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{{short description|1983 film directed by Francis Ford Coppola}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Infobox film {{Infobox film
| name = The Outsiders | name = The Outsiders
Line 4: Line 6:
| caption = Theatrical release poster | caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = ] | director = ]
| producer = Gray Frederickson<br />] | producer = {{plainlist|
* ]
* ]
}}
| screenplay = Kathleen Rowell | screenplay = Kathleen Rowell
| based on = {{Based on|'']''|]}} | based_on = {{Based on|'']''|]}}
| starring = {{plainlist|
| starring = ]<br />]<br />]<br />]<br />]<br />]<br />]<br />]<br />]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
}}
| music = ] | music = ]
| cinematography = ] | cinematography = ]
| editing = Rob Bonz<br />Anne Goursaud<br />Melissa Kent<br />Roy Waldspurger | editing = ]
| studio = ] | studio = ]
| distributor = ] | distributor = ]
| released = {{Film date|1983|3|25}} | released = {{Film date|1983|3|25|United States}}
| runtime = 91 minutes | runtime = 91 minutes ''(Theatrical version)'' <br /> 114 minutes ''(The Complete Novel)''
| country = {{Film US}} | country = United States
| language = English | language = English
| budget = $10 million | budget = $10 million
| gross = $25,697,647 | gross = $25.7 million
| followed by = '']''
}} }}
'''''The Outsiders''''' is a 1983 American ] directed by ], an ] of the ] by ]. The film was released in March 1983. Jo Ellen Misakian, a librarian at ] in ], and her students<ref></ref> were responsible for inspiring Coppola to make the film. '''''The Outsiders''''' is a 1983 American ] ] directed by ]. The film is an ] of the ] by ] and was released on March 25, 1983, in the United States. Jo Ellen Misakian, a librarian at ] in ], and her students were responsible for inspiring Coppola to make the film.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.zoetrope.com/zoe_films.cgi?page=films&action=show_one&film_id=25 |title= American Zoetrope: Films |publisher=Zoetrope.com |access-date=June 4, 2012 |archive-date=May 6, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120506223558/http://www.zoetrope.com/zoe_films.cgi?page=films&action=show_one&film_id=25 |url-status=live }}</ref>


''The Outsiders'' is noted for its cast of up-and-coming stars, including ], who garnered a ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ]. The film helped spark the ] genre of the 1980s. Both Lane and Dillon went on to appear in Coppola's related film '']''. The film is notable for its then up-and-coming cast members, including ] (who garnered a ]), ] in his feature film debut, ], ], ], ], ], and ]. It would also spark the ] genre of the 1980s, while Dillon himself starred in two more films based on Hinton novels: '']'' (1982), with Estevez, and Coppola's '']'' (1983), with Lane. Estevez also wrote and starred in the Hinton adaptation '']'' (1985).<ref>{{cite web|title=Movies - S.E. Hinton|url=http://www.sehinton.com/movies/|ref=2|access-date=September 16, 2014|archive-date=October 17, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141017020203/http://www.sehinton.com/movies/|url-status=live}}</ref>

The film received mostly positive reviews from critics, most notably for its performances, and performed well at the box office, grossing $25.7 million on a $10 million budget. Over the years, the film has earned a ] and has spawned a ] and a successful ].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Phillips|first=Patrick|date=August 25, 2021|title=Is The Outsiders Based On A True Story?|url=https://www.looper.com/585437/is-the-outsiders-based-on-a-true-story/|access-date=November 4, 2021|website=Looper.com|language=en-US}}</ref>


==Plot== ==Plot==
The Curtis brothers' parents are deceased, leaving eldest brother ] to raise and support ] and ], his younger brothers, in 1965 ], where youth subculture is centered around two gangs — the affluent "]" and the poorer ]. The "Socs" harass and assault Ponyboy until some of his fellow greasers chase them off. He and his friend ] catch a movie at the local ], where Dallas unsuccessfully flirts with "Soc" ] and leaves in a rage after she insults him. Cherry invites Ponyboy and fellow greaser ] to sit with her and her friend. Their Soc boyfriends take umbrage, so the girls leave with them to avoid any escalation.
Set during the 1960s, the story concerns the Greasers, a teenage street gang in ], ], whose members include Darrel (Swayze) and his two younger brothers, Sodapop (Lowe) and Ponyboy (Howell), as well as Johnny (Macchio), Dallas (Dillon), Two-Bit (Estevez) and Steve (Cruise), and their fateful rivalry with the Socials, or Socs, a gang of preppier, wealthier kids. The plot develops through a series of confrontations. Five Socs jump Ponyboy and cut his neck with a ]; Johnny had been attacked similarly a month earlier. Later Bob (Leif Garrett) and Randy (Darren Dalton), two members of the Socs, confront Johnny, Ponyboy, and Two-Bit, who have befriended two Soc girls, Cherry (Lane) and Marcia (Michelle Meyrink), at a drive-in movie. The girls defuse the situation by going home with the Soc boys. However, later, Ponyboy and Johnny are attacked in a park by Bob, Randy, and two other Socs; Bob is stabbed and killed by Johnny while trying to drown Ponyboy.


Pony and Johnny walk to an abandoned lot to help Johnny avoid his parents' bickering and domestic violence. He laments the hopelessness of his young life and considers suicide. Ponyboy falls asleep and Johnny awakens him a few hours later, at which point Ponyboy rushes home, where Darrel is awake waiting, and Soda is sleeping. Darrel confronts Ponyboy, violently knocking him to the floor with a slap. Ponyboy runs off to a local park with Johnny, where Bob and three other Socs attack them. Johnny is beaten, and when Ponyboy is almost drowned in the park's fountain, Johnny fatally stabs Bob. Ponyboy and Johnny find Dallas, who gives them money for food and a loaded firearm. They flee to Windrixville after hopping on a train and hide in an abandoned church, where they read '']'' aloud to pass the time. Dallas visits, taking them to get a meal at a local restaurant. He brings a note from Sodapop that urges Ponyboy to come home, as Cherry is willing to testify on their behalf. Johnny favors turning themselves in, but Dallas disagrees.
Ponyboy and Johnny, with advice and supplies from Dally, hide out in an abandoned church in a nearby town. At the church, Ponyboy reads '']'' and quotes the ] poem "]". After Dallas arrives with news that Cherry has offered to support the boys in court, the church accidentally catches fire with some children trapped inside, and Johnny is hospitalized with severe burns and a broken back after he, Ponyboy, and Dallas rescue the children. The boys are praised for their heroism, but Johnny is charged with ] for killing Bob, while Ponyboy and his brother Soda are threatened with reform school.


Returning to the church, they discover that it is on fire with children trapped inside. They rescue them but are burned. Johnny breaks his back when part of the structure collapses on him. Ponyboy reunites with his brothers in the hospital and returns home. Their heroic deed makes the front page of the local paper. The next day, Ponyboy is found sick and ] volunteers to take care of him. Two-Bit and Ponyboy walk to the dairy queen. Soc Randy peacefully talks to Ponyboy about an upcoming rumble. Ponyboy and Two-Bit visit Johnny and Dallas in the hospital. Ponyboy asks Two-Bit to buy another copy of ''Gone with the Wind'' at the hospital gift shop. Johnny's mother comes, but he refuses her visit. She takes out her ire on Ponyboy and Two-Bit, who decries her as a bad mother.
Meanwhile, Bob's death has sparked calls from the Socials for a "rumble". The Greasers win, and Dallas drives Ponyboy to the hospital, where the boys visit Johnny. Having lost interest in fighting, Johnny is unimpressed by the victory. He dies after telling Ponyboy to "stay gold", referring to the Frost poem. Unable to bear Johnny's death, Dallas robs a magazine store at gunpoint and is shot by police. After Dallas gets shot, Ponyboy faints because of a minor concussion, exhaustion and shock.


