Bowery Blitzkrieg
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Wallace Fox
Leo Gorcey
Bobby Jordan
Huntz Hall
Keye Luke
Warren Hull
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
Two police officers patrolling the streets of New York City's Bowery discuss the lamentable fact that most of the young boys in the neighborhood will turn to crime and end up in jail. One exception, they agree, is Danny Breslin, a young boxer who is studying economics and destined for success. While Danny's future looks bright, the future of his former best friend, Muggs McGinnis, appears to hold little more than troubles with the law and juvenile probation. One day, when Danny learns that Muggs has been speaking poorly of his schoolteacher sister Mary, he marches over to Clancy's Pool Hall, their favorite neighborhood haunt, and punches Muggs. The fight eventually turns into a pool hall riot, which results in Muggs's arrest. Officer Tom Brady, Mary's sweetheart, believes that many of the boys can be reformed, and when he learns that Muggs has been involved in another fight, he tries to enlist Danny's help in determining the reason behind Muggs' propensity to fight. Danny surprises his mother, sister and Tom when he violently protests Tom's request, saying that he hates "coppers," and vows never to return to the police gym for his boxing practice. While Tom lays plans to reform Muggs by entering him as a fighter in the upcoming Golden Glove Tournament, Danny unwittingly gets involved with notorious thug Monk Martin. Unknown to Danny, Monk has used him to drive his getaway car in a grocery store holdup. After paying Danny for his "services," Monk manages to persuade him to quit school and join his racket. Meanwhile, Muggs, having made great strides at the Whitney reform school, goes to live with Tom and his mother, much to the dismay of Mary, who promptly breaks off her relationship with Tom. Muggs eventually wins the respect of the entire neighborhood and earns the police department's sponsorship of his fight in the Golden Glove Tournament. So completely has Muggs given up his delinquent ways that he curses Monk when the racketeer offers him $1,000 to take a fall in the tournament fight. Later, after overhearing Tom's mother blaming his arrival for the break-up of Tom and Mary's relationship, Muggs becomes despondent and decides to move out. Just before the fight, crooked fight promoter Slats Morrison plants the intended bribery money in Muggs's gear and tries to frame him. Danny, meanwhile, is wounded by Tom as he and Monk are caught fleeing from a robbery. Hospitalized and in desperate need of blood, Danny's life hangs in the balance until Muggs volunteers his blood and saves his best friend. Mary has a change of heart and returns to Tom, and Tom announces that Monk made a full confession before dying. Danny's family gathers around a radio and listens with pride as Muggs knocks out his opponent at the tournament. Following the fight, Slats and his boss Dorgan are arrested, and Tom and Mary look forward to their wedding.
Director
Wallace Fox
Cast
Leo Gorcey
Bobby Jordan
Huntz Hall
Keye Luke
Warren Hull
Charlotte Henry
Bobby Stone
Donald Haines
Sunshine Sammy Morrison
David Gorcey
Martha Wentworth
Jack Mulhall
Eddie Foster
Dennis Moore
Tony Carson
Pat Costello
Dick Ryan
Minerva Urecal
Crew
Don Donmullahy
Glen Glenn
Robert Golden
Art Hammond
Sam Katzman
[johnny] Lange
Marcel Le Picard
Pete Mayer
[lew] Porter
Fred Preble
Sam Robins
Ed. W. Rote
Harry Slott
Brendan Wood
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
The opening title card for this film reads: "The East Side Kids in Bowery Blitzkrieg." Huntz Hall appeared in many "Dead End Kids" and "Little Tough Guys" films, but this was his first "East Side Kids" picture. For additional information on the "East Side Kids" series, please consult the Series Index and the entry below for Flying Wild. The Golden Gloves was an amateur boxing competition that began in 1927 under the sponsorship of the New York Daily News. Tournaments between branches in Chicago and New York were held annually beginning in 1928, and later included other cities. Onscreen credits incorrectly list actor Keye Luke as "Key" Luke.
