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117-494: The film centers on the relationship between a character called the Motorcycle Boy (Rourke), a revered former gang leader wishing to live a more peaceful life, and his younger brother, Rusty James (Dillon), a teenaged hoodlum who aspires to become as feared as his brother. Coppola wrote the screenplay for the film with Hinton on his days off from shooting The Outsiders . He made the films back-to-back, retaining much of

234-768: A lithograph company. After establishing Warner Bros. Music, Harry appointed his son, Lewis, to manage the company. By 1931, the studio began to feel the effects of the Great Depression, reportedly losing $ 8 million, and an additional $ 14 million the following year. In 1931, Warner Bros. Music head Lewis Warner died from an infected wisdom tooth . Around that time, Zanuck hired screenwriter Wilson Mizner , who had little respect for authority and found it difficult to work with Jack, but became an asset. As time passed, Warner became more tolerant of Mizner and helped invest in Mizner's Brown Derby restaurant. Mizner died of

351-539: A television producer while out in California and laments not getting to see the Pacific Ocean . Steve and Rusty James are mugged as they leave a bar, and Rusty James is beaten to the point where he has a brief out-of-body experience . The Motorcycle Boy saves them and tries to convince Rusty James to leave the gang life, but Steve decries him as insane, which Rusty James starts to believe. Rusty James finds

468-421: A "gangster studio". The studio's first gangster film, Little Caesar , was a great box office success and Edward G. Robinson starred in many of the subsequent Warner gangster films. The studio's next effort, The Public Enemy , made James Cagney arguably the studio's new top star, and Warner Bros. made more gangster films. "Movie for movie, Warners was the most reliable source of entertainment through

585-485: A Bosko clone. By the end of World War II, a new Schlesinger production team, including directors Friz Freleng (started in 1934), Tex Avery (started in 1935), Frank Tashlin (started in 1936), Bob Clampett (started in 1937), Chuck Jones (started in 1938), and Robert McKimson (started in 1946), was formed. Schlesinger's staff developed a fast-paced, irreverent style that made their cartoons globally popular. In 1935, Avery directed Porky Pig cartoons that established

702-480: A black-haired girl at a party. She and Rusty's friend Smokey later become a couple. Smokey later admits that he made sure Patty found out about Rusty-James and the girl so that she would date him instead. Rusty-James' mother lives in California. She left a long time ago when Rusty was only a small boy. Rusty-James' father lives with the boys but goes out drinking all day so he is hardly ever home; when he

819-422: A cash settlement. Nevertheless, Cagney left the studio to establish an independent film company with his brother Bill. The Cagneys released their films though Grand National Films ; however, they were not able to get good financing and ran out of money after their third film. Cagney then agreed to return to Warner Bros., after Jack agreed to a contract guaranteeing Cagney would be treated to his own terms. After

936-479: A central thread is obscured". Gary Arnold in The Washington Post wrote, "It's virtually impossible to be drawn into the characters' identities and conflicts at even an introductory, rudimentary level, and the rackety distraction of an obtrusive experimental score ... frequently makes it impossible to comprehend mere dialogue". Time magazine's Richard Corliss wrote, "In one sense, then, Rumble Fish

1053-553: A certain narrative stasis." The film has a weighted average score of 63/100 on Metacritic . Rumble Fish won the highest prize in the 32nd San Sebastián International Film Festival , the International Critics' Big Award . Rusty-James Rumble Fish is a 1975 novel for young adults by S. E. Hinton , author of The Outsiders . It was adapted to film and directed by Francis Ford Coppola in 1983. Rusty-James runs into his old friend, Steve Hays, at

1170-559: A character created for the Looney Tunes series, is the company's official mascot. The company's name originated from the founding Warner brothers (born Wonsal, Woron, and Wonskolaser before Anglicization): Harry , Albert , Sam , and Jack Warner. Harry, Albert and Sam emigrated as young children with their Polish-Jewish mother to the United States from Krasnosielc , Poland (then part of Congress Poland within

1287-540: A dog brought from France after World War I by an American soldier, established their reputation. Rin Tin Tin's third film was the feature Where the North Begins , which was so successful that Jack signed the dog to star in more films for $ 1,000 per week. Rin Tin Tin became the studio's top star. Jack nicknamed him "The Mortgage Lifter" and the success boosted Darryl F. Zanuck 's career. Zanuck eventually became

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1404-707: A few films each year under the First National name until 1938. For thirty years, certain Warner productions were identified (mainly for tax purposes) as 'A Warner Bros.–First National Picture.' In the latter part of 1929, Jack Warner hired George Arliss to star in Disraeli , which was a success. Arliss won an Academy Award for Best Actor and went on to star in nine more movies for the studio. In 1930, Harry acquired more theaters in Atlantic City , despite

1521-417: A former leader of the gang) and makes plans to fight Biff. At the fight day, Rusty is spending some time with his girlfriend, Patty. They make out and James falls asleep while there, nearly missing the fight. Later, Rusty arrives to fight Biff and is accompanied by his friends Steve, Smokey Bennet, and B. J. Jackson. Biff, too, brings some friends for backup. Biff's erratic behavior leads Rusty to believe that he

1638-460: A heart attack on April 3, 1933. By 1932, musicals were declining in popularity, and the studio was forced to cut musical numbers from many productions and advertise them as straight comedies. The public had begun to associate musicals with color, and thus studios began to abandon its use. Warner Bros. had a contract with Technicolor to produce two more pictures in that process. As a result, the first horror films in color were produced and released by

1755-475: A knife-fight where Rusty almost wins but is distracted by the arrival of The Motorcycle Boy; when Rusty-James looks at The Motorcycle Boy, Biff grabs the knife and slashes it across Rusty-James' side, leaving a long gash. Rusty-James is later expelled from school and placed in Biff's school. Patty is Rusty-James' girlfriend until half-way through the book when she learns that Rusty-James was seen fooling around with