Dallas encourages them to win the rumble for Johnny, and they do. Dallas then drives an injured Ponyboy to the hospital to see Johnny. Dallas tells him about the greasers' victory, but Johnny is dismissive and dies after telling Ponyboy to "]". Dallas robs a store, is pursued by the police, and commits ]. The judge exonerates Ponyboy for Bob's death and places him in Darry's custody. Cherry sees Ponyboy and ignores him. He is offered a passing grade by his English teacher if he writes a quality essay but is uninspired. He finds a letter from Johnny explaining how saving the children was worth sacrificing his life and advising Ponyboy to "never change". Johnny's letter inspires Ponyboy's essay. The story begins, "I had only two things on my mind."
Sometime later, Ponyboy is cleared of wrongdoing in Bob's death and allowed to stay with his brothers. Turning the pages of Johnny's copy of ''Gone with the Wind'', Ponyboy finds a letter from Johnny saying that saving the children was worth sacrificing his own life. As the film ends, Ponyboy is writing a school report about his recent experiences.


==Cast== ==Cast==
<!--- cast and roles per opening credits, order per closing credits scroll --->
{{anchor|Greasers}}
{{cast list|
;Greasers
* ] as Ponyboy Curtis * ] as ]
* ] as Johnny Cade * ] as Johnny Cade
* ] as Dallas "Dally" Winston * ] as Dallas "Dally" Winston
* ] as Darrel "Darry" Curtis
* ] as Sodapop "Soda" Curtis * ] as Sodapop "Soda" Curtis
* ] as Darrel "Darry" Curtis
* ] as Keith "Two-Bit" Mathews * ] as Keith "Two-Bit" Mathews
* ] as Steve Randle * ] as Steve Randle
* ] as Tim Shepard * ] as Tim Shepard
* ] as Sherrie "Cherry" Valance

{{anchor|Socs}}
;Socs
* ] as Sherri "Cherry" Valance
* ] as Bob Sheldon * ] as Bob Sheldon
* ] as Randy Adderson * ] as Randy Anderson
* ] as Marcia * ] as Marcia
* ] as Jerry

{{anchor|Other characters}}
;Others
* ] as Buck Merrill * ] as Buck Merrill
* ] as the store clerk
* ] as Jerry Wood
}}
* ] as Nurse 2

In addition, ] (credited as Domino), daughter of the film's director, plays the child asking the greasers for 15 cents, and ] plays Dally's nurse. Brief uncredited appearances include ], ], and ].<ref>{{cite web |title=20 Things You Never Knew About 1983 Film The Outsiders |first=Matt |last=Parker |date=2020-12-01 |website=eightieskids.com |url=https://www.eightieskids.com/things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-the-1983-film-the-outsiders/ |access-date=2022-04-15}}</ref> Additionally, Michael Peter Balzary (bassist "]" from Red Hot Chili Peppers), and ] (former NHL player and member of the Hockey Hall of Fame) had uncredited appearances as rival gang members during the rumble scene.


==Production== ==Production==
] had not intended to make a film about teen angst until middle-school students from ] in Fresno, California, great fans of '']'', wrote to him about adapting ''The Outsiders''. When Coppola read the book, he was moved not only to adapt and direct "The Outsiders", but to follow it the next year by adapting another S.E. Hinton novel, '']''. The latter film's cast included ], ], and ] from "The Outsiders".


===Development===
In order to create tension among the actors playing the rival gangs, Coppola is said to have devised a scheme, whereby those cast as Socs were given luxury hotel accommodations and leather-bound scripts, while the Greaser cast was relegated to the hotel's ground floor and received tattered scripts. The cast played pranks on each other and the hotel staff during the shoot. Years later, ] met someone who worked at the hotel, and when he realized it was the same hotel where he and the rest of the cast had stayed, his first words were, "I'm sorry."
] had not intended to make a film about teen angst until Jo Ellen Misakian, a school librarian from ] in ], wrote to him on behalf of her seventh and eighth grade students about adapting ''The Outsiders''.<ref name="variety cast" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lettersofnote.com/2013/03/the-outsiders.html|title=Letters of Note|publisher=Letters of Note|access-date=March 6, 2013|archive-date=March 8, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130308145831/http://www.lettersofnote.com/2013/03/the-outsiders.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>


<blockquote> "We are all so impressed with the book, The Outsiders by SE Hinton, that a petition has been circulated asking that it be made into a movie. We have chosen you to send it to."<ref name=Hoad>{{cite web |last= Hoad |first= Phil |title= 'Tom Cruise was an intense kid': How Francis Ford Coppola made The Outsiders |work= The Guardian |date= 2021-11-01 |url= https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/nov/01/how-we-made-the-outsiders-francis-ford-coppola-and-c-thomas-howell |access-date= 2021-11-01}}</ref></blockquote>
Two-Bit's fascination with ], as shown in a later scene in the film, was thought up by ], who approached the character as a "laid-back, easy-going guy". This could also be a reference to a deleted scene (not included on the DVD) where Ponyboy tells Cherry about Sodapop's love for a horse named Mickey Mouse. The scene was also intended to highlight that Sodapop's having already suffered some heartbreak before his girlfriend leaves him, as well as the brothers' own sense of loss, but Coppola cut it because he felt it slowed the film's pace down. A scene where Dallas falls out of his seat at the drive-in was unplanned.


Approximately 15 pages of children's signatures were attached to the letter written in different colors. Moved by the letter, Coppola read the book and was impressed by the relationships between the greaser kids. It brought back memories of when he had been a drama counselor working with children at a summer camp in his youth.<ref name=Hoad/>
The film was shot on location in ].<ref> from tulsatvmemories.com</ref> Coppola filmed ''The Outsiders'' and ''Rumble Fish'' back-to-back in 1982. He wrote the screenplay for the latter while on days off from shooting the former. Many of the same locations were used in both films, as were many of the same cast and crew members. The ] are shown at the beginning of the film in the style normally found in a published play.


===Casting===
Coppola went to arbitration unsuccessfully for the writing credits of this film.
The casting process led to debut or star-making performances of actors who would be collectively referred to throughout the 1980s as the ]: C.&nbsp;Thomas Howell, Matt Dillon, Patrick Swayze, Ralph Macchio, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez and Tom Cruise.<ref name="wbur">{{cite web |url= http://wbur.org/artery/2018/07/31/the-outsiders-coppola-hinton|title= Revisiting 'The Outsiders' After The Immediacy Of Adolescence's Plights Have Passed |last= Burns |first= Sean |date= April 23, 2019 |publisher= ] |access-date=November 8, 2019|archive-date=November 5, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191105234353/https://www.wbur.org/artery/2018/07/31/the-outsiders-coppola-hinton|url-status=live}}</ref> ], ], ], ], ], and ] also auditioned for roles but were not cast.<ref name="parcast">{{cite web|url=https://parade.com/565096/michelewojciechowski/ralph-macchio-on-being-part-of-the-outsiders-and-hbos-the-deuce/|title=Ralph Macchio on Being Part of The Outsiders and HBO's The Deuce|last=Wojciechowski|first=Michele|date=April 24, 2017|publisher=Parade|access-date=November 9, 2019|archive-date=November 10, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191110022103/https://parade.com/565096/michelewojciechowski/ralph-macchio-on-being-part-of-the-outsiders-and-hbos-the-deuce/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine | url=https://ew.com/movies/the-outsiders-oral-history/ | title=An oral history of 'The Outsiders' | magazine=] }}</ref> Producer ], a frequent collaborator with Coppola, was partially responsible for the film's casting. In particular, he scouted Patrick Swayze based on his performance in the roller skating movie '']'' (1979).<ref name="Babitz">{{cite book|last1=Babitz|first1=Eve|title=I Used To Be Charming|date=2019|publisher=New York Review of Books|isbn=9781681373799|location=New York|pages=166|chapter=Sunset Tango|author-link1=Eve Babitz}}</ref> ] was approached for a role in the film, but he turned it down as he was prepping for a Broadway play ('']'').<ref>{{cite web |last=Riley |first=Jenelle |date=April 30, 2020 |title=From 'Top Gun' to '10 Commandments,' Val Kilmer's New Book Details Highs and Lows |url=https://variety.com/2020/film/features/from-top-gun-to-10-commandments-val-kilmers-new-book-1234591950/ |website=Variety}}</ref>


