Bowery Battalion

Only hampered by the lack of production values that Allied Artists gave this film, they had just changed their name from Monogram Pictures, prevents me from giving this more stars. Bowery Batallions finds the Bowery Boys joining the army and catching a ring of spies, presumably Communist spies given the year of the film, 1951.

The film is also a great example of how Leo Gorcey was not any smarter than the others, just that he was loud and asserted his authority that way. Huntz Hall and the other geniuses join the army because of a rash of patriotism that wanted them to defend the USA after they mistook a simulated air strike on New York for the real thing. Huntz Hall shooting at planes with kid's cap pistol is a sight.

Leo however joins the army because the same recruiting sergeant who signed Huntz and the gang gets Leo to sign this piece of paper and he can 'visit' his friends. The funniest sequence in the film by far is when he and the other guys grab some uniforms off the rack because they don't like the ill fitting duds the army has given them. Problem is that they're officers uniforms and when wearing them, they're directed to the officer's club for eats and start mingling with the brass they're in a heap of trouble when day one in the Armed Forces hasn't finished.

Donald MacBride is in the film in his usual role as an exasperated authority figure, in this case a sergeant trying to make these boys fit to defend their country. All in all it's a fine Bowery Boys comedy and it might make you fans of their's if you've never seen any of their films.

The gang mistakes a practice air raid for the real thing. They immediately sign up for the military. Slip tries to stop them but gets trapped himself. The boys get into constant trouble at camp but end up rescuing Louie and saving a secret weapon from foreign spies.

This was released soon after the start of the Korean War. I doubt it's anything deliberate. This is not wartime patriotism but rather a random coincidence. "At ease" is a funny button to a comedy scene. The spy stuff is very convoluted but that could work in a screwball comedy. I would leave Louie out of this one or at least interrogate him into the story in a more simple way. All in all, this is ok for Bowery completist.

While sharing a soda with a young blond boy, hapless Huntz Hall (as Horace De Bussy "Sach" Jones) mistakes a mock "Air Raid" drill for the real thing. Feeling patriotic, Mr. Hall takes three of "The Bowery Boys" to join the U.S. Army. Soon, wise guy leader Leo Gorcey (as Terence Aloysius "Slip" Mahoney) arrives to find father Bernard Gorcey (as Louie Dumbrowsky) has barricaded his "Sweet Shop", fearing an attack. After learning his missing pals have gone to enlist, Mr. Gorcey seeks to retrieve them. But, Leo Gorcey is tricked into enlisting himself, by drill sergeant Donald MacBride (as Herbert Frisbie).

After turning the elder Gorcey away as too old, the Army recruits heroic "Major Dumbrowsky", due to his past service record (he invented the "hydrogen ray"). Meanwhile, son Gorcey, Hall, William "Billy" Benedict (as Whitey), Buddy Gorman (as Butch), and David Gorcey (as Chuck) provide Sgt. MacBride and the Army with "Bowery Boy" high-jinx. The best bit involves Gorcey and the gang unwittingly donning officers' uniforms. MacBride's engaging "Sgt. Frisbie" characterization gives the tired, old plot some spark.

**** Bowery Battalion (1/24/51) William Beaudine ~ Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall, Donald MacBride

This was kind of in the center of the bowery boys films, which means all three gorceys are in it... Leo, his brother, and his father. Along with huntz hall and billy benedict. In this one, when the military does a mock raid on the city, the boys join up. Although slip was already 35. Would the army really take him at 35, six years after the end of WW II, much less dumbrowski, at age 65 ? The usual silly bowery boys madness. Donald mcbride (was always yelling at the marx brothers) is in here as sergeant frisbie. Can the gang stay out of jail long enough to figure out who the spy is? All part of the bowery boy recipe of fun. Entertaining, if you go along for the ride. Directed by bill beaudine, who made tons of films with the bower boys crew. Leo gorcey wasn't in the last few bowery boys films, after his dad had died in a car accident. Leo passed away at age 55.

I am watching Bowery Battalion (1951) on TCM right now. Sach sees an air raid drill going on in the Bowery and thinks it the real thing. He, Whitey, Butch, and Chuck rush down the army recruiting office to serve their country in time of war. When finds out what they've done, he goes to get them out, but winds up signing enlistment papers too! When the recruiting sergeant asks Slip his occupation, he responds with "spy." That sounds a little better than "shiftless loafer." Naturally, the boys get in trouble from the start and wind up in guardhouse. Louie misses the boys so much he tries to enlist, but is turned down. However, Louie was actually a hero in WWI for bravery under fire. He was also known for inventing a hydrogen ray, which supposedly could devastate the enemy, but was later proven impractical. The army wants to catch some spies lurking around the base, and decides to recall Louie and make him a major. Then they can use him and his hydrogen Ray weapon as bait to catch the bad guys. Naturally, things don't go as planned and Louie gets kidnapped. Can the boys come to his rescue in time?

The opening theme is a snappy rendition of "You're in the army now." Leo Gorcey is credited first, above the title. Then Huntz Hall by himself. The supporting actor page lists Bernard Gorcey and William Benedict (Whitey) in larger letters than Buddy Gorman (Butch) and David Gorcey (Chuck).

Bowery Battalion (1951) is an entertaining BB movie and is made better by the performance of Donald McBride as Sergeant Frisbie. This one is well worth watching.