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Dead End (1937) 7.5
The Dead End Kids, an unemployed architect, and gangster Baby Face Martin interact with an East Side neighborhood over one day and night. Director:William Wyler |
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Title: Dead End (1937)
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Nominated for 4 Oscars.
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Sylvia Sidney | ... |
Drina
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| Joel McCrea | ... |
Dave
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| Humphrey Bogart | ... | ||
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Wendy Barrie | ... |
Kay
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| Claire Trevor | ... |
Francey
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| Allen Jenkins | ... |
Hunk
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Marjorie Main | ... |
Mrs. Martin
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Billy Halop | ... |
Tommy
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Huntz Hall | ... | |
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Bobby Jordan | ... |
Angel
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Leo Gorcey | ... |
Spit
(as Leo B. Gorcey)
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Gabriel Dell | ... | |
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Bernard Punsly | ... |
Milty
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Charles Peck | ... |
Philip
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Minor Watson | ... |
Mr. Griswald
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Plot Summary
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Add Synopsis
Storyline
The Dead End Kids are introduced in their intricate East Side slum, overlooked by the apartments of the rich. Their antics, some funny, some vicious, alternate with subplots: unemployed architect Dave is torn between Drina, sweet but equally poor, and Kay, a rich man's mistress; gangster Baby Face Martin returns to his old neighborhood and finds that nobody is glad to see him. Then violent crime, both juvenile and adult, impacts the neighborhood and its people. Written by Rod Crawford <puffinus@u.washington.edu>
Taglines:
THE GREATEST GANGSTER THRILLER THAT EVER EXPLODED FROM THE SCREEN! (1944 reissue print ad - all caps)Parents Guide:
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Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
27 August 1937 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Dead End: Cradle of Crime See more »Filming Locations:
Samuel Goldwyn Studios - 7200 Santa Monica Boulevard, West Hollywood, California, USABox Office
Budget:
$300,000 (estimated)Company Credits
Show detailed
company contact information
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IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)Color:
Black and WhiteAspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1
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Dave Connell: Don't worry, Drina. He knows his way around - he can take care of himself.
Drina Gordon: He can take care of himself too well. How can he have done such a thing? Where does he learn about knives and...
Dave Connell: He had an expert teacher.
[refers to Martin]
Dave Connell: Anyway it's not hard to learn in a place like this.
Drina Gordon: But he's not a bad kid - not really bad. He never has been.
Dave Connell: The famous 'Baby Face' Martin used to live on ...
[...]
See more »
(1927) (uncredited)
Written by Sunny Clapp
Played after Francey leaves Martin
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
In order to get past the censors, all references to Francey's "profession" were veiled (although it was mentioned in the original play on which the film was based), even the fact that she was suffering from the late stages of syphilis, which was never mentioned by name. See more »Quotes
[the police are looking for Tommy after he has a fight with Philip Griswald and then injures Philip's father]Dave Connell: Don't worry, Drina. He knows his way around - he can take care of himself.
Drina Gordon: He can take care of himself too well. How can he have done such a thing? Where does he learn about knives and...
Dave Connell: He had an expert teacher.
[refers to Martin]
Dave Connell: Anyway it's not hard to learn in a place like this.
Drina Gordon: But he's not a bad kid - not really bad. He never has been.
Dave Connell: The famous 'Baby Face' Martin used to live on ...
[...]
See more »
Soundtracks
"Girl of My Dreams"(1927) (uncredited)
Written by Sunny Clapp
Played after Francey leaves Martin
See more »
I recommend watching "Dead End" and the later "Angels With Dirty Faces" as a double bill. Both are highly enjoyable; and they have a lot of parallel elements. Also, Humphrey Bogart and the future Bowery Boys appear in both films.
"Dead End" often gets short shrift in comparison, which I think is totally unfair. It is a social drama, sure, which some people will find "preachy," but the points it makes still resonate today. What really makes it stand out, though, are the fine individual performances. Bogart's role is much bigger than the one he plays in "Angels With Dirty Faces," and is extremely intense as a gangster coming home to his mother and his true love. Sylvia Sidney is absolutely luminous in her portrayal of a young woman who would have a promising future if she lived anywhere else, but is a frustrated, trapped animal in the slums of New York. Joel McCrea stands with one foot in each world, having grown up rough in the neighborhood, but without turning gangster, and still able to dream of better things for himself and the people around him. Look also for a couple of brilliant, though brief, appearances--Marjorie Main's chilling delivery as Bogie's exhausted and distraught mother, and Claire Trevor's bittersweet portrayal of his old girlfriend.
It's not as heavy as it sounds, though. There is a lot of humor sprinkled throughout, partly because "Dead End" features the first screen appearance of the future Dead End Kids/East Side Kids/Bowery Boys. If you're a fan, it's a lot of fun to watch them here with their rough edges still on, as tough young punks. Billy Halop, Leo Gorcey and Huntz Hall are terrific in this, a little grittier than in "Angels With Dirty Faces."