Jinx Money

The Bowery Boys movies are a hit or miss affair. "Jinx Money" falls on the miss side of the ledger. It's a pretty laughless affair. I'm not even sure there were any jokes in it. The Boys are in okay form. Their supporting cast is unusually strong. Sheldon Leonard and Donald MacBride add a lot of class to a pretty weak production. There is also a weird Sach dream sequence that is not funny at all. It comes out of left field. It should have stayed there. The only thing that "Jinx Money" has going for it is its very friendly running time (68 minutes). Other than that, "Jinx Money" brings nothing to the table.

In one of the earlier "Bowery Boys adventure" films, Leo Gorcey (Slip!) and Huntz Hall ( Sach!) lead the gang on some caper. Here, they find a bundle of money that was lost by the dead guy, and now they are on the run from the people that want that money back. and the guys that want the money are not nice guys! the usual combination of word-play, mixed in with cat and mouse chasing around the mulberry bush. it's another chapter of the guys trying to get rich quick, but they must learn their lesson the hard way. Directed by WIlliam Beaudine, as usual. Had directed so many of the bowery boys films. Once again, Leo worked his brother David and his father Bernard into the films. also keep an eye out for sheldon leonard, who was such a force as actor, director, and producer in old hollywood.... he's Lippy Harris. and keep an eye out for Donald MacBride.. he kept saying "Jumping Butterballs!" in Room Service, with the Marx Brothers! in this one, he's the silly police captain who keeps bellowing, instead of getting out and solving the crime. meh..... its so so. they milked this bit for YEARS...

Perpetually broke, Leo Gorcey (as Terrance "Slip" Mahoney) and Huntz Hall (as "Sach" Jones) are thrown out of "Louie's Sweet Shop" for lack of funds - they owe $3.80 to proprietor Bernard Gorcey (as Louie). After they contemplate splitting up for greener pastures, the duo stumble upon a stashed $50,000 gambling payoff. Believing their money woes are over, they launder (wash and dry) the money, with fellow "Bowery Boys" William "Billy" Benedict (as Whitey), David Gorcey (as Chuck), and Benny "Bennie" Bartlett (as Butch). Reporter friend Gabriel Dell (as Gabe) publicizes the find, which helps draw the attention of both the police and the original gamblers, who want the money bad...

With this entry, Mr. Bartlett (re-)joins the group, as "Butch Williams". Bartlett had been a member of both the "East Side" and the "Gas House" kids, and roamed in the recent Bowery release "Angels' Alley", as a wayward young criminal. Seniority goes to Mr. Benedict's "Whitey", however, for the scraps of lines not uttered by the starring team of Gorcey & Hall. Gorcey and the gang move into a "promiscuous" new clubhouse, and make the most of the haphazard storyline. Sheldon Leonard (as Lippy Harris) and Donald MacBride (as James Q. Broaderik) notably play their type. In short, everyone makes the most of "Jinx Money", which can be, in itself, appealing.

**** Jinx Money (6/27/48) William Beaudine ~ Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall, Sheldon Leonard

When the story begins, a man wins $50,000 in a poker game. After he leaves, some unseen person with an umbrella murders him...but fails to take the money. The next day, as Sach and Slip are walking down the street, Sach finds a newspaper with the money inside...and the gang all assume they are rich. However, again and again, various crooks come to steal the money away from the boys...and each time the thief soon is murdered! It's as if the money is cursed...and in each case, the man with the umbrella is somehow involved.

As another reviewer noticed, Sach is less stupid than usual...even clever. That's odd, that's for sure! And, making the gang less stupid overall was a good decision. Because of this, it's one of the better installments of the Bowery Boys...the 10th of 48...yes, 48 films in the series. And, this isnt' even counting the various other incarnations of the gang, such as the Dead End Kids, the East Side Kids or The Little Tough Guys!

Augie Pollack wins $50k in a backroom poker game. He puts the money in a bundle of newspaper comics and gets murdered. Slip and Sach find the money bundle. They try to deposit it in the bank, but makes a spectacle of themselves. Gangster Jake 'Cold Deck' Shapiro robs them and promptly gets poisoned by a mystery umbrella man. Police Capt. James Q. Broaderik investigates and suggests turning the jinx money over to the cops.

I like the premise especially for the boys. I would like the story to be less messy or be more messy and add a lot more screwball slapstick. It's their tenth film. It's relatively middle of the road for a Bowery Boys movie.