1872-415: A mainly percussive soundtrack to symbolize the idea of time running out. As Coppola worked on it, he realized that he needed help from a professional musician. He asked Stewart Copeland , then drummer of the musical group The Police , to improvise a rhythm track. Coppola soon concluded that Copeland was a far superior composer and let him take over. Copeland recorded street sounds of Tulsa and mixed them into

1989-575: A major loan. With this new money, the Warners bought the pioneer Vitagraph Company which had a nationwide distribution system. In 1925, Warners' also experimented in radio, establishing a successful radio station, KFWB , in Los Angeles. Warner Bros. was a pioneer of films with synchronized sound (then known as "talking pictures" or "talkies"). In 1925, at Sam's urging, Warner's agreed to add this feature to their productions. By February 1926,

2106-546: A mascot to Warner Bros., its various divisions, and Six Flags (which Time Warner once owned). The success of the compilation film The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Movie in 1979, featuring the archived film of these characters, prompted Warner Bros. to organize Warner Bros. Animation as a new production division to restart production of original material. According to Warner's autobiography, prior to US entry in World War II , Philip Kauffman, Warner Bros. German sales head,

2223-413: A month-long strike. In retaliation, Warner—during his 1947 testimony before Congress about Mission to Moscow —accused multiple employees of ties to Communists. By the end of 1947, the studio reached a record net profit of $ 22   million (equivalent to $ 300 million in 2023). Warner acquired Pathé News from RKO in 1947. On January 5, 1948, Warner offered the first color newsreel , covering

2340-575: A motorcycle, broken glass, knives, gushing water and blood. The choreographer spent a week designing the sequence. Smuin also staged the street dance between Rourke and Diana Scarwid, modeling it after one in Picnic featuring William Holden and Kim Novak . Before filming started, Coppola ran regular screenings of old films during the evenings to familiarize the cast, and in particular the crew, with his visual concept for Rumble Fish . Most notably, Coppola showed Anatole Litvak 's Decision Before Dawn ,

2457-428: A net profit of $ 674,158.00. By 1936, contracts of musical and silent stars were not renewed, instead being replaced by tough-talking, working-class types who better fit these pictures. As a result, Dorothy Mackaill , Dolores del Río , Bebe Daniels , Frank Fay , Winnie Lightner , Bernice Claire , Alexander Gray, Alice White , and Jack Mulhall that had characterized the urban, modern, and sophisticated attitude of

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2574-652: A newt, but he has the heart of a revolutionary, and the talent of a great artist." Jack Kroll in his review for Newsweek stated: " Rumble Fish is a brilliant tone poem ... Rourke's Motorcycle Boy is really a young god with a mortal wound, a slippery assignment Rourke handles with a fierce delicacy.". David Thomson has written that Rumble Fish is "maybe the most satisfying film Coppola made after Apocalypse Now ".. Sofia Coppola named it as her favorite among her father's movies in an interview with The Guardian. Coppola himself has variously called it his favorite of his own movies and as among his three favorites, saying it "was

2691-486: A popular book by former ambassador James W. Gerard , was released. On April 4, 1923, with help from money loaned to Harry by his banker Motley Flint, they formally incorporated as Warner Bros. Pictures, Incorporated . (As late as the 1960s, Warner Bros. claimed 1905 as its founding date.) The first important deal was the acquisition of the rights to Avery Hopwood 's 1919 Broadway play, The Gold Diggers , from theatrical impresario David Belasco . However, Rin Tin Tin ,

2808-419: A rear projection screen. They put the fish tank in front of it with the tropical fish and shot it all with color film. Filming finished by mid-September 1982, on schedule and on budget. The film is notable for its avant-garde style, shot on stark high-contrast black-and-white film, using the spherical cinematographic process with allusions to French New Wave cinema. The striking black-and-white photography of

2925-431: A result of losses from the Great Depression, and Harry refused to restore it as the company recovered. Zanuck established his own company. Harry thereafter raised salaries for studio employees. In 1933, Warner was able to link up with newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst 's Cosmopolitan Films. Hearst had previously worked with MGM, but ended the association after a dispute with head producer Irving Thalberg over

3042-425: A result of their financial problems, Warner Bros. took the next step and released The Jazz Singer starring Al Jolson . This movie, which includes little sound dialogue, but did feature sound segments of Jolson singing, was a sensation. It signaled the beginning of the era of "talking pictures" and the twilight of the silent era. However, Sam died the night before the opening, preventing the brothers from attending

3159-458: A result, Harry Warner—while speaking at a convention of 1,500 independent exhibitors in Milwaukee, Wisconsin—was able to convince the filmmakers to spend $ 500,000 in newspaper advertising, and Harry saw this as an opportunity to establish theaters in places such as New York City and Los Angeles. As the studio prospered, it gained backing from Wall Street , and in 1924 Goldman Sachs arranged

3276-449: A rival gang leader and gets the upper hand, but is distracted by the Motorcycle Boy's return, causing him to be wounded. The Motorcycle Boy runs the man down with his cycle before nursing Rusty James back to health. Rusty James's awkward, nerdy friend Steve helps the Motorcycle Boy, but is wary due to his rumored insanity similar to that of his long-absent mother. The brothers spend time with their impoverished, alcoholic father, who notes that

3393-462: A single and enjoyed significant radio airplay. All songs written by Stewart Copeland, except where noted. Coppola did not employ the flashback structure of the novel. He also removed a few passages from the novel that further established Steve and Rusty James' relationship in order to focus more on the brothers' relationship. The theme of time passing faster than the characters realize is conveyed through time-lapse photography of clouds racing across