Macchio stated that during auditions, Coppola "wanted everybody to read for a different role".<ref name="rs">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/tv/tv-features/ralph-macchio-interview-cobra-kai-season-2-karate-kid-825860/|title=Ralph Macchio on 'Cobra Kai' and the Legend of 'The Karate Kid'|last=Hiatt|first=Brian|date=April 23, 2019|magazine=]|access-date=November 8, 2019|archive-date=May 18, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190518190548/https://www.rollingstone.com/tv/tv-features/ralph-macchio-interview-cobra-kai-season-2-karate-kid-825860/|url-status=live}}</ref> He said that Coppola had all of the actors "in one room watching each other audition...It's brutal because you're becoming self-conscious of any choices because you're watching reactions based on other actors and watching the filmmakers and how they respond because you're all trying to get the job. For Francis, it was about mixing and matching the ensemble, saying 'Dennis Quaid, you read this, and Rob Lowe, you read that.{{' "}}<ref name="variety cast">{{cite web
Coppola's craving for realism almost led to disaster during the church-burning scene. He pressed for "more fire", and the small, controlled blaze accidentally triggered a much larger, uncontrolled, fire, which a downpour fortunately doused.<ref></ref>
|url=https://variety.com/2018/film/news/the-outsiders-oral-history-francis-ford-coppola-ralph-macchio-diane-lane-1202732109/
|title='The Outsiders' Stays Gold at 35: Inside Coppola's Crafty Methods and Stars' Crazy Pranks |access-date=November 9, 2019 |last=King
|first=Susan |date=March 23, 2018 |work=Variety |archive-date=September 28, 2019|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190928172941/https://variety.com/2018/film/news/the-outsiders-oral-history-francis-ford-coppola-ralph-macchio-diane-lane-1202732109/ |url-status=live}}</ref> As a New Yorker who didn't know any of the other actors auditioning, Macchio also stated that he felt like an outsider during the process.<ref name="parcast" /> Lowe also said that Tom Cruise went "ballistic" over sharing a room with him during the auditions.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.etonline.com/rob-lowe-says-tom-cruise-went-ballistic-over-sharing-a-room-with-him-while-auditioning-for-the | title=Rob Lowe Says Tom Cruise Went 'Ballistic' over Sharing a Room with Him }}</ref> He accidentally struck him in the face during rehearsals.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/news/rob-lowe-had-on-set-fight-with-tom-cruise-2285222.html | title=Rob Lowe had on set fight with Tom Cruise | website=] | date=May 16, 2011 }}</ref>


===Casting=== ===Filming===
], located at 731 Curtis Brothers Lane in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is currently being used as a museum showcasing props from the film.]]
Other actors who were considered for a role in ''The Outsiders'' included ] who auditioned to play Dally. When he didn't get that role, he was offered (but turned down) the role of "Two-Bit." ] auditioned for the role of Ponyboy. ] turned down the role of Ponyboy because of previous commitment. ] made a good impression during the casting of ''The Outsiders'' but wasn't quite right for any of those parts. Coppola then would cast him for the follow-up '']''. ] auditioned for the role of Cherry Valance. ] was offered the role of Cherry but dropped out to do another movie. ] was considered for the role that Diane Lane later played.<ref></ref>
The film was shot on location in ].<ref>{{Cite web |title="The Outsiders" film, shot in Tulsa, page 1 |url=http://tulsatvmemories.com/outside1.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100107130941/http://tulsatvmemories.com/outside1.html |archive-date=January 7, 2010 |website=tulsatvmemories.com}}</ref> Filming took place from March 29 to May 15, 1982. A newspaper used to show a story about the three greasers saving the kids in ''The Outsiders'' includes a real story from 1982 regarding the death of a man hit by a train in Boston.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://masscases.com/cases/app/18/18massappct417.html |title=COMMONWEALTH vs. WILLIAM M. JOYCE (and companion cases) |publisher=Massachusetts Trial Court Law Libraries |access-date=August 31, 2017 |archive-date=November 13, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171113093716/http://masscases.com/cases/app/18/18massappct417.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Coppola's craving for realism almost led to disaster during the church-burning scene. He pressed for "more fire", and the small, controlled blaze accidentally triggered a much larger, uncontrolled fire, which a downpour doused.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ALT9c80ZIncC&q=%22the+outsiders%22+coppola+tulsa+northside&pg=RA1-PA208 |title=G. Phillips, ''Godfather: the intimate Coppola'', p. 208 |isbn=0813129060 |access-date=October 16, 2016 |archive-date=June 12, 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200612232828/https://books.google.com/books?id=ALT9c80ZIncC&pg=RA1-PA208&lpg=RA1-PA204&dq=%22the+outsiders%22+coppola+tulsa+northside&lr=&as_brr=3&ie=ISO-8859-1&output=html |url-status=live |last1=Phillips |first1=Gene D. |publisher=University Press of Kentucky }}</ref>


The original length of the film was two hours and 13 minutes. Warner Bros. felt that the film was a mistake and was too long.<ref name=Hoad/> As a result, Coppola cut it down to 91 minutes for the theatrical release.
==Critical reception==
The film was met with generally mixed to positive reviews from critics and audiences. ] gives ''The Outsiders'' a certified 65 percent "Fresh" rating on its site. One recent book said that the film's realistic portrayal of poor teenagers from the wrong side of the tracks "created a new kind of filmmaking".<ref></ref>


The pranks that went on during the filming have become legendary, mostly initiated by ], ], ], and ].<ref name="variety cast" /> The targets were often ] and ].<ref name="variety cast" /> Ralph Macchio was not involved because he was so focused on getting his role right.<ref name="variety cast" /> The author of the original novel, S. E. Hinton, was involved during the filming as she and Coppola wrote the screenplay together; she appears as a nurse during a hospital scene in the film.<ref name="variety cast" /> She also later stated that she served as an informal "den mother" to many of the actors, as she was "close to all of them".<ref name="variety cast" />
==Awards and nominations==
''The Outsiders'' was nominated for four ], given annually since 1978 by the Young Artist Foundation. ] won for "Best Young Motion Picture Actor in a Feature Film". ] was nominated for "Best Young Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture". The film was nominated for "Best Family Feature Motion Picture". ] was nominated for a Golden prize.


