed.
Sherill goes directly to the boy's home and beats him savagely. On the verge of killing him, Sherill finally relents, turning Landry over to Koleski to be placed under arrest.
Leigh Brackett's novel The Tiger Among Us was originally published in 1957. Film rights were purchased by producer Charles Schnee, who had just left MGM and signed a deal with Columbia Pictures. He hired John Michael Hayes to write the script.John Wayne was announced as a possible star.
It was then reported that Valentine Davies was working on the script, which had been retitled Fear No Evil. Production plans were delayed when Schnee announced he was leaving Columbia, claiming he was unable to get any of 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."
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Wikipedia