dougdoepke Dead End kids may get the billing, but it's really Stanley Fields' (Buck) movie. A Wallace Beery look-a-like, his fractured English and Runyonesque manner hit the right notes for what is really a soft hearted gangster. Seems he's got to help out at a boy's home or he's off probation and into the slammer. Trouble is the boys' home is run by cruel supervisor Krispan (Grant Mitchell in a fine performance), who's also skimming money from donors. So Buck uses gang money to buy in and run the home in a more humane manner. But the scheming Krispan's got other ideas.The subplot here is interesting since it's the wayward boys and the soft-hearted gangster who come across as humane and just, while the politically connected, respectable guy is the real crook. It's sort of a reversal of what is usually expected, but perhaps not unusual for the restive 1930's.Anyway, Bobby Jordan (Tony) shows his chops in a nicely calibrated emotional scene, while Gorcey (Gyp) does his tough guy bit, and Halop shows leadership abilities. Surprisingly, Huntz Hall (Bingo) has a secondary, non-comedic role, unlike his later dominating role in the long- running series. Reagan fans may be disappointed since his is also a secondary role, but at least he gets the girl as played by the fetching Margaret Lindsey.All in all, the movie's an entertaining combo of serious themes seasoned with humor. However that hokey hockey game looked anything but real since there was neither officiating nor penalties for roughhousing. But that's a relatively minor point in an otherwise well executed production.

MartinHafer The fact that this is a remake of a 1933 film and a reworking of a film made in 1938 is not that unusual for Warner Brothers. Often they remade films only a year or two or three later. Other studios often did the same but Warner seemed to do it a lot. In spite of this being a remake, and I usually hate remakes, I found I enjoyed this every bit as much as the other two films--perhaps a little more. This is because instead of the tough guys Cagney or Bogart playing the lead, this one had Stanley Fields who brought an entirely different element. He was much larger and scarier looking but also had a comedic edge to him--sort of like a big criminal teddy bear!! The only part that didn't work for me was the whole hockey team angle--that was weird and the street kids seemed practically like champion skaters almost immediately! Still, this is an enjoyable Warner film and another chance to see the early (and best) incarnation of the Dead End Kids--a group that morphed and changed a lot over the years as the East Side Kids and the Bowery Boys (which were almost like a parody of the Dead End Kids). Well worth seeing.

Michael_Elliott Hell's Kitchen (1939) ** 1/2 (out of 4) The Dead End Kids star in this remake of The Mayor of Hell and Crime School. This time out (again) a gangster (Stanley Fields) gets out of going to prison but he must do good in the community so he gets involved with a reform school where he soon learns that the owner is abusing the boys. If you've seen either of the previous versions then you won't be shocked by anything that happens here but Fields is good enough to raise the material to a watchable level. There's several failed attempts at humor, which brings the film down some but the drama is pretty strong throughout. Ronald Reagan plays Fields lawyer.

jim riecken (youroldpaljim) The Dead End Kids are unfortunate residents of the crookedly run Hudson Boys Shelter. Paroled gangster Buck Ceaser is advised by his lawyer nephew that making a contribution to the shelter would be good for his image. For a while conditions at the shelter improve, but Krispen, the shelters warden, fears the contributions from Caeser might raise suspicion, and lead to an audit. An audit is the last thing Krispen wants. Krispen fears an audit would certainly expose his clever graft scheme. Krispen arranges for Ceaser to get into a fight, thus violating his parole. With Caeser out of the way, Krispen returns to his iron fist rule over the boys. Krispens favorite punishment is locking unruly boys in "the cooler." When Joey (Bobby Jorden) causes Krispens wrath, he locks Joey in the cooler. Joey, a weak sickly boy dies as result of his stretch in the cooler. Krispen arranges a private funeral. At the funeral the arrogant Krispen delivers an eulogy that blames the boys. This causes the boys to revolt and take control of the shelter. The boys put Krispen on a mock trial. The Verdict: Krispen is to "join Joey." This is my favorite Dead End Kids film. The boys are all in top form and they overshadow the films star lead Ronald Reagan. Frankie Burke, who played James Cagney as a boy in ANGELS WITH DIRTY FACES, plays a member of the gang in this one. His resemblance to James Cagney was uncanny.