At seventeen on the precipice

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Movie
German title At seventeen on the precipice
Original title High School Confidential!
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1958
length 83 minutes
Age rating FSK 16
Rod
Director Jack Arnold
script Lewis Metzer ,
Robert Blees
production Albert Zugsmith
music Albert Glasser
camera Harold J. Marzorati
cut Ben Lewis
occupation

At seventeen on the precipice (Original title: High School Confidential! ) Is an American film from 1958 by Jack Arnold . The film is based on a story by Robert Blees.

action

Tony Bekker is new to town and to the high school there. As soon as he arrived, he provoked with his rowdy demeanor towards classmates and teachers. He only makes friends quickly with the inconspicuous Peter. Even Jackie Carrigan, the boss of the gang Wheelers and Dealers, tries to relax his girlfriend Jenny on the first day. He also likes to brag that he will take over the leadership of the gang in the future. He also mentions drinking health tea, a pseudonym for smoking marijuana sticks, at every opportunity, and leaves no doubt that besides a big new car, he obviously has a lot of money. Tony has just moved in with his cousin Gwen, whose husband is currently working away from home. Gwen lives quite freely and tries to seduce Tony at every opportunity. The police are currently training teachers and parents to make them aware of the growing drug problem. Unfortunately, Commissioner Burger finds far too often that both groups like to downplay the problem.

When Tony's provocations persist, Carrigan organizes three gang brawls to give Tony a rubdown in the locker room. Since Tony has a knife with him, Jackie breaks off the action and withdraws with his boys. Jenny is currently broke and is looking forward to the next stick. Jenny can get some money at the clothing store Morino. The seedy Morino couple issues bills for clothes for Jenny's father for the equivalent of the money. The money is still not enough for new drugs. At the local bar, Tony takes Jenny to a dance and lets her know he knows about her addiction. At a subsequent pool party, he tries to get through Jenny to the dealers in order to get her the drugs she needs. Tony tries to get a large amount of chopsticks through the dealer Jimmy Gallow. He promises to take care of this at tomorrow's illegal car race. In the race, Carrigan turns out to be the next dealer. He also sells Tony his larger amount of chopsticks, but doesn't want anything to do with the cocaine Tony asked for. After all, he wants to establish contact with his supplier Mr. X here. Tony hides the chopsticks he received behind the hubcap of his car before the race starts. Tony also takes part in the illegal race between members of the two gangs Wheeler and Dealers and the Rangers . In the mix with the other vehicles, the hubcap, which serves as a hiding place, loosens. When the race is abruptly stopped by the police, the hubcap comes off and the drugs are exposed. The young people are arrested, but released again after a short time. Even Tony is released from custody by a shady lawyer hired by Mr. X.

The teacher Arlene Williams visits Tony's cousin, who is her contact person as a legal guardian, and reports on her worries, the drugs, the car race. She obviously sees Tony more than the rowdy he claims to be. Gwen weighs down the fears and accuses the teacher of having an eye on Tony. Arlene leaves the apartment when Tony comes home. Gwen follows Tony into his room. After he refuses to respond to her advances, she confronts him about finding marijuana in his room. Tony weighs the subject off and goes to the bar, where he meets with Jenny. Carrigan, also present, has arranged to meet Mr. X and Tony. In the men's toilet, the waiter Quinn asks Tony whether he has everything with him. The two obviously seem to know each other. Tony says yes and leaves the bar with Carrigan. The two are met by the driver Brigg. The meeting with Mr. X finally takes place in the buildings of the Crest Juke Box Company. A friend of Jenny's, Doris, is badly marked by heroin and is also present in an adjoining room. Mr X tries with the drug withdrawal to force Doris apparently into prostitution. Before Mr X wants to do business with Tony, Tony has to undergo a final test by injecting himself with heroin. Tony manages this by emptying the syringe into a small ball which he hides in the crook of his arm. Tony then submits to Mr. X that he intends to buy half a kilogram of heroin, Mr. X agrees and assures Tony that Brigg will call him as soon as the substance is available. On the way home Tony meets Inspector Burger, who speaks to him as Mike and confirms that Quinn had already informed him of the process. This makes it clear that Tony, as an undercover police officer, is following the dealers. When he gets home, Tony connects a tape recorder that was previously hidden on his body to listen to the conversation he had recorded with Mr. X. He did not notice Jenny, who was waiting for him in his bed and therefore heard part of the recording. Tony puts the device back in and tries to talk his way out of it. Jenny begs him for marijuana when Brigg finally calls. He wants to meet him in half an hour for the handover in the bar. Tony calls Arlene and asks her to take care of Jenny. Before Tony can leave the house, his cousin comes home drunk with an acquaintance. In an argument, Tony knocks down the acquaintance before his cousin falls over while drunk. Briggs picks up Bekker and brings him to the bar.

Arlene actually takes care of Jenny when surprisingly Carrigan appears with his buddy Jimmie in the apartment. When Carrigan confronts Jenny about what she is doing here, she tells him about the secret recording with Mr. X. Carrigan then sees through Tony's plan and knocks the girls down. Mr X is handing the heroin over to Tony in the bar pantry with Briggs when Carrigan calls and gives Tony away. Tony was blown when Briggs found the hidden tape recorder on him. Quinn, however, has become suspicious and, as discussed with Inspector Burger, has asked the leader of the Rangers , Bentley, for help. Tony can save himself from being shot by throwing the heroin in Mr. X's face. In the brawl that ensues, Bentley knocks out Briggs, and Tony defeats Mr. X.

Theme music

Jerry Lee Lewis sings the title song High School Confidential in the opening credits on the back of a truck driving across the school grounds. When Tony later visits the bar with Jenny for a concert by the “new band”, the title can also be heard.

German synchronization

The following characters got a new name in the German dubbing:

original German
Tony Baker Tony Bekker
Joan Staples Jenny Fischer
JI Coleridge Jackie Callaghan
Bix brig
Mr. A. Mr. X
Steve Bentley Billy Bendrick

At school, Michael Landon introduces himself to Tony with Billy Bendrick . In the final scene, Quinn calls him Bentley - the name from the US version.

criticism

“At seventeen on the edge is an entertaining high school thriller in a drug scene that at the same time more than clearly takes a stand. Russ Tamblyn is very nice to look at as the main character Tony, who already shows many of the character traits of his cult figure 'Riff', created three years later. But his direct opponent JI Coleridge, played by John Drew Barrymore (as the name suggests, Drew Barrymore's father), knows how to please. "

- sofahelden.com

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. With seventeen on the brink Sofahelden.com, September 10, 2018