The dead end kids or little tough boys were all over the place in the late 1930s and early forties and different incarnations and different members of the group working at different studios. There's no Leo Gorcey here, but Huntz Hall is present, supporting Billy Halop as the guys get jobs as messengers and deal with the criminal elements they encounter taking advantage of them. Robert Armstrong, having gone up against King Kong six years before this, is the former street kid who becomes their advisor, hoping to keep them out of trouble and out of the questions of criminal mastermind Victor Jory.
The only weak element of this Universal B picture is the weak comic relief of El Brendl whole fake Swedish accent is always like nails down a chalkboard. Fortunately he doesn't get a lot of footage, coming into take over a scene here and there and then disappearing again. Mary Carlisle is the female lead, determined to keep Halop and the other nessengers in line as well. Anna Nagle and Buster Crabbe offer strong support. A decent B picture that's a lot more serious than the upcoming East End Kids and later Bowery Boys films, mainly because these little tough guys haven't yet aged out of their roles.
The only weak element of this Universal B picture is the weak comic relief of El Brendl whole fake Swedish accent is always like nails down a chalkboard. Fortunately he doesn't get a lot of footage, coming into take over a scene here and there and then disappearing again. Mary Carlisle is the female lead, determined to keep Halop and the other nessengers in line as well. Anna Nagle and Buster Crabbe offer strong support. A decent B picture that's a lot more serious than the upcoming East End Kids and later Bowery Boys films, mainly because these little tough guys haven't yet aged out of their roles.