3510-620: A special Blu-ray edition of the film (and accompanying Steelbook edition) in the UK. In April 2017, the Criterion Collection released the film on Blu-ray and DVD. Chuck Bowen, in a review of the blu-ray edition, referred to Rumble Fish as one "of Francis Ford Coppola's most underrated and deeply felt films." He suggests that with the blu-ray edition, it "receives a gorgeously ephemeral restoration that should hopefully jump-start its reevaluation as an essential American work." Rumble Fish

3627-518: A top producer and between 1928 and 1933 served as Jack's right-hand man and executive producer , with responsibilities including day-to-day film production. More success came after Ernst Lubitsch was hired as head director; Harry Rapf left the studio to join Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer . Lubitsch's film The Marriage Circle was the studio's most successful film of 1924, and was on The New York Times best list for that year. Despite

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3744-515: A top star and signed him to a new contract, tripling his salary. In 1936, Harry's daughter Doris read a copy of Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind and was interested in making a film adaptation. Doris offered Mitchell $ 50,000 for screen rights. Jack vetoed the deal, realizing it would be an expensive production. Major Paramount star George Raft also eventually proved to be a problem for Jack. Warner had signed him in 1939, finally bringing

3861-686: A top star. Following High Sierra and after Raft had once again turned the part down, Bogart was given the leading role in John Huston 's successful 1941 remake of the studio's 1931 pre-Code film, The Maltese Falcon , based upon the Dashiell Hammett novel. Warner's cartoon unit had its roots in the independent Harman and Ising studio. From 1930 to 1933, Walt Disney Studios alumni Hugh Harman and Rudolf Ising produced musical cartoons for Leon Schlesinger , who sold them to Warner. Harman and Ising introduced their character Bosko in

3978-545: A top studio in Hollywood , but this changed after 1935 as other studios, notably MGM, quickly overshadowed the prestige and glamor that previously characterized Warner Bros. However, in the late 1930s, Bette Davis became the studio's top draw and was even dubbed as "The Fifth Warner Brother". In 1935, Cagney sued Jack Warner for breach of contract. Cagney claimed Warner had forced him to star in more films than his contract required. Cagney eventually dropped his lawsuit after

4095-460: A very successful musical under the direction of Lloyd Bacon. Warner assigned Bacon to "more expensive productions including Footlight Parade , Wonder Bar , Broadway Gondolier " (which he also starred in), and Gold Diggers that saved the company from bankruptcy. In the wake of 42nd Street 's success, the studio produced profitable musicals. These starred Ruby Keeler and Dick Powell and were mostly directed by Busby Berkeley . In 1935,

4212-411: Is 14, and he has already started drinking, smoking, gang-fighting and playing pool for money, all of which is considered normal in his group of friends. Rusty-James says that he and his older brother The Motorcycle Boy look alike (though nobody else thinks so), with the same "odd shade of dark red hair, like black-cherry pop" and eyes. Rusty-James says that his memory is screwed up sometimes; that's why at

4329-655: Is Coppola's professional suicide note to the movie industry, a warning against employing him to find the golden gross. No doubt: this is his most baroque and self-indulgent film. It may also be his bravest." David Denby in New York and Andrew Sarris in The Village Voice gave the film harsh reviews. Rumble Fish earned 77% based on 39 reviews at Rotten Tomatoes . The site's consensus states: " Rumble Fish frustrates even as it intrigues, but director Francis Ford Coppola's strong visual style helps compensate for

4446-575: Is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California , and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD). Founded in 1923 by four brothers, Harry , Albert , Sam , and Jack Warner , the company established itself as a leader in the American film industry before diversifying into animation , television , and video games , and

4563-665: Is crying about his mother, but Rusty never knew his own mother, so he cannot relate. When Patty finds out that Rusty had been with another girl at the party, she breaks up with him. Rusty feels there is nothing he can do to change what has happened. That same day, the principal at Rusty's school loses all patience with his misbehavior and truancy and informs Rusty that he is to be transferred to another school attended by Biff, his bitter rival. Rusty decides that he has nothing to lose by continuing his gang lifestyle. He recruits Motorcycle Boy and Steve to go out drinking to help him forget this terrible day. Motorcycle Boy tells Rusty that while he

4680-464: Is home though he practically ignores Rusty. Motorcycle Boy tells Rusty-James that the reason he can't stand to be home alone is that when their mother left, she took Motorcycle Boy with her and his father went on a three-day drinking binge, and Rusty-James (age 2 at the time) was left alone to fend for himself for that time. Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. , or abbreviated as WB , or WBEI )

4797-414: Is on drugs, which causes him to worry that the fight will not be a fair one. Rusty's fears are confirmed when Biff pulls a knife . Rusty is able to knock the knife away from Biff and beats him until it appears the fight is over. The Motorcycle Boy arrives and announces his return. Rusty is momentarily distracted and vulnerable to being attacked. Biff seizes the opportunity to grab the knife and stabs Rusty in

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4914-485: Is one of the "Big Five" major American film studios , as well as a member of the Motion Picture Association (MPA). The company is known for its film studio division, the Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group , which includes Warner Bros. Pictures , New Line Cinema , Warner Bros. Pictures Animation , Castle Rock Entertainment , DC Studios , and the Warner Bros. Television Group . Bugs Bunny ,

5031-663: The Cascade , in New Castle, Pennsylvania , in 1903. When the original building was in danger of being demolished, the modern Warner Bros. called the current building owners and arranged to save it. The owners noted people across the country had asked them to protect it for its historical significance. In 1904, the Warners founded the Pittsburgh -based Duquesne Amusement & Supply Company, to distribute films. In 1912, Harry Warner hired an auditor named Paul Ashley Chase . By

5148-531: The Poverty Row section of Hollywood, and acquire a much larger studio lot in Burbank . They expanded by acquiring the Stanley Corporation, a major theater chain. This gave them a share in rival First National Pictures , of which Stanley owned one-third. In a bidding war with William Fox , Warner Bros. bought more First National shares on September 13, 1928; Jack also appointed Zanuck as

