A change of course for Furie after directing a couple of Cliff Richard vehicles. Rita Tushingham is a working class girl who leaves school at sixteen to enter into a marriage with the similarly inexperienced Colin Campbell. They prove incompatible.
Campbell finds diversion through his love for motorcycling and his gang are the leather boys of the title. The film is rich with images from the world of bikers in the mid-sixties and their hang-outs, particularly the Ace Cafe on the A1 where they start their pivotal race.
Through this lifestyle, Campbell meets Dudley Sutton, another adolescent, though a more worldly character who the younger boy starts to rely on. But Sutton has an unexpected other life. Tushingham is the nominal star, but Sutton dominates the film with an irresistible performance. The real draw is his relationship with Campbell. Both still young, but having to behave like adults, not yet sure what the rules are.
The Leather Boys is a must see for those who enjoy the new realism that reinvigorated UK cinema between the war and the permissive society.
Enjoyed the film, but the quality of the print was very poor - like watching on a 405-line TV back in the day.