==''The Outsiders (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)''==
=="The Complete Novel" re-release==
{{Track listing
In September 2005, Coppola re-released the film on DVD, including 22 minutes of additional footage and new music, as ''The Outsiders: The Complete Novel''. Coppola re-inserted some ]s to make the film more faithful to the book. In the beginning of the film, he added scenes where Ponyboy gets jumped, the gang talks about going to the movies, and Dally, Pony and Johnny bum around before going to the movies. In the end, Coppola added the scenes in court, Mr. Syme talking to Ponyboy, and Sodapop, Ponyboy and Darry in the park. Also, much of the original score was replaced with music popular in the 1960s. The film was re-rated by the ] PG-13 for Violence, Teen Drinking and Smoking and Some Sexual References.
The director also removed several scenes in order to improve pacing, but they could be found on the second disc as additional scenes. In addition, Patrick Swayze, Ralph Macchio, Diane Lane, and C. Thomas Howell gathered at Coppola's estate to watch the re-release, and their commentary is included on the DVD. Matt Dillon and Rob Lowe provided separate commentary.


| all_music = and performed by ], except “Stay Gold” lyrics and music by ] and where noted.
==Music==
The original ] was ] by the director's father, ]; the main theme, "Stay Gold", was sung by ]. The original soundtrack included one rock song, "]", by ].


| extra_column = Performer(s)
The re-release of the film removed much of Coppola's score, replacing it with songs from the 1950s and 1960s, including:
| title1 = Stay Gold
| writer1 = Stevie Wonder
| lyrics1 = Stevie Wonder
| extra1 = Stevie Wonder, Carmine Coppola
| title2 = Fate Theme
| writer2 =
| extra2 =
| title3 = Country Suite
| writer3 =
| extra3 =
| title4 = Cherry Says Goodbye
| writer4 =
| extra4 =
| title5 = Incidental Music 1
| writer5 =
| extra5 =
| title6 = Fight in the Park
| writer6 =
| extra6 =
| title7 = Bob is Dead
| writer7 =
| extra7 =
| title8 = Deserted Church Suite
| writer8 =
| extra8 =
| title9 = Sunrise
| writer9 =
| extra9 =
| title10 = Fire at the Church
| writer10 =
| extra10 =
| title11 = Incidental Music 2
| writer11 =
| extra11 =
| title12 = Rumble Variation / Dallas’ Death
| writer12 =
| extra12 =
| title13 = Brothers Together
| writer13 =
| extra13 =
| title14 = Rumble
| writer14 =
| extra14 =
| title15 = Stay Gold (alternate)
| writer15 = Stevie Wonder
| lyrics15 = Stevie Wonder
| extra15 = Stevie Wonder
| title16 = The Outside In
| writer16 =
| lyrics16 = ], ]
| extra16 = ]
| title17 = Stay Gold
| writer17 = Stevie Wonder
| lyrics17 = Stevie Wonder
| extra17 = Bill Hughes
| all_writing =
| total_length =
}}<ref>{{Citation|title=The Outsiders - Carmine Coppola {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits {{!}} AllMusic|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-outsiders-original-motion-picture-soundtrack-mw0000843586|language=en|access-date=July 5, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Flory|first=Andrew|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LEc_DwAAQBAJ&q=Stay+Gold+++Stevie+Wonder+++Variety&pg=PA168|title=I Hear a Symphony: Motown and Crossover R&B|date=May 30, 2017|publisher=University of Michigan Press|isbn=978-0-472-03686-8|language=en}}</ref>


==Reception==
* "]" - ]

* "]" - Them
===Critical response===
* "Out of Limits" - ]
Review aggregator ] has a rating of 70% based on 50 reviews, with an average score of 6.3/10. The site's consensus reads, "The cracks continue to show in Coppola's directorial style, but ''The Outsiders'' remains a blustery, weird, and fun adaptation of the classic novel."<ref name="RT">{{cite web| title= The Outsiders (1983)|url= https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/outsiders/|work=]|publisher=]|access-date=March 26, 2023|archive-date=December 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201229043203/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/outsiders|url-status=live}}</ref> Roger Ebert rated the film two and a half out of four stars, citing problems with Coppola's vision, "the characters wind up like pictures, framed and hanging on the screen."<ref>{{cite web |last= Ebert |first= Roger |url= http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-outsiders-1983 |title=The Outsiders Movie Review & Film Summary (1983) |publisher= RogerEbert.com |date=March 25, 1983 |access-date= November 5, 2016 |archive-date=December 14, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161214143655/http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-outsiders-1983 |url-status=live }}</ref> ] assigned the film a score of 45 out of 100, based on 18 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-outsiders|title=The Outsiders Reviews|website=]|access-date=January 28, 2020|archive-date=July 4, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200704202504/https://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-outsiders|url-status=live}}.</ref>
* "]" - ]

* "]" - Elvis
The film's casting directors, Janet Hirshenson and ], wrote in a 2007 book that the film's realistic portrayal of poor teenagers "created a new kind of filmmaking, especially about teenagers — a more naturalistic look at how young people talk, act, and experience the world. This movie was one of the few Hollywood offerings to deal realistically with kids from the wrong side of the tracks, and to portray honestly children whose parents had abused, neglected, or otherwise failed them."<ref>{{cite book | first1=Janet | last1=Hirshenson | first2=Jane | last2=Jenkins | title=A Star Is Found: Our Adventures Casting Some of Hollywood's Biggest Movies | url=https://archive.org/details/starisfoundourad00hirs | url-access=registration | page= | quote=the outsiders beach blanket bingo. | publisher=Houghton Mifflin Harcourt | date=November 5, 2007 | isbn=9780151012343 | access-date=November 5, 2016}}</ref>
* "We're Gonna Move" - Elvis

* "]" - ]
Stéphane Delorme, in his book on Coppola, wrote: "''The Outsiders'' is a wonder. And wonder is also the subject of the film. 'Stay Gold', says the song over the title credits. The artificiality of the rural setting, which is as fake as in '']'', places us in the distant, mythical past. It takes only dye to turn these blond heads into golden heads, and thus to go from nostalgia for one's youth in the 1960s to a general regret for a golden age."<ref>{{Cite book |last=Delorme |first=Stéphane |title=Francis Ford Coppola |publisher=] |year=2010 |isbn=978-2-8664-2569-2 |edition= |pages=50}}</ref>
* "Milky White Way" - Elvis

* "Teen Beat" - ]
===Accolades===
* "Stay Gold" - Stevie Wonder
''The Outsiders'' was nominated for four ], given annually since 1978 by the Young Artist Foundation. ] won "Best Young Motion Picture Actor in a Feature Film". ] was nominated for "Best Young Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture". The film was nominated for "Best Family Feature Motion Picture".<ref>{{cite web|title=Young Artist Awards - 1984|url=https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000716/1984|website=IMDb|ref=6|access-date=July 1, 2018|archive-date=May 26, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210526150217/https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000716/1984/1|url-status=live}}</ref> ] was nominated for the Golden Prize at the ].<ref>{{cite web |title=Francis Ford Coppola Bio |url=http://www.mtv.com/artists/francis-ford-coppola/biography/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141119211627/http://www.mtv.com/artists/francis-ford-coppola/biography/ |archive-date=November 19, 2014 |access-date=September 16, 2014 |website=MTV |ref=7}}</ref>

==Aftermath and legacy==

=== "The Complete Novel" re-release ===
On September 20, 2005, Coppola re-released the film on DVD as a two-disc set called ''The Outsiders: The Complete Novel'', including 22 minutes of additional footage and an updated soundtrack. Coppola re-inserted some ]s to make the film more faithful to the book. This brought it up to a 114-minute running time. At the beginning of the film, he added scenes where Ponyboy gets stalked and jumped, the gang talks about going to the movies, Sodapop and Ponyboy talk in their room, and Dally, Pony, and Johnny bum around before going to the movies. At the end, Coppola added the scenes taking place in court, Mr. Syme talking to Ponyboy, and Sodapop, Ponyboy, and Darry in the park.

Coppola's father, Carmine Coppola, had written a soaring, romantic score for the original release, which at the time Coppola felt may have been the wrong choice, but he was not prepared to say that to him.<ref name=Hoad/> By the time he came to recut the movie for "The Complete Novel" re-release, his father had died, which allowed Coppola the opportunity to balance Carmine Coppola's music with music popular in the 1960s as well as new music composed by ] and Dave Pruitt.

