The Young Philadelphians is a 1959 American legal drama film directed by Vincent Sherman and starring Paul Newman, Barbara Rush, Robert Vaughn and Alexis Smith. The film is based on the 1956 novel The Philadelphian, by Richard P. Powell. Plot Newlywed Kate Judson Lawrence (Diane Brewster) is distraught to discover on her wedding night that her upper-class Philadelphia Main Line husband, William (Adam West) never really wanted to marry her, when he says, "It was my mother who wanted this marriage, to give her a grandson. But I can't love you, Kate, I can't love anyone." After William leaves her that night, she seeks comfort from longtime working-class friend and former beau Mike Flanagan (Brian Keith). The next day, Kate learns that William died of suicide in a car wreck. She gives birth to a son, Anthony Judson "Tony" Lawrence, and raises him in light of his last name. Years later, Tony (Paul Newman) is a smart, ambitious college student working his way through school as a construction worker with his sights on becoming a lawyer. One day, he encounters socialite Joan Dickinson (Barbara Rush) when she has a minor car accident. They soon fall in love, though Joan is expected by nearly everyone in her lofty social circle to marry millionaire Carter Henry (Anthony Eisley). Their mutual friend, Chester "Chet" Gwynn (Robert Vaughn), warns her not to let social pressure separate her from the one she loves as it did him. They decide to elope. However, Joan's father Gilbert Dickinson (John Williams) persuades Tony to postpone the wedding by offering him invaluable career help and a job at the highly esteemed law firm of which he is a full partner. Believing Tony has allowed himself to be bought, a disillusioned Joan sails to Europe. When Carter follows her, she marries him. Devastated and angry, Tony realizes that Joan's father wanted her to marry into another wealthy family, and only offered Tony help with his career in the hope of breaking them up. Tony then devotes himself to working his way up the social ladder and learning the game of the wealthy. Fellow student Louis Donetti (Paul Picerni) tells Tony about a wonderful opportunity he has to assist John Marshall Wharton (Otto Kruger) in writing a law book. Tony becomes acquainted with Wharton's much younger wife Carol (Alexis Smith) and steals the job from his classmate. Living and working at