On Dress Parade

As Donald Douglas lays dying, he asks WWI buddy John Litel to succor his delinquent son, Leo Gorcey. As Litel is the commanding officer of a military academy, he grabs Gorcey and takes him to the academy, where the other members of the Dead End Kids are cadets.

The last of seven movies featuring the Dead End Kids is basically a remake of Boy's Town, with Litel as Spencer Tracy and Gorcey as Mickey Rooney. With Bryan Foy the producer, you know you're deep in B territory, and while the time passes without boredom, it doesn't offer much more.

After this, the troupe of young men went various ways, into two successor groups. After the War, Gorcey and Huntz Hall were the two leaders in a long-running B series for Monogram, "the Bowery Boys", which played for decades on television, and about which director William Beaudine said "There's someone waiting for this c**p?"

ON DRESS PARADE (Warner Brothers, 1939) directed by William Clemens, became the sixth and final "Dead End Kids" installment for the studio, and their least known and revived. Taken from an original screenplay credited to Tom Reed and Charles Belden, the story elements, especially during its second half, is actually revamped from an earlier military academy musical-drama, SHIPMATES FOREVER (1935) starring Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler. The only original idea is not having the "Dead End Kids" working together as a group of teens who end up in trouble, either getting involved with a gangster(s) or ending up in reform school. Regardless of top billing going to Billy Halop in the closing credits, ON DRESS PARADE rightfully belongs to the fifth-billed Leo Gorcey, that as an unruly character of high intellect.

The story begins with a prologue during the World War in 1918 where Michael Riker (John Litel) risks his life on the battlefield saving William Duncan (Donald Douglas), forming a lifelong friendship. Following a montage through the passage of time, 1920, 1927, 1929, 1933 and to modern-day 1939, the story resumes with Colonel Riker, now head of the Washington Military Academy for Boys, receiving note that William Duncan is dying and wants to see Riker immediately. Before he dies, Riker is asked from Duncan's deathbed to take care of his son. Following a meeting where Slip Duncan (Leo Gorcey), a hard-to-handle teenager living under the roof of Mrs. Neeley (Cissie Loftus), who would rather drink beer and play pool all day, gets the impression that he will be sent to reform school, thus, accepting Riker's invitation to enlist at his academy of cadets instead. While there, Slip refuses to abide by the rules and gets written up by his superiors. Cadet Major Jack Rollings (Billy Halop), commander of the regiment, is the only one who feels Duncan should be given a second chance to reform himself, regardless of getting the silent treatment from his fellow cadets, Johnny Cabot (Huntz Hall), Ronny Morgan (Bobby Jordan) and Georgie Warren (Gabriel Dell), following a serious accident among one of the other cadets. Co-starring Frankie Thomas (Cadet Murphy); Douglas Meins (Hathaway) and Aldrich Bowker (Father Ryan). Bernard Punsley, usually a member of the gang, is the only one of the "Dead End Kids" not part of the group. He's simply close friend of Slip back in the city with only two brief scenes.

With Leo Gorcey carrying on the first name of Slip, one would immediately think of that very name he used in his popular and long-running "Bowery Boys" series (1946-1956) for Monogram Pictures. Huntz Hall, best remembered as Gorcey's sidekick, Sach, from that same series, doesn't get much to do in ways of comedy, in fact, neither do the other Dead End Kids members as well. It might have been better off had ON DRESS PARADE been a solo Gorcey effort instead, for which that is what it appears to be. There are no female counterparts here for romantic interest, only the elderly Cissie Loftus for one brief scene. The film plays quickly, in fact, 62 minutes, with scenes briefed and no long-winded dramatics. Regardless of its overly sentimental dramatics as a whole, ON DRESS PARADE benefits more for the elevation in stardom for Leo Gorcey for his future films range of both "The East Side Kids" (1940-1945) and "Bowery Boys" series to come.

