The Wanderers is a 1979 greaser film based on the novel "The Wanderers" by Richard Price (first published in 1974, when Price was 24 years old).
It tells the story of several Italian-American youths growing up together amid the various gangs of 1963 New York City. The film stars Ken Wahl, features Karen Allen and was directed by Philip Kaufman. In an interview for American Film in November 1983, Kaufman (who ran with a gang whilst growing up in Chicago in the 1950s) said he "had been wanting to do a gang movie for years - the urban experience, the darker side of teenagers growing up." Kaufman and his wife Rose wrote the screenplay, making a more cohesive story out of Price's episodic novel. Years later, Kaufman said, "I think Richard Price would say that his novel was really a bunch of short stories, and we really tried to make one story out of them all." The Kaufmans also swapped characteristics between the individual Wanderers in the transition from novel to film. For instance, in the book it is Wanderer Buddy Borsalino who marries Despie Galasso; in the movie, protagonist Richie who marries Despie, and Buddy is relegated to a supporting role in the story. Also, in the book, one of the major characters is a Wanderer named Eugene, who does not appear in the movie at all.
Gangs:
Wanderers: An all-Italian gang comprising 27 members. They wear bright yellow/brown jackets and blue jeans. Their leader, Richie, is dating Despie Galasso, the daughter of an infamous mobster, so The Wanderers have connections.
Fordham Baldies: As their name suggests, they are all bald, reportedly to prevent their hair from getting in their eyes during a fight. There are 41 of them, and each member is a serious brawler. Their leader is Terror, a 6'6", 400-pound monster of a man. They wear leather jackets with a skull on the back and "FB" (Fordham Baldies) on the arm.
Del Bombers: They are the toughest all-black gang in the Bronx. They have 23 members, and are prejudiced against Italians. They wear purple and gold hoodies with "DB" written in Old English lettering on the back. Their leader is Clinton Stitch.
Ducky Boys: They are an all-Irish gang. They have several distinctive things about them: none of them wears gang "colors", and they never speak. They are also the largest gang of the Bronx, with 500 members. They have a twisted take on Catholicism- it is all right to kill and beat up people, as long as they attend mass and confession. They are the only gang willing to kill people. They all have crucifix tattoos on their arms and chest.
Wongs: As their name suggests, they are all Chinese and have the last name "Wong". There are 27 members, and every single one of them knows jujutsu which is a Japanese martial art. Their leader is Teddy Wong. They wear black hoodies with a hanzi (Chinese character) on the back. They all appear to be quite stealthy as during a meeting in an open field they appear to vanish as the Wanderers momentarily turn their heads. Their motto is "Don't Fuck with the Wongs". They all have dragon tattoos.
THE WANDERERS
''Leave the kid alone!''
See also:
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