Wallace Beery plays yet another lovable lug in this movie about a former boxer turned bouncer for 1890s Bowery saloon. He's gruff, hard drinking and unsentimental. He ends up taking care of a little orphan boy (played by the always good Dean Stockwell) who just arrived from England to live with his Uncle. Along the way, the boy acquires a little dog (of course, an incredibly cute little dog). McGurk doesn't think much of either the kid or the dog at first but of course his attitude softens by the end of the movie. Aline MacMahon as the pawn shop owner and McGurk's long time friend (throughout the movie they engage in friendly spatting) does her usual good job in a small part. Edward Arnold as the saloon owner really doesn't have much to do and is pretty much wasted in this movie. However, Stockwell and the dog were great. But the star was Beery – I have always liked his movies; he may have done the same character over and over but he did it so well. Knowing that in real life he was not lovable but indeed a crude and repulsive lout does reduce the charm of his movies somewhat but this movie is still recommended.
Review of The Mighty McGurk
