That Gang of Mine (1940)

A street kid has dreams of becoming a jockey. He gets his chance when he and his gang discover a poor old man who has a championship race horse. The man agrees to let the boy ride his horse... See full summary »

Director:

Joseph H. Lewis

Writers:

Alan Whitman (story), William Lively (screenplay)

Stars:

Bobby Jordan, Leo Gorcey, Clarence Muse

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Bobby Jordan	...	Danny Dolan
Leo Gorcey	...	Muggs Maloney
Clarence Muse	...	Ben
Dave O'Brien	...	Knuckles Dolan
Joyce Bryant	...	Louise
Ernest Morrison	...	Scruno (as Sunshine Sammy)
Milton Kibbee	...	Mr. Wilkes
David Gorcey	...	Peewee
Donald Haines	...	Skinny
Richard Terry	...	Henchman Blackie (as Richard R. Terry)
Wilbur Mack	...	Nick Buffalo
Hazel Keener	...	Mrs. Wilkes
Eugene Francis	...	Algernon 'Algy' Wilkes

Storyline

A street kid has dreams of becoming a jockey. He gets his chance when he and his gang discover a poor old man who has a championship race horse. The man agrees to let the boy ride his horse in a race, but first the gang must get enough money to pay for the race's entry fees.

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Plot Keywords:

horse | jockey | horse trainer | fear | heroism | 

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Taglines:

It's a RIOT in RACES!

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Sport

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 September 1940 (USA)

Also Known As:

Chasse aux faussaires

Company Credits

Production Co:

Four Bells Pictures, Monogram Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

62 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Danny Dolan: Muggs ain't yella.
Horse Trainer Morgan: I know it, but he's afraid. Afraid of that horse. Afraid of speed.
Danny Dolan: Oh, I'm scared o' things, too. I mean, like... like... bein' on a high place.
Horse Trainer Morgan: Everybody has some fear. Fear of snakes. Fear of fires. Some people are afraid of losing their jobs or of growing old.
Danny Dolan: Den... den you mean dere ain't no disgrace in bein' scared.
Horse Trainer Morgan: It's only disgraceful if you fail to fight your fear. Muggs has been fighting but he can't lick it. He's not a jockey, and he never will be.

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Connections

Follows East Side Kids (1940)

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Soundtracks

"All God's Chillun Got Wings"
Traditional Negro Spitiual
Sung a cappella by Clarence Muse and danced by Ernest Morrison

User Reviews

Worthwhile East Side Kids

That Gang of Mine was the second Monogram East Side Kids movie and was the first to feature Leo Gorcey as Muggs, the archetypal character he would play uninterrupted for the next seventeen years. Thanks to his small stature, he gets roped into jockeying in this episode, and while the narrative is no more complex or interesting than in any of the other series entries, the film has points of interest. First and foremost is the direction of Joseph H. Lewis, the 'B' specialist who is remembered today for Gun Crazy and The Big Combo. Lewis does his best to create interesting moments in the film, notably during an opening sequence atop a swaying gangplank. Also of considerable interest is the third billed presence of Clarence Muse as Ben, the African-American trainer of the horse Muggs' is going to ride. Whilst his role isn't entirely free of the racial stereotyping of the period, Muse is such a fine actor that he inevitably rises above it, offering perhaps the finest acting performance of ANY of the post-Warners East Side Kids/Bowery Boys productions. It's also worth noting that Sam--the analogous character in the recent Hollywood production Seabiscuit--has virtually no dialogue and simply follows orders. Things really haven't changed as much as we'd like to think they have.