The film was re-rated by the ] as PG-13 for "violence, teen drinking and smoking, and some sexual references".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Smith |first=Dinitia |date=September 12, 2005 |title=Inside an outsider |pages=42 |work=] |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=888&dat=20050912&id=YelRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=e3IDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4486,2824454&hl=en |url-status=live |access-date=May 21, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210526150216/https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=888&dat=20050912&id=YelRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=e3IDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4486%2C2824454&hl=en |archive-date=May 26, 2021 |via=]}}</ref>

Disc 2 of the DVD includes some unique features, featuring behind-the-scenes interviews with the cast and crew, readings from the novel, additional deleted scenes, the original theatrical trailer, and an ] '']'' segment from 1983 talking about how ''The Outsiders'' has inspired teenagers across the world.

The director also removed three scenes that were in the theatrical version to improve pacing. Those scenes were Ponyboy and Johnny looking at their reflections in the lake and talking about their hair, attempting to catch a rabbit, and playing poker. They can be found on the second disc as additional scenes, along with other deleted scenes that were filmed, but not put into the movie. In addition, Swayze, Macchio, Lane, and Howell gathered at Coppola's estate to watch the re-release, and their ] is included on the DVD. Dillon and Lowe provided separate commentary.

A Blu-ray edition of ''The Outsiders: The Complete Novel'' was released in Region A on June 3, 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-Outsiders-Blu-ray/43529/|title=The Outsiders Blu-ray|work=Blu-ray.com|access-date=March 28, 2014|archive-date=March 28, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140328152631/http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-Outsiders-Blu-ray/43529/|url-status=live}}</ref>

A manufacture-on-demand ] containing both versions of ''The Outsiders'' including The Complete Novel, was released through ] on November 9, 2021.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://twitter.com/WarnerArchive/status/1455233254848598034|access-date= November 2, 2021 |title=From the Warner Archive Collection, classics are coming to Blu-ray this month! 🎞|date= November 1, 2021|author= Warner Archive Collection|website= ]}}</ref>

=== Sequel TV series ===
{{main|The Outsiders (American TV series)}}
A television series based on the characters of the novel and film aired in 1990. It consists of a different cast playing the same characters. It picks up right after the events of the film's ending and lasted only one season.

=== Stage musical adaptation ===
{{main|The Outsiders (musical)}}
A stage musical based on both the novel and film held its world premiere at ] in February/March 2023. The production was directed by ] from a libretto by ], with songs by ] and music supervision, arrangements, and orchestrations by Justin Levine.<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 8, 2022 |title=The Outsiders Musical to Make World Premiere at la Jolla Playhouse |url=https://www.theatermania.com/san-diego-theater/news/the-outsiders-musical-world-premiere-la-jolla_93457.html |website=Theater Mania}}</ref> It was announced on August 21, 2023, that the show would begin previews on ] at the ] on March 16. It officially opened on April 11. It received 12 nominations at the ], winning 4 including ].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Paulson |first=Michael |date=2024-06-17 |title='The Outsiders,' a Broadway Adaptation of the Classic Novel, Wins the Tony for Best Musical |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/16/theater/the-outsiders-best-musical-tony.html |access-date=2024-07-05 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

=== The Outsiders House Museum and local preservations of the film locations ===
] opened in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on August 9, 2019.<ref name=":0"/> In 2009, hip-hop artist ] discovered the house that was used for the Curtis Brothers's home. Moving forward, O'Connor kept the thought of buying it, which he eventually did in 2016.<ref name=":13">{{Cite news |last=Barnard |first=Matt |date=August 8, 2019 |title=From ruins to Tulsa icon: The story behind the famous Outsiders House |url=https://tulsaworld.com/entertainment/from-ruins-to-tulsa-icon-the-story-behind-the-famous-outsiders-house/collection_387abafc-58ab-51a2-8cc2-5519153c88fd.html |access-date=2022-05-15 |website=Tulsa World |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Krischer |first=Hayley |date=March 12, 2017 |title=Why 'The Outsiders' Lives On: A Teenage Novel Turns 50 |newspaper=] |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/12/books/the-outsiders-s-e-hinton-book.html |access-date=March 4, 2023}}</ref> O'Connor said he bought it sight unseen and that when he first went inside it was falling apart. With the help of friends, the Oklahoma Film and Music Office, the City Council, local businesses, and individuals who volunteered, the restoration started.<ref name=":22">{{cite web |last=O'Shansky |first=Joe |date=August 4, 2016 |title=The Curtis House in Crutchfield |url=http://www.thetulsavoice.com/August-A-2016/The-Curtis-House-in-Crutchfield/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220515172908/https://www.tulsapeople.com/the-curtis-house-in-crutchfield/article_ae42c4d4-ff60-5aec-9e67-d91e5cc4c25d.html |archive-date=May 15, 2022 |access-date=June 6, 2017 |website=TulsaPeople Magazine |language=en}}</ref><ref name="tulsaworld.com">{{cite web |last1=Graham |first1=Ginnnie |date=April 2, 2016 |title=Ginnie Graham: Going inside 'The Outsiders' house |url=http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/columnists/ginniegraham/ginnie-graham-going-inside-the-outsiders-house/article_ca377a70-0045-57a6-b87d-d85a96be4562.html |access-date=June 6, 2017 |website=Tulsa World |language=en}}</ref> After enough funds had been raised, the house went through extensive renovations to restore it and maintain its authenticity from the film.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Terrell |first1=Ron |date=January 12, 2017 |title='Outsiders' House: The Latest On The Renovations |url=http://www.fox23.com/news/renovations-continue-on-north-tulsa-home-seen-in-the-outsiders-film/483560436 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220413013615/https://www.fox23.com/news/renovations-continue-on-north-tulsa-home-seen-in-the-outsiders-film/483560436/ |archive-date=April 13, 2022 |access-date=June 6, 2017 |website=Fox23 News}}</ref>

In 2016, a ] was set up to raise additional funds,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jayne |first=Ian |date=August 26, 2016 |title=A hip-hop icon is included in a team of enthusiasts dedicated to preserving The Outsiders house |url=https://www.okgazette.com/oklahoma/a-hip-hop-icon-is-included-in-a-team-of-enthusiasts-dedicated-to-preserving-the-outsiders-house/Content?oid=2980957 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220515195305/https://www.okgazette.com/oklahoma/a-hip-hop-icon-is-included-in-a-team-of-enthusiasts-dedicated-to-preserving-the-outsiders-house/Content?oid=2980957 |archive-date=May 15, 2022 |access-date=2022-05-15 |website=Oklahoma Gazette |language=en}}</ref> notable donors included ], who donated $30,000, and ]. That same year, supporters organized film screenings featuring actor ], and the corner street signs were changed to "The Outsiders way" and "The Curtis Brothers Lane".<ref name=":13"/> The museum now contains a collection of ''The Outsiders'' memorabilia.<ref name="FromOutside">{{cite news |last=Graham |first=Ginnie |date=May 5, 2017 |title=From the Outside: Hip-hop artist Danny Boy O'Connor saves a house, finds a mission |work=Tulsa World |location=Tulsa, OK |url=https://tulsaworld.com/lifestyles/magazine/from-the-outside-hip-hop-artist-danny-boy-o-connor-saves-a-house-finds-a/article_6cd301fc-bff8-5875-ab31-5945d00bf48c.html |access-date=July 28, 2021}}</ref> In addition to Howell, other stars of the film including ], ], and ] visited the site between its restoration and opening.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Tramel |first=Jimmie |date=August 5, 2019 |title=Outsiders House history stretches from land run to museum's opening night |url=https://tulsaworld.com/outsiders-house-history-stretches-from-land-run-to-museums-opening-night/article_0deacc5f-2df1-5af6-89eb-7c2860f996ba.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220425024607/https://tulsaworld.com/outsiders-house-history-stretches-from-land-run-to-museums-opening-night/article_0deacc5f-2df1-5af6-89eb-7c2860f996ba.html |archive-date=April 25, 2022 |access-date=2022-04-25 |website=Tulsa World |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Tramel |first=Jimmie |date=March 25, 2022 |title='The Outsiders' actor Matt Dillon tours Outsiders House Museum |url=https://tulsaworld.com/entertainment/movies/the-outsiders-actor-matt-dillon-tours-outsiders-house-museum/article_3e668d02-ac5e-11ec-8124-83c241a3144d.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220515203251/https://tulsaworld.com/entertainment/movies/the-outsiders-actor-matt-dillon-tours-outsiders-house-museum/article_3e668d02-ac5e-11ec-8124-83c241a3144d.html |archive-date=May 15, 2022 |access-date=2022-03-26 |website=Tulsa World |language=en}}</ref> For his efforts on preserving a cultural landmark, O'Connor received a key to the city of Tulsa.<ref>{{cite web |date=November 3, 2018 |title=Stay gold: Hinton, Howell, O'Connor honored |url=https://www.tulsaworld.com/scene/books/stay-gold-hinton-howell-o-connor-honored-during-ceremony-at/article_38cfd58b-7c26-5563-9617-9d5f1839061a.html |website=Tulsa World}}</ref>

