The Cross and the Switchblade

Boone as David Wilkerson.

Based on the 1963 autobiography, The Cross and the Switchblade (1970) tells the true story of David Wilkerson (Pat Boone), a small-town Pennsylvania pastor who moves to New York City to minister to gang members and drug addicts amidst the violent, crime-ridden streets of the late 1960s. Facing intense hostility, Wilkerson attempts to bring a message of hope to rival gangs, specifically targeting the "Mau Maus" and their ruthless warlord, Nicky Cruz (Erik Estrada). Despite death threats and repeated rejections, the pastor's persistence and faith eventually lead to dramatic results. 

I first heard of The Cross and the Switchblade when the movie was shown for free at my junior high school. It wasn't a school-wide event, but rather the film was shown in the evening. I didn't go, but remember seeing the dramatic posters on bulletin boards throughout the school. It's taken me several decades to finally watch The Cross and the Switchblade, but I'm glad I did.

It's a flawed film, to be sure. It suffers from Pat Boone's too-perfect protagonist, whose only shortcoming is a lack of support for his pregnant wife—a plot point that is ultimately left dangling. Furthermore, the movie is hindered by bland, distracting, and dated songs. Actor Don Murray, in his directorial debut, lets the rumbles between the gangs go on for too long. And the screenplay could have been tighter had it focused on David or Nicky, instead of trying to tell both their stories.

Erik Estrada as Nicky.

Still, despite these weaknesses, The Cross and the Switchblade benefits from a fascinating true story, on-location filming in and around Harlem, and a handful of powerful scenes. The most impactful one has a young woman, who has recently gotten clean from her heroin addition, visiting a drug dealer at the first sign of stress. When she explains she has no money, her dealer assures her that the first fix is always on the house. He gleefully prepares her fix, shown in great detail, as she waits in emotional agony.

Pat Boone brings sincerity to his performance as Wilkinson, but I've got to think that the real pastor was more dynamic and more effective at delivering his message. In his first acting role, Erik Estrada, seven years before CHiPs, does a good job showing Nicky's inner struggles--although his climatic transformation still feels underdeveloped.

These days, The Cross and the Switchblade would be classified as a faith-based film. It fits that mold, but it's important to remember that these kinds of movies were rare in the early 1970s. No studio wanted to produce The Cross and the Switchblade, so it was financed independently. While not the ideal star, Pat Boone's enthusiasm for the project and his name recognition were undoubtedly key in getting the film made. On his website, Erik Estrada claims that "The Cross and the Switchblade...is still shown every week at about 500 youth centers across the country because of it’s powerful anti-drug message."

Pat Boone and Shirley Jones Find April Love

Pat Boone.

Pat Boone as a bad boy? Well, he doesn't really play a bad boy in April Love (1957), but his character Nick is sentenced to probation after being arrested for joyriding in Chicago. To keep him out of trouble, his mother sends Nick to his uncle's rural Kentucky farm. Aunt Henrietta welcomes him, but Uncle Jed (Arthur O'Connell) isn't so sure about the big city troublemaker. Nick feels like a fish out of water until he meets a pretty neighbor named Liz (Shirley Jones) and gets involved with harness racing.

This remake of Home in Indiana (1944) was clearly designed to showcase Pat Boone, who was already a popular singer. His recording of "April Love" would turn out to be one of his biggest hits. The song also earned its writers, Sammy Fain and Paul Francis Webster, an Oscar nomination for Best Song (it lost to "All the Way" from The Joker Is Wild). Boone's co-star Shirley Jones, despite starring in the earlier Oklahoma! (1955) and Carousel (1956), doesn't even get a solo number (though she does sing a reprise of "Give Me a Gentle Girl"). 

Shirley Jones.

As light musicals go, April Love is pleasant, but never compelling. I was hoping that Liz's sister (played by Dolores Michaels) might take a serious interest in Nick, setting up a juicy triangle. But, after some innocent flirting, she makes it clear she's not interested in the boy from Chicago. After that, the viewer just has to wait for Nick to realize that Liz is played by the awesome Shirley Jones and he'd better make a commitment before some other guy comes along.

Incidentally, you may wonder if--after watching April Love--you somehow missed Nick kissing Liz at least once. No, you did not miss it! It never happens--though Nick almost kisses her before the couple is interrupted. You can read why that kiss never took place in this article from TCM.

Pat Boone experienced greater success on the silver screen than many of his singing peers (e.g., Connie Francis). He followed up April Love with a supporting role in the enjoyable Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959), a starring role opposite Ann-Margret in State Fair (1962), the Debbie Reynolds comedy Goodbye Charlie (1964), and the fact-based drama The Cross and the Switchblade (1970). By the early 1970s, Boone's acting career consisted almost entirely of TV appearances.

Love, Hogs, and Mincemeat at the State Fair!

Ann-Margret and Pat Boone.

This bright 1962 remake of the Rodgers-Hammerstein musical State Fair (1945) was clearly intended to attract the young adult audience. Top-billed Pat Boone had scored a #1 hit song with "Moody River" the previous year. Co-star Bobby Darin was still churning out hit singles with regularity. For good measure, the cast included two up-and-coming actresses: Ann-Margret and Pamela Tiffin.

Boone and Tiffin played siblings who are attending the Texas State Fair with their parents. Wayne Frake (Pat Boone) hopes to win an auto race. His mother has entered her mincemeat into a contest. Dad has big plans for his prized hog Blue Boy. As for their daughter Margy (Pamela Tiffin), she is looking for something--she's just not sure what.

Pamela Tiffin as Margy.

To their surprise, both of the Frake kids find love at the fair. In between fine-tuning his car's carburetor, Wayne falls hard for Emily (Ann-Margret), a vivacious entertainer that's unlike any of the girls back in Wayne's home town. In another case of opposites attract, Margy becomes enamored with a smooth-talking TV host (Bobby Darin). 

Will the kids' romances turn out to be the "real thing"? Will Mom's mincemeat triumph over the big companies? Will Blue Boy regain his confidence and become top hog? State Fair answers all these questions!

The plot hews pretty closely with the 1945 version, the only musical that Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein wrote directly for the screen. In the earlier film, Wayne isn't an amateur race car driver, Margy's boyfriend is a newspaper reporter, and the setting is the Iowa State Fair. Richard Rodgers also wrote the music and lyrics for five news songs for the 1962 film. (Incidentally, I can't imagine the song "Never Say No to a Man" being included in any future productions.)

Ann-Margret as Emily.

As expected, Pat Boone is the featured vocalist. Surprisingly, Bobby Darin has only one solo number, the mediocre "This Isn't Heaven" (one of the new tunes). The musical highlight belongs to Ann-Margret, who turns "Isn't It Kinda Fun" into a dynamic song-and-dance number. The soundtrack's most famous song, the Oscar-winning "It Might As Well Be Spring," is lip-synced by Pamela Tiffin; most references list Anita Gordon as the singer.

While generally pleasant and diverting, State Fair is still a lesser effort compared to other Rodgers-Hammerstein musicals. Frankly, the songs aren't as good and director José Ferrer doesn't know how to shoot a musical. For example, he uses a wide shot during much of "It Might As Well Be Spring," a sweetly melancholy song that calls for close-ups of the performer's face.

Incidentally, Wally Cox is on-screen for less than ten minutes, but proves to be a supreme scene-stealer as a contest judge who can't enough of Ma Frakes' brandy-soaked mincemeat.