mark.waltz The he-man woman haters club are invaded by the most unwanted of pests: an intrusive little girl who won't take no for an answer. She is the smart one, it turns out, advising them not to do something that goes all wrong. One is caught and pleads guilty without incriminating his pals, and then poof. Time goes by and that loyal little thug is the king of the old neighborhood known as Hell's kitchen, aka the title, the devil's playground.This is moderately enjoyable yet more of the same, Dead End on the Hudson as opposed to the East River, and it's the same story of young boys choosing different paths as the big boss us taken down. Victor McLaglen takes on the lead role, holding good natured reunions every year which includes the now older pesky girl (Beverly Roberts) who sings in a night club. Rival gangs cut in, resulting in murder, and from there, it's only a matter of time for violence to erupt and innocent parties to be caught in the middle. Like "Angels With Dirty Faces", one of the old gang (Paul Kelly) becomes a priest, with the other (William Gargan) remaining with McLaglen. The script is filled to the brim with clichés, and in spite of a fast pace, it often becomes convoluted. Pretty much the same film as "Angels With Dirty Faces" which had the benefit of good acting and a good script. This just ends up with the former.

dougdoepke Pretty good thick-ear. Four Hell's Kitchen kids keep up their friendship into adulthood even though one has become a gambler (McLaglen), one a priest (Kelly), two are cops (Gargan & Gallaudet), and the girl (Roberts) a singer. Now their lives intertwine in problematic ways as crime confronts the law.Looks like the plot's a variation on a familiar theme of the time (1930's)—kids growing up on opposite sides of the law only to confront one another later on. The concept creates a rich mine for conflicting emotions and loyalties. Here McLaglen has to navigate between gambling interests and loyalty to boyhood friends. The narrative sticks pretty closely to this line with its complications. The acting's okay, though emotions never build to an intensity. Instead, we're pulled along more by plot than characters. Certainly, McLaglen is capable of an intensity when so called upon, but not here. Oddly, there's not much action or violence despite the loaded title. I guess the two fires and smoke are supposed to justify the hellish expectations.All in all, the hour seldom rises above programmer status, but might serve old movie fans on a slow evening.

kidboots Taken from the book "Hell's Kitchen Has a Pantry" by Borden Chase (who was originally a mobster's chauffeur, so knew his way around the mean streets) it seems to have more than a passing resemblance to "Angels With Dirty Faces" which was released earlier the same year. I also wondered if the producers of "Sleepers" (1996) had seen it as well, as both had a very similar start - a group of slum kids are involved in a bigger crime while trying to steal a fruit wagon.Only the ring leader Marty (Mickey Rentschler) is caught and goes to reform school, but the next scene has him as jovial Victor McLauglin, head of a Broadway casino and preparing to host a dinner for his old pals. Helen, the only girl member of the gang (initially played by Juanita Quigley) of course is the club's resident singer. Two of the gang have become firemen and while on a call out realise that the electric sign that has killed a known gambler (Bill Elliot in an early non Western appearance) has been deliberately severed. Joe is eager to report it to the police and leaves Mike (William Gargan) dancing with Helen while he returns to the scene of the crime. He is later found dead after falling from the roof.Mike has now become a one man vigilante team determined to avenge his brother's death, specifically targeting Marty (who was indirectly the cause). Add Father Jerry to the plot and you have a poor man's "Angels With Dirty Faces". I thought Paul Kelly and William Gargan gave the best performances - Victor McLauglin was okay but too much the lovable lug to be convincing as an ambitious hoodlum. And Dickie Jones, Sonny Bupp, Scotty Beckett and Juanita Quigley were four of the cutest street kids ever to come out of Hell's Kitchen - only Mickey Rentschler rang true!! Where were the Dead End Kids when you needed them? They would have added authenticity.

classicsoncall The parallels to the same year's "Angels With Dirty Faces" is unmistakable, right down to the character of Father Jerry, portrayed in this picture by Paul Kelly. I'm a bit curious about the opening scene in which the street sign marking 35th Street and 11th Avenue also states Hell's Kitchen; I wonder if that was really the case. Or if it's the case today, I'll check the next time I'm in the City.This was actually a fairly compelling gangster/crime drama, centering on five friends who palled together as the Death Avenue Cowboys. Growing up on different sides of the law, they collide in a series of events triggered by Marty Malone's (Victor McLaglen) insistence on collecting a gambling debt. Events quickly spiral out of control when one of the O'Mara Brothers suspects foul play in the death of a gambler connected to Malone. Mike O'Mara (William Gargan) learns the truth behind his boyhood friend's connection to brother Joe's (John Gallaudet) death, culminating in dire consequences for each of the principals. The female member of the 'Cowboys' is played by Beatrice Roberts, the adult Helen McCoy.I've seen Victor McLaglen in a few leading roles (1937's "Sea Devils" comes immediately to mind), and this might be his best effort as a headliner. Actually, he pretty much carries the picture, with William Gargan in a decent supporting role as policeman Mike O'Mara, attempting to get to the bottom of Joe's death. McLaglen's death scene doesn't evoke the same tear jerk response that Cagney's did in 'Angels', but it's still effective within the confines of his former childhood gang.For followers of the Little Rascals/Our Gang flicks, the opening scene will be reminiscent, but with a little harder edge, as Death Avenue Cowboys might suggest. The surprise in the film credits, for me at least, was seeing Wild Bill Elliott listed as gambler Brewster who welshed on his debt with Malone. The other puzzler involved the gang roster engraved in the wooden plaque at the beginning of the story; why was Marty Malone, the leader of the 'Cowboys' and the oldest member, listed last?