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    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Movies»Movies by Decade»Movies - 1970s
    Movies - 1970s Movies - C 2 Mins Read

    Cross and the Switchblade, The (1970)

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    David Wilkerson is a relatively young parish priest in 1950s Philipsburg, Pennsylvania.

    His church sends him to the slums of New York to bring the word of God to the young men of a street gang called the Egyptian Kings, who are on trial for their violent gang activities. With insufficient funds to even get a hotel room, the young priest if forced to sleep in his car.

    David is not allowed anywhere near the Egyptian Kings, but his trip to the courthouse creates much publicity.

    cross&switchblade

    Because of that publicity, David meets a tough street youth named Little Bo, who offers to introduce the priest to the other main gangs still out on the streets – the mixed white Mau Maus, and the predominantly black Bishops, who are fighting each other for territory.

    The general consensus is that if David can get through to Nicky Cruz – one of the leaders of the Mau Maus – he will be able to get through to anyone. Future CHiPS star Eric Estrada is excellent as Cruz.

    With an obviously low budget, and camp and naive attempts to portray “cool” street behaviour, The Cross and The Switchblade was based on a true story. The real-life Nicky Cruz went on to become a notable evangelist himself.

    David Wilkerson
    Pat Boone
    Nicky Cruz
    Erik Estrada
    Rosa
    Jackelyn Giroux
    Little Bo
    Jo Ann Robinson
    Israel
    Dino Defilippi
    Abdullah
    Don Blakely
    Big Cat
    Gil Frazier
    Sergeant Delano
    Don Lamond
    Mr. Gomez
    Sam Capuano
    Mingo
    Alex Colón
    Moonlight
    Hector Mercado
    Augie
    Stew Silver
    Mrs. Gomez
    Dorothy James
    Pusher
    David Connell
    Angela
    Michelle Galjour
    Norma
    Jackie Cronin
    Mary
    Virginia Alonso
    Bottlecap
    Darryl Peer
    Chance
    Thomas Mooney
    Judge
    Vincent O’Brien
    District Attorney
    Jay Devlin
    Lawyer
    Paul Haney
    Pawnbroker
    Darrel Adleman
    Hugo
    Victor Bumbalo

    Director
    Don Murray

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