In 2022, in ], the group Upward Sperry restored the now non-operational DX gas station seen in the film. The group's president, Gary Coulson, said, "It's really growing. I almost hate to say, but it's almost like a cult following. They stream through here - what that does is get people here." With O'Connor they are planning to revitalize ''Outsiders'' nostalgia in Sperry.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ayer |first=Justin |date=September 26, 2022 |title=DX gas station from 'The Outsiders' draws revitalization in Sperry |url=https://www.kjrh.com/news/local-news/dx-gas-station-from-the-outsiders-draws-revitalization-in-sperry |access-date=2022-09-30 |website=2 News Oklahoma |language=en}}</ref>

On April 14, 2023, as part of a 40th anniversary celebration of the release of the film, the institution installed a plaque commemorating the film which was installed at the Admiral Twin drive-In where a scene was shot.<ref>{{Cite web |last=World |first=Jimmie Tramel Tulsa |date=2023-04-10 |title=Plaque dedication set before 40th anniversary showing of 'The Outsiders' at Admiral Twin |url=https://tulsaworld.com/entertainment/movies/plaque-dedication-set-before-40th-anniversary-showing-of-the-outsiders-at-admiral-twin/article_1b313d1c-d7a7-11ed-969f-737f11fcbc51.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230813023514/https://tulsaworld.com/entertainment/movies/plaque-dedication-set-before-40th-anniversary-showing-of-the-outsiders-at-admiral-twin/article_1b313d1c-d7a7-11ed-969f-737f11fcbc51.html |archive-date=August 13, 2023 |access-date=2023-08-13 |website=Tulsa World |language=en}}</ref>

=== Set photography book ''The Outsiders ‘Rare and Unseen’'' and ''The Outsiders on set'' ===
In October 2022, O'Connor with The Outsiders House Museum published the book ''The Outsiders 'Rare and Unseen{{'}}'', which contains 148 photos by ], who was the set's photographer. O'Connor said: "We originally got the first lot of photos and then said there may be more. They found the rougher photos, and for me, that's where the rubber meets the road because they 're unpolished, their guard's down, they're not posing."<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-10-11 |title=New book shows unseen images of 'The Outsiders' |url=https://www.fox23.com/news/new-book-shows-unseen-images-outsiders/FAKXLEI6WFFC7HODKB6XWZ6I4M/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221013220844/https://www.fox23.com/news/new-book-shows-unseen-images-outsiders/FAKXLEI6WFFC7HODKB6XWZ6I4M/ |archive-date=2022-10-13 |access-date=2022-10-13 |website=FOX23 News |language=en}}</ref>

In May 2024, O'Connor with The Outsiders House Museum published the book ''The Outsiders on set,'' which contains 254 pages of photos by Nancy Moran a photographer who visited ''The Outsiders''<nowiki/>'s set while they were shooting. O'Connor explained that when he discovered that this additional slew of photos existed, he approached Moran, who he didn't know, and to his surprise she let him have the negatives so that he could develop them.<ref>{{Cite web |last=World |first=Jimmie Tramel Tulsa |date=2024-05-09 |title=Photos in new book show 'Outsiders' actors before they became famous |url=https://tulsaworld.com/life-entertainment/local/movies-tv/photos-in-new-book-show-outsiders-actors-before-they-became-famous/article_92dd67b4-0bae-11ef-ac13-27e60b1e57f6.html |access-date=2024-05-12 |website=Tulsa World |language=en}}</ref>

==See also==
* ]


==References== ==References==
{{reflist}} {{reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* {{Cite book |last1=O'Connor |first1=Danny Boy |title=The Outsiders 'Rare and Unseen' |last2=Burnett |first2=David |publisher=Stay Gold Publishing |year=2022 |isbn=978-0-578-28834-5 |location=Tulsa}}
* {{Cite book |last1=O'Connor |first1=Danny Boy |title=The Outsiders on set |last2=Moran |first2=Nancy |publisher=Stay Gold Publishing |year=2024 |isbn=979-8-218-38771-6 |location=Tulsa}}


==External links== ==External links==
{{wikiquote}} {{Wikiquote}}
* {{Official website|http://www.theoutsidersbookandmovie.com/Index.html}}
* {{IMDb title|0086066|The Outsiders}}
* {{Allmovie title|36919|The Outsiders}}
* {{Mojo title|outsiders|The Outsiders}} * {{Mojo title|outsiders|The Outsiders}}
* {{Rotten-tomatoes|outsiders|The Outsiders}} * {{IMDb title|0086066|The Outsiders}}
* {{Rotten Tomatoes|outsiders|The Outsiders}}
* , a ''New York Times'' review of the 2005 version
* —July 31, 2018, ]
*


{{Outsiders (novel)}}
{{Francis Ford Coppola}} {{Francis Ford Coppola}}
{{S. E. Hinton}}
{{Authority control}}


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Latest revision as of 17:57, 22 December 2024

1983 film directed by Francis Ford Coppola

The Outsiders
Theatrical release poster
Directed byFrancis Ford Coppola
Screenplay byKathleen Rowell
Based onThe Outsiders
by S. E. Hinton
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyStephen H. Burum
Edited byAnne Goursaud
Music byCarmine Coppola
Production
company		Zoetrope Studios
Distributed byWarner Bros.
Release date
  • March 25, 1983 (1983-03-25) (United States)
Running time91 minutes (Theatrical version)
114 minutes (The Complete Novel)
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$10 million
Box office$25.7 million

The Outsiders is a 1983 American coming-of-age crime drama film directed by Francis Ford Coppola. The film is an adaptation of the 1967 novel of the same name by S. E. Hinton and was released on March 25, 1983, in the United States. Jo Ellen Misakian, a librarian at Lone Star Elementary School in Fresno, California, and her students were responsible for inspiring Coppola to make the film.

The film is notable for its then up-and-coming cast members, including C. Thomas Howell (who garnered a Young Artist Award), Rob Lowe in his feature film debut, Emilio Estevez, Matt Dillon, Tom Cruise, Patrick Swayze, Ralph Macchio, and Diane Lane. It would also spark the Brat Pack genre of the 1980s, while Dillon himself starred in two more films based on Hinton novels: Tex (1982), with Estevez, and Coppola's Rumble Fish (1983), with Lane. Estevez also wrote and starred in the Hinton adaptation That Was Then... This Is Now (1985).

