Crime School (1938)

A gang of underprivileged teenagers are sentenced to serve two years in a reform school after almost killing a criminal fence who attacked them.

Director:

Lewis Seiler

Writers:

Crane Wilbur (screen play), Vincent Sherman (screen play),

Stars:

The 'Dead End' Kids, Humphrey Bogart, Gale Page

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
The 'Dead End' Kids
Humphrey Bogart	...	Mark Braden
Gale Page	...	Sue Warren
Billy Halop	...	Frankie Warren
Bobby Jordan	...	Squirt
Huntz Hall	...	Goofy
Leo Gorcey	...	Spike
Bernard Punsly	...	Fats (as Bernard Punsley)
Gabriel Dell	...	Bugs
George Offerman Jr.	...	Red
Weldon Heyburn	...	Cooper
Cy Kendall	...	Morgan
Charles Trowbridge	...	Judge Clinton
Spencer Charters	...	Old Doctor
Donald Briggs	...	New Doctor

Storyline

Deputy Commissioner of Correction Mark Braden finds a reform school in terrible condition and assumes control himself. He wins the boy's cooperation by being fair and falls in love with gang leader Frankie's sister Sue. This aides disgruntled employees in challenging Braden.

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Plot Keywords:

reform school | fence | kid brother | shoplifting | criminal fence | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 May 1938 (USA)

Also Known As:

L'école du crime

Filming Locations:

Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros

Technical Specs

Runtime:

85 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Milburn Stone is in studio records playing "Joe Delaney," but he does not appear in the film

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Goofs

Spike's hair changes when he is telling Frankie about Mr. Braden and his sister. First it is falling in his face and the next shot it is all completely combed back then in the next shot it is falling in his face again.

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Quotes

Bugs: [seeing Goofy in an ill-fitting suit] What are you all dressed up for?
Goofy: Me and Pops was over to see Mom. She's in the county jail.
Fats: Yeah? What for?
Goofy: Thirty days. Pop's goin' next 'cause he's gonna beat up Mama when she gts out.

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Connections

Follows Dead End (1937)

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Soundtracks

"Put on Your Old Grey Bonnet"
(1909) (uncredited)
Music by Percy Wenrich
Lyrics by Stanley Murphy
Sung a cappella by the inmates in the shoe repair shop

User Reviews

Crime School is a mediocre film, but

Crime School is a mediocre film, but still a good performance by Bogart. One of the Dead End Kids films, it struggles to keep you interested. The Dead End Kids are, well dead. The acting is very poor and the characters and almost annoying with the over done accents and supposed gang behavior. The main problem which contributes to the entire films downfall is the unrealistic dialog and actions. When one of the kids shows up at the pawnshop with a 100 lb cast iron bathtub, you roll your eyes. But when Cy Kendell gets fired from a job he has had for 12 years and he puts up almost no protest you have to reach for remote and try not to stop the tape. Its finer points are the moral and political statements the film makes on reforming child criminals. Sadism versus compassion, hate verses love, good points clouded by comical attempts at portraying tough street kids. Bogart is a great actor and plays the part well, of all the characters in the film his is the most believable and entertaining. Definitely not one of Lew Seiler's best movies. I would not rent it unless you are old enough to connect for nostalgic reasons, but if it shows on TV it is worth muddling through it.