Crime School (1938)

Director:

Lewis Seiler

Writers:

Crane Wilbur (screen play) and
Vincent Sherman (screen play) ...
(more)

Release Date:

28 May 1938 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Reform School | Fence | Kid Brother | Shoplifting | Criminal Fence

Cast

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
Frank Jaquet	...	Commissioner
Helen MacKellar	...	Mrs. Burke
Al Bridge	...	Mr. Burke
Sibyl Harris	...	Mrs. Hawkins
Paul Porcasi	...	Nick Papadopolos
Frank Otto	...	Junkie
Edward Gargan	...	Officer Hogan (as Ed Gargan)
James B. Carson	...	Schwartz
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Glen Cavender	...	Policeman Outside Judge Clinton's Office (uncredited)
Loia Cheaney	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Hal E. Chester	...	Boy (uncredited)
Harry Cording	...	Jim - the Second Guard (uncredited)
Sol Gorss	...	Guard (uncredited)
Eddie Graham	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Herbert Heywood	...	Boiler Room Supervisor (uncredited)
Stuart Holmes	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Ethan Laidlaw	...	Guard Peterson (uncredited)
Vera Lewis	...	Aunt Liz (uncredited)
George Magrill	...	Guard (uncredited)
Clayton Moore	...	Reporter Covering 'Escape' (uncredited)
Jack Mower	...	John Brower - Judge's Assistant (uncredited)
David Newell	...	Dormitory Guard (uncredited)
Paul Nichols	...	Boy (uncredited)
Frank O'Connor	...	Court Policeman (uncredited)
Eddie Parker	...	State Trooper (uncredited)
John Ridgely	...	Reporter Covering 'Escape' (uncredited)
Cliff Saum	...	Cliff Brandon - First Guard (uncredited)
Harry Tenbrook	...	Clerk Outside Morgan's Office (uncredited)
Dorothy Vernon	...	Neighbor (uncredited)
Tom Wilson	...	Washroom Guard (uncredited)

Directed by
Lewis Seiler

Writing credits
Crane Wilbur		(screen play) and
Vincent Sherman		(screen play)
Crane Wilbur		(from a story by)

Produced by
Bryan Foy	....	associate producer (uncredited)
Hal B. Wallis	....	executive producer (uncredited)
Jack L. Warner	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Max Steiner

Cinematography by
Arthur L. Todd		(photography) (as Arthur Todd)

Film Editing by
Terry O. Morse		(film editor) (as Terry Morse)

Art Direction by
Charles Novi

Costume Design by
N'was McKenzie		(gowns)

Production Management
Lee Hugunin	....	unit manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Fred Tyler	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Francis J. Scheid	....	sound

Music Department
Leo F. Forbstein	....	musical director (uncredited)
Hugo Friedhofer	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
George Parrish	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Vincent Sherman	....	dialogue director

Production Companies

• Warner Bros (presents) (as Warner Bros. Pictures Inc.) (A First National Picture)

Distributors

• Warner Bros (1938) (USA) (theatrical) (as Warner Bros. Pictures Inc.)
• Warner Bros. (1938) (France) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros (1943) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Dominant Pictures Corporation (1956) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Warner Home Video (2010) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

85 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:(Banned) (1938) | USA:Approved (PCA #4152) | USA:TV-G (TV rating)

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Warner Bros

Trivia:

The second of seven movies featuring The Dead End Kids.

Goofs:

Continuity: The paint on Mr Cooper's face, hat, and shoulders appears differently in the following scene when he reports to Mr Braden's office.

Quotes:

Officer Hogan:What are you kids cookin' up now? Some way to rob a bank?
Frankie Warren:Go on! Whatta yuh talkin' about?
Frankie Warren:We ain't done nuthin'!
Officer Hogan:Oh, yeah? Whenever you and your gang get together, I smell trouble in the wind, and it comes down the street like a garbage wagon. Come on, break it up!
[the boys grumble but move]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Monkees: Monkees Get Out More Dirt (#1.29)" (1967)

Soundtrack:

Put on Your Old Grey Bonnet

a lesser quality re-hash of DEAD END

This is a re-pairing of much of the cast of DEAD END--with the Dead End Kids and Humphrey Bogart together in the same film. The BIG difference this time is that instead of Bogey playing the nasty gangster, he is a juvenile prison crusader--bent on reforming the system and stressing rehabilitation. While this is an interesting twist, it is odd considering Bogart mostly played heavies during this era. And the overall effort isn't bad BUT once again I need to knock off a point because I simply find the Dead End Kids annoying at times. While not as annoying as they were to become when they were re-dubbed the Bowery Boys (complete with a few cast changes), a little of their hijinks goes a long way!