Figure 1.-- The caption for this studio still reads, "No escape: Leslie Henderson (SalMineo) ,one of the older orphans at a Southern home for boys , discovers that one of the small fry has ducked his nightly bath." Before World war II there woulkd not have been dauly bths, but by 1957,mperhaps there were.

The 'Young don't cry' was one of several fimms shot about juveile delonquets. This was a film written as a vehicle for Sal Mineo who was a rising star at the time. Teenage Leslie Henderson (Sal Mineo) struggles against brutal bigger boys at a orphanage. He becomes assoiciated with a convict (James Witmore) trying to escape from a prison located close to the orphanage. The convict had been unjustly sentenced, but is using Leslie to further his escape. The association with the convict helps Leslie learn to stand up to those abusing their power. We note that Georgia prisons were terrible places. The chsin gangs were infamous. We are not sure, however, about the orphanages in the state. Typically state facilities were not well fubded. The movie was shoty on location at the Bethesda Home for Boys in Savannah, Georgia. Given the depiction, one wonders why they would cooperate with the prioduction. Presumably there was healthy fee involved. A notable feature of the film was the positive roles ofvtwo blacks. Holly was at the gime just beginning gto change hoe blacks were depicted in its films. The orpohanage like schools and other sttes facilities were strictly seggregted.

Created: 10:04 AM 6/21/2012
Last updated: 10:04 AM 6/21/2012