5265-586: The Russian Empire ), in October 1889, a year after their father emigrated to the U.S. and settled in Baltimore , Maryland . As in many other immigrant families, the elder Wonsal children gradually acquired anglicized versions of their Yiddish -sounding names: Szmuel Wonsal became Samuel Warner (nicknamed "Sam"), Hirsz Wonsal became Harry Warner, and Aaron Wonsal (although born with a given name common in

5382-818: The Tournament of Roses Parade and the Rose Bowl Game . In 1948, Bette Davis, still their top actress and now hostile to Jack, was a big problem for Harry after she and others left the studio after completing the film Beyond the Forest . Warner was a party to the United States v. Paramount Pictures, Inc. antitrust case of the 1940s. This action, brought by the Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission , claimed

5499-480: The box office and the studio's net loss increased. During this time, Harry and six other movie studio figures were indicted for conspiracy to violate the Sherman Antitrust Act , through an attempt to gain a monopoly over St Louis movie theaters. In 1935, Harry was put on trial; after a mistrial, Harry sold the company's movie theaters and the case was never reopened. 1935 also saw the studio make

5616-464: The 1920s gave way to James Cagney , Joan Blondell , Edward G. Robinson , Warren William and Barbara Stanwyck , who would be more acceptable to the common man. The studio was one of the most prolific producers of Pre-Code pictures and had a lot of trouble with the censors once they started clamping down on what they considered indecency (around 1934). As a result, Warner Bros. turned to historical pictures from around 1935 to avoid confrontations with

5733-706: The Americas) became Albert Warner. Jack, the youngest brother, was born in London, Ontario , during the family's two-year residency in Canada. The three elder brothers began in the movie theater business, having acquired a movie projector with which they showed films in the mining towns of Pennsylvania and Ohio . In the beginning, Sam and Albert Warner invested $ 150 to present Life of an American Fireman and The Great Train Robbery . They opened their first theater,

5850-551: The B's". Foy was able to garnish arguably more profits than any other B-film producer at the time. During Foy's time at the studio, however, Warner fired him seven different times. During 1936, The Story of Louis Pasteur proved a box office success and star Paul Muni won the Oscar for Best Actor in March 1937. The studio's 1937 film The Life of Emile Zola gave the studio the first of its seven Best Picture Oscars . In 1937,

5967-520: The Breen office. In 1936, following the success of The Petrified Forest , Jack signed Humphrey Bogart to a studio contract. Warner, however, did not think Bogart was star material, and cast Bogart in infrequent roles as a villain opposite either James Cagney or Edward Robinson over the next five years. After Hal B. Wallis succeeded Zanuck in 1933, and the Hays Code began to be enforced in 1935,

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6084-759: The Flame (1930), Song of the West (1930), The Life of the Party (1930), Sweet Kitty Bellairs (1930), Under a Texas Moon (1930), Bride of the Regiment (1930), Viennese Nights (1931), Woman Hungry (1931), Kiss Me Again (1931), 50 Million Frenchmen (1931) and Manhattan Parade (1932). In addition to these, scores of features were released with Technicolor sequences, as well as numerous Technicolor Specials short subjects . The majority of these color films were musicals. In 1929, Warner Bros. bought

6201-499: The Motorcycle Boy in a pet store, where he is taken with the Siamese fighting fish (which he dubs "rumble fish" and are the only element of color in the film, as the Motorcycle Boy is colorblind ). Patterson, a police officer who hates the Motorcycle Boy, regards them with suspicion. Rusty James's father tells him that the Motorcycle Boy and their mother are people with an "acute perception" rather than crazy. The brothers ride back to

6318-443: The Motorcycle Boy takes after his mother. Rusty James quits school after his fighting gets him suspended and cheats on his girlfriend Patty at a party hosted by his friend Smokey. She breaks up with him and Smokey accosts her, making Rusty James realize that the party was set up so Smokey could take advantage of the situation and date her. Steve and the brothers go drinking and the Motorcycle Boy mentions that he found his mother dating

6435-687: The St. Louis-based theater chain Skouras Brothers Enterprises . Following this takeover, Spyros Skouras , the driving force of the chain, became general manager of the Warner Brothers Theater Circuit in America. He worked successfully in that post for two years and turned its losses into profits. Harry produced an adaptation of a Cole Porter musical titled Fifty Million Frenchmen . Through First National,

6552-453: The age of 14, Rusty is hanging out at Benny's, playing pool with his friends when he learns that Biff Wilcox wants to kill him. Rusty seems to think that Biff wants to kill him for the comments he made about a girl named Anita. He tells his friends what he said, and when the gang agrees that Rusty is telling the truth, the notion of fighting about it seems silly. Rusty gets angry with Steve for bringing up Motorcycle Boy (Rusty's older brother,

6669-495: The beach. It has been five years since they last saw each other. Steve is in college and Rusty is not long out of the reformatory . When Steve looks at the scar on Rusty's side, Rusty tells him that he got it in a knife fight . Steve remembers, and tells Rusty he was there when it happened. When Steve mentions that Rusty looks just like someone from their past, Rusty thinks he could have been happy to see Steve again if he had not made him remember everything. Rusty tells his story. At

6786-526: The beginning of every showing of Don Juan across the country) in 1926. Many film production companies questioned the necessity. Don Juan did not recoup its production cost and Lubitsch left for MGM. By April 1927, the Big Five studios (First National, Paramount, MGM, Universal Pictures , and Producers Distributing) had ruined Warners, and Western Electric renewed Warner's Vitaphone contract with terms that allowed other film companies to test sound. As

6903-420: The beginning of the Great Depression. In July 1930, the studio's banker, Motley Flint, was murdered by a disgruntled investor in another company. Harry acquired a string of music publishers (including M. Witmark & Sons , Remick Music Corp. , and T.B. Harms, Inc. ) to form Warner Bros. Music. In April 1930, Warner Bros. acquired Brunswick Records . Harry obtained radio companies, foreign sound patents and

