This story is about a teen orphan who goes to live with his aunt and uncle. They have a blow-hard boarder, Pat O'Brien, living with them and the boy idolizes and believes in this man--even though practically everything he tells them is pure bull. O'Brien gives the boy a job working in a warehouse answering the phone. The boy doesn't realize that the warehouse is stuffed with illegal alcohol and after the police get a tip, they raid the place and jail the boy. However, the boy foolishly believes in O'Brien and keeps his mouth shut and is subsequently sent to reform school. Here, the kid finds out that reform school is not a very nice place (big surprise) and much of the rest of the film is an indictment against the juvenile justice system.
Despite all this, the boy remains convinced that O'Brien is his friend--even though at any point O'Brien COULD have gone to the police and told him the truth and had the boy released. Eventually the boy escapes because he's trying to get medical help for his buddy, Shorty. The press find out about the boy as well as the truth about his incarceration. O'Brien finally admits the truth and the boy is released--but it's too late for poor Shorty. Despite being dead, Shorty returns for an amazingly sappy and stupid conclusion, as we hear his voice saying goodbye to his friend in the final frames (gag me)! This general theme of kids unfairly treated in jail was repeated many times in the 1930s--some times with the Dead End Kids and some times without. And, considering how lousy the acting and dialog is in this movie, you might be best served to watch one of these other films. Plus, the boy, at times, just seems too dumb to be real!
Also, while Bette Davis is in the movie, she's largely given an unremarkable and bland role. Several years would pass before the quality of the material given her would improve. Poor Bette!
Despite all this, the boy remains convinced that O'Brien is his friend--even though at any point O'Brien COULD have gone to the police and told him the truth and had the boy released. Eventually the boy escapes because he's trying to get medical help for his buddy, Shorty. The press find out about the boy as well as the truth about his incarceration. O'Brien finally admits the truth and the boy is released--but it's too late for poor Shorty. Despite being dead, Shorty returns for an amazingly sappy and stupid conclusion, as we hear his voice saying goodbye to his friend in the final frames (gag me)! This general theme of kids unfairly treated in jail was repeated many times in the 1930s--some times with the Dead End Kids and some times without. And, considering how lousy the acting and dialog is in this movie, you might be best served to watch one of these other films. Plus, the boy, at times, just seems too dumb to be real!
Also, while Bette Davis is in the movie, she's largely given an unremarkable and bland role. Several years would pass before the quality of the material given her would improve. Poor Bette!