The Purple Gang (1959)

Lou Krugman: Dr. Riordan

Quotes 

• Joan MacNamara : [to the police commissioner, while unaware that Harley is behind her listening]  You take this- this spectacle I witnessed last night. *Big,* burley policemen, *man*-handling boys.

  Police Lt. William P. Harley : Just a minute, miss. These are not nice little boys being ill-treated by big, bad policemen. They're tough, you understand, they're tough and they're dangerous and they're getting worse.

  Police Commissioner : Go easy, lieutenant. Dr. Riordan here and Miss MacNamara are...

  Police Lt. William P. Harley : [interrupts]  I know who they are and what they are. I also know that gang of punks we rounded up last night, the Purple Gang, and to them you don't spout big words outta books.

  Joan MacNamara : They have grown up without love, without home life, with no real feeling of security!

  Police Lt. William P. Harley : Look, miss, and you too, Doctor, you've got to start your work in the cradle. When kids turn criminal and start running in gangs it's too late, and with this bunch you've just turned loose it's a way too late.

  Dr. Riordan : They're products of their environment...

  Police Lt. William P. Harley : [interrupts, bellowing]  Aren't we all products of our environment? You say they suffered shock in childhood, they come from broken homes... so do thousands of kids, yet they manage to grow up and make decent citizens. Look, I- I tell ya, Chief, the only solution now is to get tough.