The Young Savages

film by Frankenheimer [1961]

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 21, 2026

Quick Summary

"The Young Savages" is a 1961 film directed by John Frankenheimer. It is described as an "overheated but often potent courtroom drama". The film stars Burt Lancaster as a district attorney who risks his career to defend Spanish Harlem gang members accused of killing a blind boy. The movie explores themes of justice and societal issues within its narrative.1

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

2 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

John Frankenheimer
Films of the 1960s
…made his second feature film, The Young Savages. It was an overheated but often potent courtroom drama that starred Burt Lancaster—in the first of five movies he made with the director—as a crusading district attorney who risks his career to exonerate Spanish Harlem gang members accused of killing a blind…
Read More
…made his second feature film, The Young Savages. It was an overheated but often potent courtroom drama that starred Burt Lancaster—in the first of five movies he made with the director—as a crusading district attorney who risks his career to exonerate Spanish Harlem gang members accused of killing a blind…
Read More