Streets of New York

Jackie Cooper runs a news stand, takes care of four youngsters, and is studying law. He's facing a gang of young hoods who threaten to take his corner away from him. According to them, the only thing stopping them is his older brother, Dick Purcell, a hoodlum Cooper hasn't seen in years, since their mother died.

It's an unfocused second feature directed by WIlliam Nigh that seems to cannibalize the remaining fondness of Jackie Cooper from back when he became the youngest person ever nominated for the Best Actor Oscar. Hes given good support from the likes of Marjorie Reynolds and George Irving, but in the end little changes, and it becomes a character study of a young man who simply wants to get through the day and become a lawyer.

Well, this was quite a surprise. Jackie Coogan plays the hell out a kid trying to make a name for himself and also trying to influence the other kids on his block to look up to him. Seeing that most of the kids in the area are Dead-End-Kid Wannabes, you can tell it's not going to be easy. His main focus is a kid his family has taken in since both of his parents are dead. The kid is disabled too. His name? Yes! It's Gimpy! After a somewhat slow start what with Coogan's character successfully getting the neighborhood kids out of a charge of gambling with Dice, and getting into a long winded conversation about how Abe Lincoln was the greatest person alive, the film shifts mostly to Coogan's relation to Gimpy. Gimpy doesn't have a lot going for him, and Coogan wants that to change, so when Christmas comes around, he wants it to be the best ever for Gimpy! (Bring a Kleenex for these scenes (I needed one!), Soon a subplot involving Coogan's gangster older brother comes into play, and guess who gets caught in the middle! (Hint, bring more Kleenex). I REALLY liked Coogan in this one, his performance here is so underplayed, powerful and strong.

In the basement of the building where he grew up on the mean "Streets of New York", teenage law student Jackie Cooper (as James "Jimmy" Michael Keenan) lives with crippled orphan Martin Spellman (as William "Gimpy" McKinley Smith). The little lad is the youngest of Mr. Cooper's newsboy troupe. Cooper runs a newsstand by day while studying law at night. The perseverant and highly ethical young man is known as "The Abe Lincoln of Ninth Avenue" (giving the film a second title).

Cooper and his newsboys must contend with tough-guy rival David Durand (as "Spike" Morgan), who breaks young Spellman's crutches and vows to take over Cooper's beat. A greater threat, ironically, is posed by Cooper's older brother Dick Purcell (as "Tap" Keenan), an elusive and successful businessman gangster who makes headlines in the newspapers Cooper sells. Big brother's criminal ways lead to heartbreak for Cooper, but happiness may be just around the corner...

The story is set during Christmas, which should hint at where events lead. It's all very programmed, but classier than you might be expecting from a low-budget "Monogram" production. A natural, Cooper gives the characterization his usual best. The scene where Cooper gives the reluctant Spellman a rough bath, after ironing in his shorts, is one highlight (the outtakes are classic). George Cleveland (as "Pop" O'Toole) is endearing as a grandfatherly neighbor with a gambling habit.

The other members of Cooper's newsy street gang are Sidney Miller (as "Jiggsy"), Buddy Pepper (as "Flatfoot"), Bobby Stone (as "Beansy"), and William Bucker (as "Sammy"). They seem to be modeled after the "Dead End" kids, and appeared in related films. It's almost impossible not to join in when the lads sing "Silent Night" after Christmas dinner with judge George Irving (as Joe Carroll) and pretty niece Marjorie Reynolds (as Anne). "Sleep in heavenly peace, sleep in heavenly peace."

****** Streets of New York (4/12/39) William Nigh ~ Jackie Cooper, Martin Spellman, George Irving, George Cleveland

Of the three Jackie Cooper vehicles from the late '30s that I've seen that he made for Monogram Pictures, I consider this one the best of the bunch. Here, he's an aspiring lawyer who's earning his pay running a newsstand in the rough streets of New York employing many kids not much younger than him. Actually, there's one pre-teen in Gimpy (Martin Spellman) he's employing as well as looking after at home since both his parents are gone. As you probably figured out by his name, Gimpy is handicapped with a crutch to walk with. He's the kind of character teen Cooper could've played 7 years earlier. They have a nice rapport going on. Cooper's character also has to deal with a rough gang wanting to take over his corner and an adult brother who's a racketeer that he wants noting to do with. That brother was played by Dick Purcell who would eventually be the first one to portray Captain America on screen (though that Cap's civilian name wasn't Steve Rogers but Grant Gardner). Oh, and there's some nice sentiment at a Christmas party concerning a kindly judge and his niece played by a lovely young lady named Marjorie Reynolds. So in summary, Streets of New York is worth a look for anyone interested in these vintage B-movies.

Fashioned from an admixture of several cinematic genres, this hybrid Monogram Pictures melodrama is perhaps most distinguished for its naturalistic deployment of key players, in particular the lead, Jackie Cooper, and talented child actor Martin Spellman. A remarkably mature (16 year old!) Cooper performs as Jimmy Keenan, owner/operator of a busy New York City corner newsstand while supervising a diverse collection of rambunctious newsboys, including the very young "Gimpy" Smith (Spellman) whose abrasive veneer fails to cover his juvenile vulnerability, all while Keenan is attending night school, his purpose to become an attorney, while adopting as his own the ethical principles of his idol, Abraham Lincoln (the film's original title was ABRAHAM LINCOLN OF NINTH STREET). Although Jimmy faces a violent foe in Spike Moore (David Durand) who intends to arrogate by force his street corner business, and is additionally burdened with the unsavoury reputation earned by Keenan's gangster brother Tap (Dick Purcell), he rejects all offers of assistance, instead facing up to Spike and his confederates while looking after his youthful employees along with elderly "Pop" O'Toole (George Cleveland), who lives in a room next to Jimmy's within the basement of the old house wherein the Keenan brothers had been raised. Artless in his resolution to do only what is morally correct, Jimmy nevertheless finds that it is increasingly difficult to pardon the sociopathic behaviour of Tap and of Moore, so that in time he, Gimpy, and the other newsboys warmly welcome the kindness offered by Judge Carroll (George Irving) and his daughter Anne (Marjorie Reynolds) as the film moves towards a poignant conclusion. The supporting cast is composed for its largest part of very competent players, while Cooper neatly forsakes all opportunities to emote, instead creating a noteworthy performance for one so young by playing the part of an older man, in clear contrast to later cinematic norms that determine actors will fill roles that are below their actual ages. The melodrama is capably directed without affectation by old hand William Nigh, and Harry Neumann does all one might desire as cinematographer for a production that, as with virtually all Monogram pictures, is granted only sparse funding. Newly reissued upon an Alpha Video DVD that is not remastered, the film's general quality of both visual and audio reproduction is good, with few skips. However, heavy cutting, particularly for the final scenes, becomes corruptive for such an episodic scenario as has this work. In spite of that, the piece is now available in a format that is as well constituted as can be expected and will provide a viewer an opportunity to enjoy some strongly realistic, well-photographed sequences.