Gang War (1940)

Two mobs fight for control of the jukebox racket.

Director:

Leo C. Popkin

Writers:

Walter Cooper (story), Lewis Sherman

Stars:

Ralph Cooper, Gladys Snyder, Reginald Fenderson

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Ralph Cooper	...	Bob 'Killer' Meade
Gladys Snyder	...	Maizie 'Sugar' Walford
Reginald Fenderson	...	Danny (Meade's chief henchman) (as Reggie Fenderson)
Laurence Criner	...	Lew Baron (as Lawrence Criner)
Monte Hawley	...	Bill (Baron's henchman)
Jess Lee Brooks	...	Lt. Holmes (as Jesse Brooks)
Johnny Thomas	...	Phil (Meade's driver)
Maceo Bruce Sheffield	...	Bull Brown (as Maceo Sheffield)
Charles Hawkins	...	Tip (Brown henchman)
Bobby Johnson	...	Waxy (Baron henchman)
Henry Roberts	...	Slim (Meade henchman)
Harold Garrison	...	Slicum (Meade's publicity man)

Storyline

Two mobs fight for control of the jukebox racket.

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Plot Keywords:

jukebox | manhattan new york city | motor car chase | singer | murder | 

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Genres:

Crime

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 March 1940 (USA)

Also Known As:

Crime Street

Company Credits

Production Co:

Million Dollar Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

63 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Did You Know?

Soundtracks

"Remember the Night"
Written by Lew Porter (as Lou Porter) and Johnny Lange
Sung by Gladys Snyder with piano accompaniment

User Reviews

The Black Humphrey Bogart and James Cagney

This film is very enjoyable. I think anyone will enjoy it who sees it. This film is a gangster film and very entertaining. You would think your watching Humphrey Bogart, James Cagney, John Garfield or Edward G. Robinson, but really its Ralph Cooper and Monte Hawley. Ralph Cooper, Reginald Fenderson and Monte Hawley were very popular in the Black cast films. They usually played hard-nose gangsters but with a weak heart for the women. They were great actors and very appreciated in the Black community. Their all forgotten, sadly since they were not Belafonte and Poitier, but Cooper, Fenderson, and Hawley was the first to show real dramatic acting and be in substantial roles made by blacks for black without Hollywood stereotypes but it seems your only remembered if you cross over which has a lot of missing figures from Black History because of that. Shouldn't we remember the ones who stayed stars within the Black race and helped the progress in Black Cinema who didn't need white acceptance or help? Black cast films like this were popular in the Black community, it gave Black people a break from the stereotypical roles in Hollywood. Ralph Cooper wrote, directed and starred in some of the best movies of the Black cast films. These films made you forget color and look at talent, the same way you would white actors/actresses. What he did do was appreciated. He was the son of Harlem. This film is about 60 minutes long but very jam-packed. Gorgeous, babyfaced black jean harlow look alike Gladys Snyder is regal and elegant in the movie. Anyone who wants to see what life was like in Harlem in the 1930s. This is one of them. The glamour, talent and beauty. This isn't some "B" movie. It's really action-packed with non-stop entertainment.