The film received mostly positive reviews from critics, most notably for its performances, and performed well at the box office, grossing $25.7 million on a $10 million budget. Over the years, the film has earned a cult following and has spawned a 1990 sequel television series and a successful 2023 stage musical.

Plot

The Curtis brothers' parents are deceased, leaving eldest brother Darry to raise and support Sodapop and Ponyboy, his younger brothers, in 1965 Tulsa, where youth subculture is centered around two gangs — the affluent "Socs" and the poorer greasers. The "Socs" harass and assault Ponyboy until some of his fellow greasers chase them off. He and his friend Dallas Winston catch a movie at the local drive-in, where Dallas unsuccessfully flirts with "Soc" Cherry Valance and leaves in a rage after she insults him. Cherry invites Ponyboy and fellow greaser Johnny Cade to sit with her and her friend. Their Soc boyfriends take umbrage, so the girls leave with them to avoid any escalation.

Pony and Johnny walk to an abandoned lot to help Johnny avoid his parents' bickering and domestic violence. He laments the hopelessness of his young life and considers suicide. Ponyboy falls asleep and Johnny awakens him a few hours later, at which point Ponyboy rushes home, where Darrel is awake waiting, and Soda is sleeping. Darrel confronts Ponyboy, violently knocking him to the floor with a slap. Ponyboy runs off to a local park with Johnny, where Bob and three other Socs attack them. Johnny is beaten, and when Ponyboy is almost drowned in the park's fountain, Johnny fatally stabs Bob. Ponyboy and Johnny find Dallas, who gives them money for food and a loaded firearm. They flee to Windrixville after hopping on a train and hide in an abandoned church, where they read Gone with the Wind aloud to pass the time. Dallas visits, taking them to get a meal at a local restaurant. He brings a note from Sodapop that urges Ponyboy to come home, as Cherry is willing to testify on their behalf. Johnny favors turning themselves in, but Dallas disagrees.

Returning to the church, they discover that it is on fire with children trapped inside. They rescue them but are burned. Johnny breaks his back when part of the structure collapses on him. Ponyboy reunites with his brothers in the hospital and returns home. Their heroic deed makes the front page of the local paper. The next day, Ponyboy is found sick and Two-Bit Matthews volunteers to take care of him. Two-Bit and Ponyboy walk to the dairy queen. Soc Randy peacefully talks to Ponyboy about an upcoming rumble. Ponyboy and Two-Bit visit Johnny and Dallas in the hospital. Ponyboy asks Two-Bit to buy another copy of Gone with the Wind at the hospital gift shop. Johnny's mother comes, but he refuses her visit. She takes out her ire on Ponyboy and Two-Bit, who decries her as a bad mother.

Dallas encourages them to win the rumble for Johnny, and they do. Dallas then drives an injured Ponyboy to the hospital to see Johnny. Dallas tells him about the greasers' victory, but Johnny is dismissive and dies after telling Ponyboy to "stay gold". Dallas robs a store, is pursued by the police, and commits suicide by cop. The judge exonerates Ponyboy for Bob's death and places him in Darry's custody. Cherry sees Ponyboy and ignores him. He is offered a passing grade by his English teacher if he writes a quality essay but is uninspired. He finds a letter from Johnny explaining how saving the children was worth sacrificing his life and advising Ponyboy to "never change". Johnny's letter inspires Ponyboy's essay. The story begins, "I had only two things on my mind."

Cast

In addition, Sofia Coppola (credited as Domino), daughter of the film's director, plays the child asking the greasers for 15 cents, and S. E. Hinton plays Dally's nurse. Brief uncredited appearances include Nicolas Cage, Melanie Griffith, and Heather Langenkamp. Additionally, Michael Peter Balzary (bassist "Flea" from Red Hot Chili Peppers), and Cam Neely (former NHL player and member of the Hockey Hall of Fame) had uncredited appearances as rival gang members during the rumble scene.

Production

Development

Francis Ford Coppola had not intended to make a film about teen angst until Jo Ellen Misakian, a school librarian from Lone Star Elementary School in Fresno, California, wrote to him on behalf of her seventh and eighth grade students about adapting The Outsiders.

"We are all so impressed with the book, The Outsiders by SE Hinton, that a petition has been circulated asking that it be made into a movie. We have chosen you to send it to."

Approximately 15 pages of children's signatures were attached to the letter written in different colors. Moved by the letter, Coppola read the book and was impressed by the relationships between the greaser kids. It brought back memories of when he had been a drama counselor working with children at a summer camp in his youth.

Casting

The casting process led to debut or star-making performances of actors who would be collectively referred to throughout the 1980s as the Brat Pack: C. Thomas Howell, Matt Dillon, Patrick Swayze, Ralph Macchio, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez and Tom Cruise. Timothy Hutton, Sean Penn, Mickey Rourke, Anthony Michael Hall, Scott Baio, and Dennis Quaid also auditioned for roles but were not cast. Producer Fred Roos, a frequent collaborator with Coppola, was partially responsible for the film's casting. In particular, he scouted Patrick Swayze based on his performance in the roller skating movie Skatetown, U.S.A. (1979). Val Kilmer was approached for a role in the film, but he turned it down as he was prepping for a Broadway play (The Slab Boys).

Macchio stated that during auditions, Coppola "wanted everybody to read for a different role". He said that Coppola had all of the actors "in one room watching each other audition...It's brutal because you're becoming self-conscious of any choices because you're watching reactions based on other actors and watching the filmmakers and how they respond because you're all trying to get the job. For Francis, it was about mixing and matching the ensemble, saying 'Dennis Quaid, you read this, and Rob Lowe, you read that.'" As a New Yorker who didn't know any of the other actors auditioning, Macchio also stated that he felt like an outsider during the process. Lowe also said that Tom Cruise went "ballistic" over sharing a room with him during the auditions. He accidentally struck him in the face during rehearsals.

Filming

The house used for filming in the movie, located at 731 Curtis Brothers Lane in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is currently being used as a museum showcasing props from the film.

The film was shot on location in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Filming took place from March 29 to May 15, 1982. A newspaper used to show a story about the three greasers saving the kids in The Outsiders includes a real story from 1982 regarding the death of a man hit by a train in Boston. Coppola's craving for realism almost led to disaster during the church-burning scene. He pressed for "more fire", and the small, controlled blaze accidentally triggered a much larger, uncontrolled fire, which a downpour doused.

The original length of the film was two hours and 13 minutes. Warner Bros. felt that the film was a mistake and was too long. As a result, Coppola cut it down to 91 minutes for the theatrical release.

The pranks that went on during the filming have become legendary, mostly initiated by Matt Dillon, Rob Lowe, Tom Cruise, and Patrick Swayze. The targets were often C. Thomas Howell and Diane Lane. Ralph Macchio was not involved because he was so focused on getting his role right. The author of the original novel, S. E. Hinton, was involved during the filming as she and Coppola wrote the screenplay together; she appears as a nurse during a hospital scene in the film. She also later stated that she served as an informal "den mother" to many of the actors, as she was "close to all of them".

The Outsiders (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

All music is composed by and performed by Carmine Coppola, except “Stay Gold” lyrics and music by Stevie Wonder and where noted.

