Pie in the Sky is a 1964 American film drama written and directed by Allen Baron

Allen Baron

Allen Baron is an American actor, film and television director. He is mostly known for writing and directing in 1961 the film noir Blast of Silence, where he also plays the lead role...

 and starring Lee Grant

Lee Grant

Lee Grant is an American stage, film and television actress, and film director. She was blacklisted for 12 years from film work beginning in the mid-1950s, but worked in the theatre, and would eventually win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as Felicia Carp in the...

. Although filmed in 1962, financial and distribution problems delayed release until 1964. Shortly after the initial release, it was retitled Terror in the City.

Characters and story

A nine-year-old boy, Brill (Richard Bray), who lives on a farm, hitchhikes to New York City. He finds work selling papers with a gang of shoeshine boys and paper carriers managed by teen punk Rick (Jaime Charlamagne), who keeps half their earnings. Brill wins Rick's money in a crap game, and he goes on the town with his Puerto Rican friend Paco (Roberto Marsach).

When Rick's gang gives Brill a beating, prostitute Suzy (Lee Grant) takes care of Brill, buys him new clothes and takes him on a tour of Manhattan. After Suzy is picked up by the police, Brill buys a bicycle to ride back to the farm. However, a truck ruins the bicycle on the highway, and he stays the night at the home of an elderly African-American couple. Back home the next day, he gives his father the rest of his money.