Boys of the City

Boys Of The City is the only film of the East Side Kids that had a continuity with the previous one in the series. It is the second film in the series and first one with former Dead End Kids Leo Gorcey and Bobby Jordan in the cast. When the Dead End Kids were turned loose from their Warner Brothers contract, Sam Katzman of Monogram started signing them and I'm sure on the cheap.

For whatever reason, I suspect box office, Katzman replaced a lot of the young actors in the first film when he found the better known Dead End kids at liberty. One character who was not replaced is Dave O'Brien who was cleared of the crime that put him on death row he repeats his character of Knuckles Dolan, brother of Bobby Jordan.

The kids are up to their usual mischief and O'Brien decides a little time in the country is what they need away from the big city streets. On the way up the car breaks down and O'Brien and the kids have to spend a night in an old house that looks just like something from some English murder mystery. It even has a Mrs. Danvers like housekeeper in Minerva Urecal.

It's owned as it happens by the judge who sent O'Brien to the death house in the first film. So when he winds up strangled O'Brien is accused of the crime. Of course the kids find out who did it.

I have to say the murderer was a surprise in this one. All the usual signs pointed to other characters, but for once Sam Katzman showed a bit of creativity here.

Boys Of The City is a good East Side Kids film and from Monogram, it's practically a classic.

The fourteenth "Dead End"-related film introduces "The East Side Kids" as a series banner. Herein, Bobby Jordan replaces Harris Berger (as Danny Dolan), from the previous "East Side Kids" movie. Dave O'Brien (as "Knuckles" Dolan) continues as Mr. Jordan's reformed older brother. Fellow "Dead End" kid Leo Gorcey (as Muggs McGinnis) joins "Danny's Gang" (after three films, Mr. Gorcey will become the undisputed leader). The returning junior gangsters are: Hally Chester (as Buster), Frankie Burke (as Skinny), Donald Haines (as Peewee), and David Gorcey (as Pete).

This film most notably introduces former "Our Gang" member Ernest "Sunshine Sammy" Morrison (as Scruno), a new member of the Bowery "kids". Unfortunately, Mr. Morrison is included as insulting, race-based comic relief; and, the story doesn't take advantage of Joseph H. Lewis' relatively fine direction (or some good locations). Fortunately, Morrison would be allowed to bring some integrity to the "Scruno" character; in later films (like "Bowery Blitzkrieg") he plays a more dignified humorous role.

The story begins with Mr. O'Brien and well-to-do Eugene Francis (as Algy Wilkes) expressing concern about "Danny's Gang", and their propensity for trouble. Their fears prove to be well-founded, as Jordan and the "Boys of the City" decide to get relief from hot New York City streets by opening up a fire hydrant. The incident lands the lads in juvenile court - but, the judge allows them cool their heels by spending some time in the country. They wind up in a spooky old mansion, with scene-stealing Minerva Urecal (as Agnes).

***** Boys of the City (7/15/40) Joseph H. Lewis ~ Bobby Jordan, Leo Gorcey, Ernest Morrison, Minerva Urecal

I never thought I would say it, but this Gorcey and gang entry had me wishing for the buffoonery of Huntz Hall. That would at least have livened up some of the byplay. Except for a few clever malaprops, the only "humor" comes from Scruno's crudely racial gags. Otherwise, the gang trails after Jordan and Gorcey in pretty unimaginative fashion. Director Lewis may have been a brilliant helmsman of noir, but he doesn't seem comfortable with low-grade humor. That may be because the screenplay loads too much familiar plot into an hour's run-time, which Lewis then has to coordinate. Anyway, as others point out, Urecal's performance as the witchy housekeeper is worthy of an A-feature, making the 60-minutes almost worthwhile. All in all, if you think you've seen the spooky plot done better before, you probably have, (Spooks on the Loose {1941}, Ghosts Run Wild {1943}).

The pieces weren't quite all there yet (paging Huntz Hall!), but this erratic poverty row feature set the parameters for the long running Bowery Boys series. Additionally, the film was directed by Joseph H. Lewis, who did his best to add interesting camera angles and spooky lighting to this low budget affair. Unfortunately, TCM's print is in very rough condition and a lot of Lewis' work has been washed out by decades of mishandling. Nonetheless, this is well worth a look for fans of the noir director as well as those who enjoy the teenage antics of the East Side Kids.

If there's one regrettable element in Boys of the City, it's the appalling racism of screenwriter William Lively's script. One of the most commendable things about the later films in this series is the (generally) colour blind approach to Sammy Morrison's character, but in this effort, poor Sammy was burdened with jokes about spooks, watermelon, the ol' plantation, and his beloved Mammy. Still and all, he does a good job with the material and remains (after Gorcey and Hall) the most memorable of the series' characters.

Boys of the City has relatively good production values and the story and props are creepy enough to make it suspenseful and exciting.

Unlike Ghosts on the Loose, most of the "gang" gets talking time.

But let's cut to the chase. There are twists and turns and there is a mansion-wide hunt for Miss Louise and a mysterious stalker who roams the house.

Something I want to Know: when the "gang" and Knuckles and the Asst. D.A. split up to search the grounds, where is Buster and Skinny? They just disappear until the chase.

I enjoyed this tremendously and renew its acquaintance every once and then. It is not to the level of Spooks Run Wild, but it's a very close second.