The Angels Wash Their Faces (1939)

A young man just released from a reformatory moves to a new neighborhood with his sister, intending to start a new life. However, he gets mixed up with the local mob boss and corrupt ... See full summary »

Director:

Ray Enright

Writers:

Michael Fessier (screenplay), Niven Busch (screenplay),

Stars:

Ann Sheridan, Billy Halop, Bernard Punsly

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ann Sheridan	...	Joy Ryan
Billy Halop	...	Billy Shafter
Bernard Punsly	...	Sleepy Arkelian (as Bernard Punsley)
Leo Gorcey	...	Leo Finnegan
Huntz Hall	...	Huntz
Gabriel Dell	...	Luigi
Bobby Jordan	...	Bernie
Ronald Reagan	...	Pat Remson
Bonita Granville	...	Peggy Finnegan
Frankie Thomas	...	Gabe Ryan
Henry O'Neill	...	Remson Sr.
Eduardo Ciannelli	...	Martino
Berton Churchill	...	Mayor Dooley
Bernard Nedell	...	Kroner
Dick Rich	...	Shuffle

Storyline

A young man just released from a reformatory moves to a new neighborhood with his sister, intending to start a new life. However, he gets mixed up with the local mob boss and corrupt politicians and soon finds himself being framed for an arson and murder he didn't commit.

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Plot Keywords:

arson | high school election | crime boss | montage | frame up | 

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 August 1939 (USA)

Also Known As:

Angels Wash Their Faces

Filming Locations:

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

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Victor System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The sixth of seven movies featuring The Dead End Kids.

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Connections

Followed by Call a Messenger (1939)

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Soundtracks

"In a Moment of Weakness"
(uncredited)
Music by Harry Warren
Played on the radio when Pat and Joy are talking

User Reviews

Some Arcane Laws Put To Good Use

Although Ronald Reagan and Ann Sheridan are the romantic leads here, the film really belongs to the Dead End Kids. Angels Wash Their Faces is NOT a sequel to Angels With Dirty Faces, it doesn't come close to that classic. Still it's an enjoyable film.

The Dead End Kids are joined by Frankie Thomas and Bonita Granville who Warner Brothers had been using in their Nancy Drew series. In those films Granville was the lead and poor Thomas was her earnest boyfriend who she got involved in all of her cases. Here Thomas is the lead and Granville his romantic interest and would you believe, Leo Gorcey's sister. That's nothing, in one of the Bowery Boy features Gorcey got a young Ava Gardner as his sister.

There's been a rash of fires in the neighborhood, somebody's got a nice little arson racket going. The crooks try to pin this on Frankie Thomas who's a new kid moved into the neighborhood with his sister Ann Sheridan. Ronald Reagan as the Assistant District Attorney reluctantly prosecutes.

What happens then is Dead End Kid leader Billy Halop gets himself elected boy mayor of the city and uses the power of office quite creatively to help Thomas and find the arsonists. Some arcane laws which are still on the books turn out to be of real value.

Best in the cast is Frankie Thomas who's quite appealing as the kid in trouble and Bernard Nedell as the slick crook who gets quite a comeuppance from the Dead End Kids.

Fans of the Kids will like this one.