No.TitleWriter(s)Performer(s)Length
1."Stay Gold"Stevie WonderStevie Wonder, Carmine Coppola 
2."Fate Theme"   
3."Country Suite"   
4."Cherry Says Goodbye"   
5."Incidental Music 1"   
6."Fight in the Park"   
7."Bob is Dead"   
8."Deserted Church Suite"   
9."Sunrise"   
10."Fire at the Church"   
11."Incidental Music 2"   
12."Rumble Variation / Dallas’ Death"   
13."Brothers Together"   
14."Rumble"   
15."Stay Gold (alternate)"Stevie WonderStevie Wonder 
16."The Outside In" Bill Hughes 
17."Stay Gold"Stevie WonderBill Hughes 

Reception

Critical response

Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes has a rating of 70% based on 50 reviews, with an average score of 6.3/10. The site's consensus reads, "The cracks continue to show in Coppola's directorial style, but The Outsiders remains a blustery, weird, and fun adaptation of the classic novel." Roger Ebert rated the film two and a half out of four stars, citing problems with Coppola's vision, "the characters wind up like pictures, framed and hanging on the screen." Metacritic assigned the film a score of 45 out of 100, based on 18 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".

The film's casting directors, Janet Hirshenson and Jane Jenkins, wrote in a 2007 book that the film's realistic portrayal of poor teenagers "created a new kind of filmmaking, especially about teenagers — a more naturalistic look at how young people talk, act, and experience the world. This movie was one of the few Hollywood offerings to deal realistically with kids from the wrong side of the tracks, and to portray honestly children whose parents had abused, neglected, or otherwise failed them."

Stéphane Delorme, in his book on Coppola, wrote: "The Outsiders is a wonder. And wonder is also the subject of the film. 'Stay Gold', says the song over the title credits. The artificiality of the rural setting, which is as fake as in The Night of the Hunter, places us in the distant, mythical past. It takes only dye to turn these blond heads into golden heads, and thus to go from nostalgia for one's youth in the 1960s to a general regret for a golden age."

Accolades

The Outsiders was nominated for four Young Artist Awards, given annually since 1978 by the Young Artist Foundation. C. Thomas Howell won "Best Young Motion Picture Actor in a Feature Film". Diane Lane was nominated for "Best Young Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture". The film was nominated for "Best Family Feature Motion Picture". Francis Ford Coppola was nominated for the Golden Prize at the 13th Moscow International Film Festival.

Aftermath and legacy

"The Complete Novel" re-release

On September 20, 2005, Coppola re-released the film on DVD as a two-disc set called The Outsiders: The Complete Novel, including 22 minutes of additional footage and an updated soundtrack. Coppola re-inserted some deleted scenes to make the film more faithful to the book. This brought it up to a 114-minute running time. At the beginning of the film, he added scenes where Ponyboy gets stalked and jumped, the gang talks about going to the movies, Sodapop and Ponyboy talk in their room, and Dally, Pony, and Johnny bum around before going to the movies. At the end, Coppola added the scenes taking place in court, Mr. Syme talking to Ponyboy, and Sodapop, Ponyboy, and Darry in the park.

Coppola's father, Carmine Coppola, had written a soaring, romantic score for the original release, which at the time Coppola felt may have been the wrong choice, but he was not prepared to say that to him. By the time he came to recut the movie for "The Complete Novel" re-release, his father had died, which allowed Coppola the opportunity to balance Carmine Coppola's music with music popular in the 1960s as well as new music composed by Michael Seifert and Dave Pruitt.

The film was re-rated by the MPAA as PG-13 for "violence, teen drinking and smoking, and some sexual references".

Disc 2 of the DVD includes some unique features, featuring behind-the-scenes interviews with the cast and crew, readings from the novel, additional deleted scenes, the original theatrical trailer, and an NBC News Today segment from 1983 talking about how The Outsiders has inspired teenagers across the world.

The director also removed three scenes that were in the theatrical version to improve pacing. Those scenes were Ponyboy and Johnny looking at their reflections in the lake and talking about their hair, attempting to catch a rabbit, and playing poker. They can be found on the second disc as additional scenes, along with other deleted scenes that were filmed, but not put into the movie. In addition, Swayze, Macchio, Lane, and Howell gathered at Coppola's estate to watch the re-release, and their commentary is included on the DVD. Dillon and Lowe provided separate commentary.

A Blu-ray edition of The Outsiders: The Complete Novel was released in Region A on June 3, 2014.

A manufacture-on-demand Ultra HD Blu-ray containing both versions of The Outsiders including The Complete Novel, was released through Studio Distribution Services on November 9, 2021.

Sequel TV series

Main article: The Outsiders (American TV series)

A television series based on the characters of the novel and film aired in 1990. It consists of a different cast playing the same characters. It picks up right after the events of the film's ending and lasted only one season.

Stage musical adaptation

Main article: The Outsiders (musical)

A stage musical based on both the novel and film held its world premiere at La Jolla Playhouse in February/March 2023. The production was directed by Danya Taymor from a libretto by Adam Rapp, with songs by Jamestown Revival and music supervision, arrangements, and orchestrations by Justin Levine. It was announced on August 21, 2023, that the show would begin previews on Broadway at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre on March 16. It officially opened on April 11. It received 12 nominations at the 77th Tony Awards, winning 4 including Best Musical.

The Outsiders House Museum and local preservations of the film locations

The Outsiders House Museum opened in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on August 9, 2019. In 2009, hip-hop artist Danny Boy O'Connor discovered the house that was used for the Curtis Brothers's home. Moving forward, O'Connor kept the thought of buying it, which he eventually did in 2016. O'Connor said he bought it sight unseen and that when he first went inside it was falling apart. With the help of friends, the Oklahoma Film and Music Office, the City Council, local businesses, and individuals who volunteered, the restoration started. After enough funds had been raised, the house went through extensive renovations to restore it and maintain its authenticity from the film.

In 2016, a GoFundMe was set up to raise additional funds, notable donors included Jack White, who donated $30,000, and Billy Idol. That same year, supporters organized film screenings featuring actor C. Thomas Howell, and the corner street signs were changed to "The Outsiders way" and "The Curtis Brothers Lane". The museum now contains a collection of The Outsiders memorabilia. In addition to Howell, other stars of the film including Rob Lowe, Ralph Macchio, and Matt Dillon visited the site between its restoration and opening. For his efforts on preserving a cultural landmark, O'Connor received a key to the city of Tulsa.

In 2022, in Sperry, Oklahoma, the group Upward Sperry restored the now non-operational DX gas station seen in the film. The group's president, Gary Coulson, said, "It's really growing. I almost hate to say, but it's almost like a cult following. They stream through here - what that does is get people here." With O'Connor they are planning to revitalize Outsiders nostalgia in Sperry.

On April 14, 2023, as part of a 40th anniversary celebration of the release of the film, the institution installed a plaque commemorating the film which was installed at the Admiral Twin drive-In where a scene was shot.

Set photography book The Outsiders ‘Rare and Unseen’ and The Outsiders on set

In October 2022, O'Connor with The Outsiders House Museum published the book The Outsiders 'Rare and Unseen', which contains 148 photos by David Burnett, who was the set's photographer. O'Connor said: "We originally got the first lot of photos and then said there may be more. They found the rougher photos, and for me, that's where the rubber meets the road because they 're unpolished, their guard's down, they're not posing."

In May 2024, O'Connor with The Outsiders House Museum published the book The Outsiders on set, which contains 254 pages of photos by Nancy Moran a photographer who visited The Outsiders's set while they were shooting. O'Connor explained that when he discovered that this additional slew of photos existed, he approached Moran, who he didn't know, and to his surprise she let him have the negatives so that he could develop them.

See also

References

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Further reading

  • O'Connor, Danny Boy; Burnett, David (2022). The Outsiders 'Rare and Unseen'. Tulsa: Stay Gold Publishing. ISBN 978-0-578-28834-5.
  • O'Connor, Danny Boy; Moran, Nancy (2024). The Outsiders on set. Tulsa: Stay Gold Publishing. ISBN 979-8-218-38771-6.

External links

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