Boys' Reformatory (1939)

A tough street kid takes the rap for a burglary committed by the son of his foster family and is sent to a boys reformatory, where the inmates are under the thumb of corrupt guards and a brutal prison doctor.

Director:

Howard Bretherton

Writers:

Norman S. Hall (screenplay), Norman S. Hall (story),

Stars:

Frankie Darro, Grant Withers, Lillian Elliott

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Frankie Darro	...	Tommy Ryan
Grant Withers	...	Dr. Owens
Lillian Elliott	...	Mrs. O'Meara
Ben Welden	...	Mike Hearn
David Durand	...	'Knuckles' Malone
Frank Coghlan Jr.	...	Eddie O'Meara
Pat Flaherty	...	Mr. Barnes
George Offerman Jr.	...	Joie
William P. Carleton	...	Judge Robert H. Scott
John St. Polis	...	Superintendent Keene

Storyline

A tough street kid takes the rap for a burglary committed by the son of his foster family and is sent to a boys reformatory, where the inmates are under the thumb of corrupt guards and a brutal prison doctor.

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Plot Keywords:

farm | mother son relationship | pool hall | train | truck driver | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 May 1939 (USA)

Also Known As:

Mocidade Perigosa

Company Credits

Production Co:

Monogram Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

62 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

User Reviews

Satisfying B gem

This is a satisfying little B gem from Associated Artists with a solid performance from Darro as a streetsmart, yet self-sacrificing adolescent willing to endure a tough reform school for the sake of protecting his foster family's good name. It never fails to amaze me how these low budget 1930s B-directors were able to pack so much plot into a one-hour movie and Boys' Reformatory is a prime example of what seems like a truly daunting task. Maybe it was because I watched this late at night but a certain plot twist towards the end really floored me. However, those accustomed to the grittier,more realistic exposes of the thirties juvenile justice system like Crime School that Warners was putting out about this time may be disappointed that this movie focuses more on the issues that caused the kids to be sent to reform school as opposed to the conditions inside the institution. Still if you are looking for one of the more entertaining, action-packed efforts of one of the great, but nearly forgotten young B actors, this movie is well worth your while. P.S. If you own a video projector, I don't recommend watching the DVD on the big screen as Alpha used a somewhat shaky 16mm for the source print. Nostalgia Family Video has this on VHS but I have no idea of the quality on that one.