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Summary

The Black Rebels Motorcycle Club ride into the small California town of Wrightsville, eager to raise hell. Brooding gang leader Johnny Strabler takes a liking to Kathie, the daughter of the local lawman, as another club rolls into town.

Cast

Marlon Brando

Johnny Strabler

Mary Murphy

Kathie Bleeker

Robert Keith

Sheriff Harry Bleeker

Lee Marvin

Chino

Jay C. Flippen

Sheriff Stew Singer

Peggy Maley

Mildred

Hugh Sanders

Charlie Thomas

Ray Teal

Frank Bleeker

John Brown

Bill Hannegan

Will Wright

Art Kleiner

Robert Osterloh

Ben

William Vedder

Jimmy

Yvonne Doughty

Britches

Wally Albright

Cyclist (uncredited)

Chris Alcaide

Deputy (uncredited)

Don Anderson

Stinger (uncredited)

Robert Anderson

Sage Valley Race Patrolman (uncredited)

Robert Bice

Wilson (uncredited)

Nicky Blair

Chino's Boy (uncredited)

Norman Budd

Chino's Boy (uncredited)

Timothy Carey

Chino's Boy (uncredited)

Fred Carson

Cyclist (uncredited)

Charles Cirillo

Bee Bop (uncredited)

Bill Clark

Cyclist (uncredited)

Keith Clarke

Gringo (uncredited)

Jim Connell

Boxer (uncredited)

Bill Coontz

Cyclist (uncredited)

Ted Cooper

Racer (uncredited)

Dude Criswell

Cyclist (uncredited)

Russell Custer

Townsman (uncredited)

Roy Damron

Townsman (uncredited)

George Dockstader

Cyclist (uncredited)

John Doucette

Sage Valley Race Official (uncredited)

Darren Dublin

Dinky (uncredited)

Johnny Duncan

Gang Member (uncredited)

Larry Duran

Black Rebels Motorcycle Gang Member (uncredited)

Richard Farnsworth

Man (uncredited)

Duke Fishman

Townsman (uncredited)

Jack Gargan

Man (uncredited)

Sam Gilman

Deputy (uncredited)

Frank Hagney

Official (uncredited)

Joe Haworth

Chino's Boy (uncredited)

Pepe Hern

Chino's Boy (uncredited)

Whitey Hughes

Cycle Gang Member (uncredited)

Walt La Rue

Cyclist (uncredited)

Harry Landers

GoGo (uncredited)

Carey Loftin

Gang Member (uncredited)

Eve March

Dorothy (Telephone Operator) (uncredited)

Patrick Miller

Deputy (uncredited)

Mort Mills

Deputy (uncredited)

Alvy Moore

Pigeon (uncredited)

Mary Newton

Mrs. Thomas (uncredited)

Kathleen O'Malley

Woman (uncredited)

Pat O'Malley

Sawyer (uncredited)

Jerry Paris

Dextro (uncredited)

Eugene Peterson

Crazy (uncredited)

K.L. Smith

Chino's Boy (uncredited)

Angela Stevens

Betty (uncredited)

Gil Stratton

Mouse (uncredited)

Jerry Sullivan

Spectator Cyclist (uncredited)

John Tarangelo

Red (uncredited)

Del Tenney

Man (uncredited)

Bruno VeSota

Simmonds (uncredited)

Danny Welton

Bee Bop (uncredited)

Blackie Whiteford

Bystander at Art's Accident (uncredited)

Crew

Director

László Benedek

Screenplay

John Paxton

Story

Frank Rooney

Reviews

Geronimo1967

April 4, 2022

Marlon Brando just oozes charisma in this otherwise rather disappointing tale of two biker gangs who descend upon a small American town. He is "Strabler" - who hates any authority figure - and arrives with his "Black Rebels" gang. Noisy and intimidating but no real danger to anyone, which is just as well because the sheriff "Bleeker" (Robert Keith) is about as effective as a chocolate teapot. Anyway, "Strabler" takes a bit of a shine to local gal "Kathie" (Mary Murphy) but that all changes when he discovers she is the daughter of the policeman. He is soon otherwise distracted by the arrival of the "Beetles" - a group of erstwhile pals lead by "Chino" (Lee Marvin). Old grudges and testosterone take over and what starts as an uneasy truce soon borders on open warfare - helped by local vigilante "Charlie" (Hugh Sanders) who is trying to goad the townsfolk into taking action of their own. It is odd to say this about an whole town, but there is a certain claustrophobia to this drama. The gangs' grip on the place is intimidating to watch, much less to have to live in, and Brando and Marvin are strong sparring partners. The build up is tense and you can sense the palpable apprehension amongst the populace as our anticipated denouement looms. Thing is, though, the interventions of Murphy and an unwillingness from director Laslo Benedek to maximise the peril here, means that the film quite suddenly stops being menacing and starts being quite soppy. It didn't need a battle royal at the end, but somehow the conclusion just underwhelmed and was more of a damp squib. There is a paucity of dialogue - which always suited Brando, and the photography with/on the bikes works really well enhancing the tautness of the first half hour, but then it just peters out... Pity!