7020-401: The brothers acquired the studio in 1928. Thanks to the success of The Jazz Singer , the studio was cash-rich. Jolson's next film for the company, The Singing Fool was also a success. With the success of these first talkies ( The Jazz Singer , Lights of New York , The Singing Fool and The Terror ), Warner Bros. became a top studio and the brothers were now able to move out from

7137-604: The character as the studio's first animated star. In addition to Porky, Daffy Duck (who debuted in 1937's Porky's Duck Hunt ), Elmer Fudd ( Elmer's Candid Camera , 1940), Bugs Bunny ( A Wild Hare , 1940), and Tweety ( A Tale of Two Kitties , 1942) would achieve star power. By 1942, the Schlesinger studio had surpassed Walt Disney Studios as the most successful producer of animated shorts. Warner Bros. bought Schlesinger's cartoon unit in 1944 and renamed it Warner Bros. Cartoons . However, senior management treated

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7254-528: The company's remaining one-third share from Fox. The Justice Department agreed to allow the purchase if First National was maintained as a separate company. When the Great Depression hit, Warner asked for and got permission to merge the two studios. Soon afterward Warner Bros. moved to the First National lot in Burbank. Though the companies merged, the Justice Department required Warner to release

7371-543: The corner of his mouth — taken from a photograph of the author that Rourke used as a visual handle. Rourke remembers that he approached his character as "an actor who no longer finds his work interesting". Coppola hired Michael Smuin , a choreographer and co-director of the San Francisco Ballet , to stage the fight scene between Rusty James and Biff Wilcox because he liked the way he choreographed violence. He asked Smuin to include specific visual elements:

7488-434: The end of the book The Motorcycle Boy is in the pet store staring at some Betta fish , which he calls "Rumble Fish", hence the name of the book. Steve Hays is Rusty-James' best friend. Rusty-James says that Steve is 14, like him, but looks 12. Unlike Rusty-James, Steve doesn't smoke, drink or fight. Biff Wilcox is Rusty-James' rival, introduced early in the book when Rusty is told that Biff wants to kill him. They have

7605-698: The feature Don Juan starring John Barrymore . The film was silent, but it featured a large number of Vitaphone shorts at the beginning. To hype Don Juan ' s release, Harry acquired the large Piccadilly Theater in Manhattan , New York City , and renamed it Warners' Theatre. Don Juan premiered at the Warners' Theatre in New York on August 6, 1926. Throughout the early history of film distribution, theater owners hired orchestras to attend film showings, where they provided soundtracks . Through Vitaphone, Warner Bros. produced eight shorts (which were played at

7722-436: The film I really wanted to make". Film critic Roger Ebert gave the film three-and-a-half out of four stars and wrote, "I thought Rumble Fish was offbeat, daring, and utterly original. Who but Coppola could make this film? And, of course, who but Coppola would want to?" In her review for The New York Times , Janet Maslin wrote that "the film is so furiously overloaded, so crammed with extravagant touches, that any hint of

7839-430: The film's cinematographer, Stephen H. Burum , lies in two main sources: the films of Orson Welles and German cinema of the 1920s. When the film was in its pre-production phase, Coppola asked Burum how he wanted to film it and they agreed that it might be the only chance they were ever going to have to make a black-and-white film. Coppola envisioned a largely experimental score to complement his images. He began to devise

7956-667: The film—sued the studio for displaying "vicious, untrue and false attacks" against him in the film. After appearing in the Warner's film The Man Who Played God , Bette Davis became a top star. In 1933, relief for the studio came after Franklin D. Roosevelt became president and began the New Deal . This economic rebound allowed Warner Bros. to again become profitable. The same year, Zanuck quit. Harry Warner's relationship with Zanuck had become strained after Harry strongly opposed allowing Zanuck's film Baby Face to step outside Hays Code boundaries. The studio reduced his salary as

8073-476: The first Looney Tunes cartoon, Sinkin' in the Bathtub , and created a sister series, Merrie Melodies , in 1931. Harman and Ising broke away from Schlesinger in 1933 due to a contractual dispute, taking Bosko with them to MGM. As a result, Schlesinger started his own studio, Leon Schlesinger Productions , which continued with Merrie Melodies while starting production on Looney Tunes starring Buddy ,

8190-453: The five integrated studio-theater chain combinations restrained competition. The Supreme Court heard the case in 1948, and ruled for the government. As a result, Warner and four other major studios were forced to separate production from the exhibition. In 1949, the studio's net profit was only $ 10   million (equivalent to $ 128.06 million in 2023). Warner Bros. had two semi-independent production companies that released films through

8307-455: The governments of England and the United States. By the middle of 1943, however, audiences had tired of war films, but Warner continued to produce them, losing money. In honor of the studio's contributions to the cause, the Navy named a Liberty ship after the brothers' father, Benjamin Warner. Harry christened the ship. By the time the war ended, $ 20 million in war bonds were purchased through

8424-701: The independent circuit. At the San Sebastián International Film Festival , it won the International Critics' Big Award . At its world premiere at the New York Film Festival however, there were several walkouts and at the end of the screening, boos and catcalls. Former head of production at Paramount Pictures Michael Daly remembers legendary producer Robert Evans ' reaction to Coppola's film, "Evans went to see Rumble Fish , and he remembers being shaken by how far Coppola had strayed from Hollywood. Evans says, 'I

8541-571: The inspiration for the film's smoky look, F. W. Murnau 's The Last Laugh to show Matt Dillon how silent actor Emil Jannings used body language to convey emotions, and Robert Wiene 's The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari , which became Rumble Fish' s "stylistic prototype". Coppola's extensive use of shadows, oblique angles, exaggerated compositions, and an abundance of smoke and fog are all hallmarks of these German Expressionist films. Godfrey Reggio 's Koyaanisqatsi , shot mainly in time-lapse photography , motivated Coppola to use this technique to animate

