The Cross and the Switchblade

The film "The Cross and the Switchblade" (1970) tells the true story of David Wilkerson, a Christian evangelist who, in 1958, begins to minister to disillusioned youth in a crime-ridden neighborhood in New York City. With the help of Little Bo, David quickly learns about the neighborhood and approaches the cynical juveniles, eventually encountering the Mau Maus, a gang led by Nicky Cruz. David's message of hope reaches Nicky, who later becomes an ordained minister, and the two start a center called Teen Challenge to support teens.