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 You're Not So Tough (1940)

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Soundtracks

"A-Tisket A-Tasket"
Traditional children's song
Played by an organ grinder and whistled by Jackie Searl when the boys encounter Alfred Goonplatz

User Reviews

Arson in the slums

This 1939 film tried to capitalize on the much better Michael Curtiz's film "Angels with Dirty Faces". As directed by Ray Enright, the only interesting thing is how tamed these kids were in comparison with what's going on with the youth in America's inner cities today.

The film is only worth seeing because of the presence of Ann Sheridan and Ronald Reagan, who showed they were well paired together. The Dead End kids have larger parts as the plot concentrates on them rather than in the older folks.

In a way it's curious how arson was used in the same way some scrupulous landlords did in later years right here in New York. It was the quickest way to turn a property around never considering the social problems it created. In today's climate with so many guns around there is a new reality. The young kids of the story seemed mere pranksters rather than criminals. How times change!