8658-421: The knife wound, Rusty shows up for school the next day. After school, he steals a set of hubcaps from a car near Benny's, while Steve talks about his mother's recent hospitalization. The owner of the car notices the theft in progress and begins chasing the boys, accompanied by a couple of his friends. Rusty and Steve barely escape. The situation scares Steve, and he cries as they walk home. Rusty assumes that Steve

8775-443: The lack of financing, Coppola recorded the film on video, in its entirety, during two weeks of rehearsals in a former school gymnasium and afterwards was able to show the cast and crew a rough draft of the film. To get Rourke into the mindset of his character, Coppola gave him books written by Albert Camus and a biography of Napoleon . The Motorcycle Boy's look was patterned after Camus complete with trademark cigarette dangling out of

8892-429: The manager of First National Pictures. In 1928, Warner Bros. released Lights of New York , the first all-talking feature. Due to its success, the movie industry converted entirely to sound almost overnight. By the end of 1929, all the major studios were exclusively making sound films. In 1929, First National Pictures released their first film with Warner Bros., Noah's Ark . Despite its expensive budget, Noah's Ark

9009-444: The musical group The Police , who used a Musync, a new device at the time. In Tulsa, Oklahoma , Rusty James is the younger brother of "The Motorcycle Boy", a legendary figure amongst the gangs in the area who brokered peace between them. The Motorcycle Boy has been missing for two months, leaving the gangs to start to dissolve as heroin takes over the streets, while Rusty James tries to live up to his reputation. Rusty James fights

9126-438: The night before. Rusty tells Steve that he is worried about his brother, but he is not sure why. He asks Steve to help keep an eye on him. Steve refuses because he cannot afford to do anything that would cause him to get into more trouble. Rusty leaves, and he will not see Steve until they meet at the beach in five years. Rusty goes to Benny's and finds out that Patty is now dating his friend Smokey who had set Rusty up by inviting

9243-532: The ocean. Francis Ford Coppola was drawn to S. E. Hinton 's novel Rumble Fish because of the strong personal identification he had with the subject matter — a younger brother who hero-worships an older, intellectually superior brother, which mirrored the relationship between Coppola and his brother, August. A dedication to August appears as the film's final end credit. The director said that he "started to use Rumble Fish as my carrot for what I promised myself when I finished The Outsiders ". Halfway through

9360-438: The other girls to get Patty to break up with him. Instead of being angry, Rusty envies Smokey for being smart enough to think up that kind of a plan. B. J. tells Rusty that Motorcycle Boy is in the pet store looking at the fish. Rusty goes to the pet store, and the two watch the fish. Motorcycle Boy calls them rumble fish because they would kill each other if they could. He wonders if the fish would still act that way if they were in

9477-465: The pet store, where the Motorcycle Boy sets the animals loose while Rusty James fails to convince him to return to gang life. As the Motorcycle Boy asks him to take his cycle to the Pacific and hurries to a nearby river to drop the fighting fish, he is shot dead by a patrolling Patterson. Rusty James takes the fish and finishes carrying them to the river before speeding away on the motorcycle, taking it to

9594-426: The premiere. Jack became sole head of production. Sam's death also had a great effect on Jack's emotional state, as Sam was arguably Jack's inspiration and favorite brother. In the years to come, Jack kept the studio under tight control. Firing employees was common. Among those whom Jack fired were Rin Tin Tin (in 1929) and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. (in 1933), the latter having served as First National's top star since

9711-451: The production of The Outsiders , Coppola decided that he wanted to retain the same production team, stay in Tulsa , and shoot Rumble Fish right after The Outsiders . He wrote the screenplay for Rumble Fish with Hinton on Sundays, their day off from shooting The Outsiders . Warner Bros. was not happy with an early cut of The Outsiders and passed on distributing Rumble Fish . Despite

9828-555: The revival was affected by Berkeley's arrest for killing three people while driving drunk. By the end of the year, people again tired of Warner Bros. musicals, and the studio — after the huge profits made by 1935 film Captain Blood  — shifted its focus to Errol Flynn swashbucklers . With the collapse of the market for musicals, Warner Bros., under Zanuck, turned to more socially realistic storylines. Because of its many films about gangsters, Warner Bros. soon became known as

9945-448: The river. Later that night, Motorcycle Boy breaks into the pet store and starts setting the animals free. Rusty tries to stop him, but it is no use. Motorcycle Boy grabs the rumble fish and heads for the river as police arrive. An officer fires a warning shot that hits him. He dies near the river with the rumble fish flopping on the ground, dying beside him. Rusty knows the shooting was intentional. He screams and smashes his fists through

10062-441: The same cast and crew, particularly Matt Dillon and Diane Lane. Rumble Fish is dedicated to Coppola's brother August . The film is notable for its avant-garde style with a film noir feel, shot on stark high-contrast black-and-white film, using the spherical cinematographic process with allusions to French New Wave cinema and German Expressionism . Rumble Fish features an experimental score by Stewart Copeland , drummer of

10179-423: The side. Motorcycle Boy steps in and ends the fight by breaking Biff's wrist. Motorcycle Boy and Steve manage to get Rusty home to the apartment the boys share with their mostly absent alcoholic father. Motorcycle Boy talks about his recent trip to California . Rusty falls asleep and dreams about his older brother. Rusty is uncomfortable being himself and is preoccupied with becoming just like his brother. Despite

10296-405: The sky and numerous shots of clocks. The black-and-white photography was meant to convey the Motorcycle Boy's color blindness while also evoking film noir through frequent use of oblique angles, exaggerated compositions, dark alleys, and foggy streets. Coppola utilized many new filmmaking techniques never before used in the production of a commercial motion picture, and the film was well received on