Shown once in a while on Turner Classic Movies cable channel. ON DRESS PARADE has been placed on DVD with another Dead End Kids drama, HELL'S KITCHEN (1939) on its flip side. (**)

Slip Duncan (Leo Gorcey) is on the path to reform school. His dying father is concerned about his future. With his father's friends and the grandparents, they decide to trick him into military school. Initially, he does not get along with anyone including the other cadets like Cadet Johnny Cabot (Huntz Hall).

This is The Dead End Kids leading their own movie. I'm not sure if I like this movie or not. I don't particularly like the message. Right from the start, Slip is tricked into joining. I don't know if reforming The Dead End Kids with military school is the best option. It is important that Slip learns from a mistake leading to some more compelling life lessons. The rest is simply not that compelling. Also, this is 1939 with war on the horizon. I can see the appeal of being a pro-military movie.

Huntz Hall told a super story about his old pal Leo Gorcey, along with Gabe Dell, to Mike Douglas on his tv show back in the 70s. You can find this on YOUTUBE. He said both on and off the screen Leo was the boss of the gang, at least the one with all the chutztpah! He drove Jack Warner and the rest at Warner Brothers nuts, but he also had the talent, especially for snappy one liners. The story goes that one night Gorcey, he and Gabe happened upon a lot of cars that were used in the movies. Leo picked the biggest sedan, they all hopped in and went for a drive around Burbank! Huntz Hall asked him how long he was driving, to which Leo replied "This is the first time I ever drove a car!" This kind of sums up this movie, which was the last the gang made for Warners, before the East Side kids and the famous Bowery Boys. Gorcey plays Slip (the same character name he had in the Bowery Boys) who is a problem teenager! There's some very dramatic moments at play here which leads to Slip re-evaluating his past (redemption) and going to military school, hence the title ON DRESS PARADE. True, it's an old storyline, long used by the Dead End Kids, but its fun to watch Gorcey (who knew his stuff on camera) get in and out of another mess and admit he needed an attitude adjustment. Great support from all the familiars, including Billy Halop, Bobby Jordan, Gabe Dell and Huntz Hall, who isn't as goofy as he was in the Bowery Boys, but he has his moments. Interestingly, this was written by veteran Tom Reed, whose career spanned back to the silent era, beginning with the original PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (starring Long Chaney). He also was a contributing writer to the iconic BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1935), before working at Warner Brothers. The gang's all here, but Leo is da man! Remastered on dvd WB box sets. Warners later acquired all the Bowery Boys movies and also remastered them into super box sets.

While this is an Dead End Kids film, it's style is quite different. Instead of it consisting of a group of young hoodlums (such as in "Dead End" or "Crime School" or "Angels with Dirty Faces"), the only budding ex-con is played by Leo Gorcey. As for the rest, they are pretty normal...especially Huntz Hall! Oddly, Hall does not play the usual idiot!

The story begins, briefly, during WWI and shows some guys fighting and bonding. Soon it switches to 1939. One of the three friends, Colonel Duncan, has died and his two friends come to pay their respects. Soon they realize the Colonel's son is a real punk in need to discipline and they think a stretch in military school will shape him up. Of course, Slip Duncan (Gorcey) has zero interest in anything other than petty crime, so they have to trick him into agreeing to go to the school. Once there, Slip expects the entire school to change just for him...and he makes a lot of enemies in the process. It gets so bad that they strongly are considering tossing him out of the school. Can Slip get with the program or is he destined for a life of crime and, eventually, prison?

In many ways, this film feels like Warner Brothers is remaking MGM's "Boys Town"...a huge hit from the previous year. Gorcey is essentially playing Mickey Rooney's role...and it pretty much goes the say way.

I was surprised that I liked this film as much as I did...much of it because Gorcey wasn't playing his Bowery Boys character, Slip Mahoney. His character had more depth...and the rest of the gang are more likable...less annoying. Overall, an enjoyable old fashioned film.