Un loup dans la bergerie

It seems that as of late, I've gotten a sick addiction to the Bowery Boys. I'm actually starting to look FORWARD to seeing their movies. Although the movies don't really change from movie to movie (Leo Gorcy always begins tough but softens by the end, Huntz Hall is there to screech at Gorcy, and Bobby Jordan, the best looking one (he's a real hottie actually) is always there to neutralize everything. For some dumbass reason, and maybe I'm not the only one thinking this, I'm starting to detect a rather subtle homoerotic undertone to their movies too. That would be a real cool subject to study.

Anyways, on to the movie! In Pride Of The Bowery, for some odd reason, Huntz Hall is missing, not for the plot of the movie, just nada, he's not in the movie at all. It's just Gorcy and Jordan, plus a bunch of kids I didn't recognize. Anyways, Gorcy is training to be a boxer. And the gang decide the way to make some money is to go to a work camp. (smart move). Of course Gorcy is butting heads almost immediately with authority figures in the camp, and of course the obligatory boxing match between Gorcy and one of the authority figures there (who, coincidentally, is quite good looking) doesn't solve anything. But soon, yes, Gorcy's heart melts for a down-in-his-luck bunkmate's tale of woe about his Mom and how she needs money for something. So Gorcy agrees to fight for cash down at the stadium, and soon there's a goyle that wanders into the picture too.

So once again, hyper male-dominated situations, curious shirtless scenes (nearly all the Bowery Boys films has them) and suggestive dialogue.

Yeah, something is not quite right in Bowreyville

This is the third East Side Kids picture former Our Ganger Ernie "Sunshine Sammy" Morrison appeared in as Scruno. Here, he doesn't seem part of the gang but already part of the Civilian Conservation Corps group but his demeaning scene of carrying the bags of the gang is one of the few he's in. He has a better scene with lead Leo Gorcey when he's selling flowers in the street on the weekend. Gorcey wants to box but in a better place than the slums so his buddy Bobby Jordan tricks him into joining the organization I just mentioned. I'll just now say this wasn't a bad drama with some good humor sprinkled in. So on that note, I say give Pride of the Bowery a look.

When they were still the east side kids. Pretty rough copy on tubi free streaming... and badly in need of restoration. Rough edits, washed out pictures. Sound quality to match. But it is free! Muggs (leo gorcey) shows up at a training camp, and tries to take over as lead dog. But the boys push back and put him in his place. The usual antics and arguements, that will be settled in the ring. Gotta learn some lessons. Right and wrong. Seems to be aimed at a younger crowd, but it's watchable. Bobbie jordan, sam morrison. Gorcey's brother david is in this one, but not his dad. Directed by joe lewis, who made three of these films with leo gorcey. From monogram pics. After this series, gorcey, hall and some of the crew started making the bowery boys films.

This East Side Kids Drama celebrates the Civilian Conservation Corps one of the best programs of FDR's New Deal of the Thirties. In fact when I wrote the review for Wild Boys Of The Road, I mentioned that the CCC was the New Deal answer to the homeless young men of America wandering the country looking for work.

In Pride Of The Bowery Leo Gorcey is a budding prizefighter of one of lighter weight classes and Bobby Jordan is his manager. Because Gorcey needs to train and doesn't, too many distractions in the big city, Jordan tricks him and friends into signing up for the CCC where he'll get plenty of exercise in dealing with the preservation of America's wilderness.

With the usual Leo Gorcey attitude he doesn't make too many friends in the camp other than the ones he brought with him from the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Later on true to the street code Gorcey gets himself jammed up when he's accused of stealing and he won't rat out the guy who did.

Pride Of The Bowery is one of the better East Side Kids features awash with sentimentality, but still entertaining after over 70 years.

The East Side Boys lived in the poor section of Manhattan in the Lower East Side known as the Bowery. Leo Gorcey leads the cast and the gang as Mugs Malone. When somebody tricks him and the gang to sign up for the Civilian Conservation Corps in the country, he is at first arrogant that he is too good for them. But slowly, he manages to come around. He and the gang work all day with food and shelter provided for them. In exchange, they get to send some money home like $22.00 a month to their families which is a lot of money during the end of the Great Depression. Anyway, Mugs Malone is a good friend and will help out a friend in need. When a friend gets into trouble, Mugs comes to the rescue and boxes to help him out without explanation. This film is part of the East Side Boys film series.