10413-441: The sky in his own film. Six weeks into production, Coppola made a deal with Universal Studios and principal photography began on July 12, 1982 with the director declaring, " Rumble Fish will be to The Outsiders what Apocalypse Now was to The Godfather ." He shot in deserted areas at the edge of Tulsa with many scenes captured via a hand-held camera in order to make the audience feel uneasy. He also had shadows painted on

10530-413: The soundtrack with the use of Musync—a music and tempo editing hardware and software system invented by Robert Randles (subsequently nominated for an Oscar for Scientific Achievement), to modify the tempo of his compositions and synchronize them with the action in the film. An edited version of the song "Don't Box Me In", a collaboration between Copeland and singer/songwriter Stan Ridgway , was released as

10647-576: The studio hired Midwestern radio announcer Ronald Reagan , who would eventually become the President of the United States . Although Reagan was initially a B-film actor, Warner Bros. was impressed by his performance in the final scene of Knute Rockne, All American , and agreed to pair him with Flynn in Santa Fe Trail (1940). Reagan then returned to B-films. After his performance in the studio's 1942 Kings Row , Warner decided to make Reagan

10764-411: The studio reported a net loss of $ 333,413. After a long period denying Sam's request for sound, Harry agreed to change, as long as the studio's use of synchronized sound was for background music purposes only. The Warners signed a contract with the sound engineer company Western Electric and established Vitaphone . In 1926, Vitaphone began making films with music and effects tracks, most notably, in

10881-467: The studio since 1935. The court ruled in de Havilland's favor and she left the studio in favor of RKO Radio Pictures, and, eventually, Paramount. Through de Havilland's victory, many of the studio's longtime actors were now freed from their contracts, and Harry decided to terminate the studio's suspension policy. The same year, Jack signed newly released MGM actress Joan Crawford , a former top star who found her career fading. Crawford's first role with

10998-587: The studio was 1944's Hollywood Canteen . Her first starring role at the studio, in the title role as Mildred Pierce (1945), revived her career and earned her an Oscar for Best Actress. In the post-war years, Warner Bros. prospered greatly and continued to create new stars, including Lauren Bacall and Doris Day . By 1946, company payroll reached $ 600,000 a week and net profit topped $ 19.4   million (equivalent to $ 303.1 million in 2023). Jack Warner continued to refuse to meet Screen Actors Guild salary demands. In September 1946, employees engaged in

11115-399: The studio was forced to abandon this realistic approach in order to produce more moralistic, idealized pictures. The studio's historical dramas, melodramas (or "women's pictures"), swashbucklers, and adaptations of best-sellers, with stars like Bette Davis , Olivia de Havilland , Paul Muni , and Errol Flynn , avoided the censors. In 1936, Bette Davis, by now arguably the studio's top star,

11232-408: The studio's profit increased substantially. After the success of the studio's 1929 First National film Noah's Ark , Harry agreed to make Michael Curtiz a major director at the Burbank studio. Mort Blumenstock, a First National screenwriter, became a top writer at the brothers' New York headquarters. In the third quarter, Warner Bros. gained complete control of First National, when Harry purchased

11349-513: The studio's top gangster stars after appearing in the successful film, which convinced audiences to question the American legal system. By January 1933, the film's protagonist Robert Elliot Burns—still imprisoned in New Jersey—and other chain gang prisoners nationwide appealed and were released. In January 1933, Georgia chain gang warden J. Harold Hardy—who was also made into a character in

11466-990: The studio, the Red Cross collected 5,200 pints of blood plasma from studio employees and 763 of the studio's employees served in the armed forces, including Harry Warner's son-in-law Milton Sperling and Jack's son Jack Warner Jr. Following a dispute over ownership of Casablanca 's Oscar for Best Picture, Wallis resigned. After Casablanca made Bogart a top star, Bogart's relationship with Jack deteriorated. In 1943, Olivia de Havilland (whom Warner frequently loaned to other studios) sued Warner for breach of contract. De Havilland had refused to portray famed abolitionist Elizabeth Blackwell in an upcoming film for Columbia Pictures . Warner responded by sending 150 telegrams to different film production companies, warning them not to hire her for any role. Afterwards, de Havilland discovered employment contracts in California could only last seven years ; de Havilland had been under contract with

11583-682: The studio: Doctor X (1932) and Mystery of the Wax Museum (1933). In the latter part of 1931, Harry Warner rented the Teddington Studios in London, England. The studio focused on making " quota quickies " for the domestic British market and Irving Asher was appointed as the studio's head producer. In 1934, Harry officially purchased the Teddington Studios. In February 1933, Warner Bros. produced 42nd Street ,

11700-410: The success of Yankee Doodle Dandy at the box office, Cagney again questioned if the studio would meet his salary demand and again quit to form his own film production and distribution company with Bill. Another employee with whom Warner had troubles was studio producer Bryan Foy . In 1936, Wallis hired Foy as a producer for the studio's low budget B movies leading to his nickname "the keeper of

11817-698: The success of Rin Tin Tin and Lubitsch, Warner's remained a lesser studio. Sam and Jack decided to offer Broadway actor John Barrymore the lead role in Beau Brummel . The film was so successful that Harry signed Barrymore to a long-term contract; like The Marriage Circle , Beau Brummel was named one of the ten best films of the year by the Times . By the end of 1924, Warner Bros. was arguably Hollywood's most successful independent studio, where it competed with "The Big Three" Studios ( First National , Paramount Pictures , and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)). As

11934-459: The third top 1930s gangster actor into the Warners fold, knowing that he could carry any gangster picture when either Robinson or Cagney were on suspension. Raft had difficulty working with Bogart and refused to co-star with him. Eventually, Warner agreed to release Raft from his contract in 1943. After Raft had turned the role down, the studio gave Bogart the role of "Mad Dog" Roy Earle in the 1941 film High Sierra , which helped establish him as

12051-476: The thirties and forties, even though it was clearly the most budget-conscious of them all." — Film historian Andrew Sarris in "You Ain't Heard Nothin' Yet.": The American Talking Film History & Memory, 1927–1949 . Another gangster film the studio produced was the critically acclaimed I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang , based on a true story and starring Paul Muni , joining Cagney and Robinson as one of

12168-592: The time of World War I , they had begun producing films; in the early 1920s they acquired their first studio facilities on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood. Sam and Jack produced the pictures, while Harry and Albert, along with their auditor and now-controller Chase, handled finance and distribution in New York City. During World War I their first nationally syndicated film, My Four Years in Germany , based on

12285-610: The treatment of Hearst's longstanding mistress, actress Marion Davies , who was struggling for box office success. Through his partnership with Hearst, Warner signed Davies to a studio contract. Hearst's company and Davies' films, however, did not increase the studio's profits. In 1934, the studio lost over $ 2.5 million, of which $ 500,000 was the result of a 1934 fire at the Burbank studio, destroying 20 years' worth of early Vitagraph, Warner Bros. and First National films. The following year, Hearst's film adaption of William Shakespeare 's A Midsummer Night's Dream (1935) failed at

12402-446: The unit with indifference, beginning with the installation as senior producer of Edward Selzer , whom the creative staff considered an interfering incompetent. Jack Warner had little regard for the company's short film product and reputedly was so ignorant about the studio's animation division that he was mistakenly convinced that the unit produced cartoons of Mickey Mouse , the flagship character of Walt Disney Productions . He sold off

12519-464: The unit's pre-August 1948 library for $ 3,000 each, which proved a shortsighted transaction in light of its eventual value. Warner Bros. Cartoons continued, with intermittent interruptions, until 1969 when it was dissolved as the parent company ceased its production of film shorts entirely. Characters such as Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Tweety , Sylvester , and Porky Pig became central to the company's image in subsequent decades. Bugs in particular remains

12636-475: The very start of the book he has trouble remembering who his old-best friend, Steve Hays, is. The Motorcycle Boy , whose real name is never mentioned, is Rusty-James' older brother. He is said to have an obsession with motorcycles and is away from home for long periods of time. On a trip to California, he finds their mother who left home when Rusty-James was very young. Everyone likes him. Rusty-James says that people look at him, stop, and then look again. Towards

12753-477: The walls of the sets to make them look ominous. In the dream sequence where Rusty James floats outside of his body Matt Dillon wore a body mold which was moved by an articulated arm and also flown on wires. To mix the black-and-white footage of Rusty James and the Motorcycle Boy in the pet store looking at the Siamese fighting fish in color, Burum shot the actors in black and white and then projected that footage on

12870-520: The war, eliminating its B Pictures unit in 1941. Bryan Foy joined Twentieth Century Fox. During the war era, the studio made Casablanca ; Now, Voyager ; Yankee Doodle Dandy (all 1942); This Is the Army , and Mission to Moscow (both 1943). The last of these films became controversial a few years afterwards. At the premieres of Yankee Doodle Dandy (in Los Angeles, New York, and London), audiences purchased $ 15.6 million in war bonds for

12987-410: The window of the police car. Rusty is back on the beach with Steve, five years later. Steve asks him if he ever went back home after his brother's death. Rusty says no. Steve invites him out for dinner and tells him where to meet later. Rusty decides that he never wants to see Steve again so that he can start forgetting about Motorcycle Boy. Rusty-James is the main character of the novel. Rusty-James

13104-502: Was in California, he saw their mother. Rusty has only vague memories of her because she abandoned the family when he aged two. Rusty's father had begun drinking when his mother left. After watching Motorcycle Boy play pool, Rusty and Steve get separated from him and end up in an unfamiliar part of town. The boys are mugged and Rusty was beaten. Once again, Motorcycle Boy saves them. Rusty goes to Steve's house and discovers that Steve's father had beaten him severely for staying out past curfew

13221-596: Was murdered by the Nazis in Berlin in 1936. Harry produced the successful anti-German film The Life of Emile Zola (1937). After that, Harry supervised the production of more anti-German films, including Confessions of a Nazi Spy (1939), The Sea Hawk (1940), which made King Philip II an equivalent of Hitler , Sergeant York , and You're In The Army Now (1941). Harry then decided to focus on producing war films. Warners' cut its film production in half during

13338-498: Was profitable. In 1929, Warner Bros. released On with the Show! , the first all-color all-talking feature. This was followed by Gold Diggers of Broadway which would play in theaters until 1939. The success of these pictures caused a color revolution. Warner Bros. color films from 1929 to 1931 included The Show of Shows (1929), Sally (1929), Bright Lights (1930), Golden Dawn (1930), Hold Everything (1930), Song of

13455-412: Was released on October 8, 1983 and it only grossed $ 18,985 on its opening weekend, playing in one theater. Its widest release was in 296 theaters and it was a box office disaster, grossing only $ 2.5 million domestically. Its estimated budget was $ 10 million; a large sum for the time. Jay Scott wrote for The Globe and Mail , "Francis Coppola, bless his theatrical soul, may have the commercial sense of

13572-426: Was scared. I couldn't understand any of it.'" The film was first released on VHS in 1984 and on DVD on September 9, 1998 with no extra material. A special edition was released on September 13, 2005 with an audio commentary by Coppola, six deleted scenes , a making-of featurette, a look at how Copeland's score was created and the "Don't Box Me In" music video. In August 2012, The Masters of Cinema Series released

13689-447: Was unhappy with her roles. She traveled to England and tried to break her contract. Davis lost the lawsuit and returned to America. Although many of the studio's employees had problems with Jack Warner, they considered Albert and Harry fair. In the 1930s many actors and actresses who had characterized the realistic pre-Code era, but who were not suited to the new trend into moral and idealized pictures, disappeared. Warner Bros. remained

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