Pride of the Bowery

Plot - Along with the guys, Gorcey gets sent to a forestry camp where he comes to exercise both his pugnacious boxing skills and a better inner self.

Oh my, only one skirt in the whole 60-minutes, and she doesn't show up until minute 35. Nonetheless, it's an entertaining Bowery Boys entry, giving Gorcey a real chance to parade his talents, especially his swagger. The plot's more dramatic than most, probably because there's no Huntz Hall for Gorcey to trade comedic swats with. Nonetheless, the rest of the gang's all there, this time as members of the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps), a government program meant to employ idled city boys into rural betterment projects.

Here the guys work in para-military fashion on forrest projects, giving them a chance to improve their skills for later employment, that is, if Roosevelt's New Deal programs can revive the larger Depression Era economy. In fact, the movie's first part gives us a flavor of what those camps were like. Importantly, such look-sees provide a lingering advantage for old-movie fans like me.

Anyhow, the entry may be short on BB's usual slap-happy antics, but it still keeps eyes glued, thanks also to director Lewis's fast-moving camera. All in all, the flick shows how Gorcey's many talents have been unfortunately ignored by critics too often absorbed with good looks and bigger productions. Too bad. Then again, I can always hope.

PRIDE OF THE BOWERY (Monogram, 1940) directed by Joseph H. Lewis, is the fourth installment of the "East Side Kids" franchise and third headed by series regulars, Bobby Jordan, Leo Gorcey. This time Gorcey heads the cast, with this being HIS film. Regardless of its title, the story doesn't take place entirely in the Bowery of New York City but in the great outdoors outside their jurisdiction in the country.

Following its aerial view to neighboring district of the Bowery to the Vassey Street Boys Club, Danny Jackson (Bobby Jordan), manager and fight promoter to Muggs Maloney (Leo Gorcey), wants his arrogant friend to train for the Golden Gloves championship. Without his knowledge, Danny, along with his other pals, Skinny (Donald Haines) and Pee-Wee (David Gorcey) trick Muggs into spending six months in the country at the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). This way Muggs not only can develop himself into a champion boxer, but to earn $22 a month to send to his mother back home. Upon their arrival to the camp, Muggs, living by his own rules, starts off by showing who's boss to group leader, Allen (Kenneth Howell). Although Muggs later rescues Allen from a falling tree, he still insists on settling matters with his fists. Though Muggs and Allan put up a good fight in the boxing ring, Captain Jim White (Kenneth Harlan) calls it a draw. Rather than becoming friends with Allan, Muggs becomes a bad sport, causing the other group members to give him the silent treatment. Regardless of his arrogance, Muggs shows sympathy towards Willie (Bobby Stone), a troubled youth needing $100 to send to his aunt for his brother. Having stolen the money from the captain's office, Muggs helps Willie by earning back the money by fighting at Norton's (Carleton Young) fight arena. Through his winnings, Muggs agrees to replace the stolen money, only to be caught and accused of theft while Willie runs away, leaving Muggs to take the blame. Co-starring Mary Ainsley (Elaine); Nick Stuart (The Ranger); and Lloyd Ingraham (The Doctor).

A sort of rehash of ON DRESS PARADE (Warner Brothers, 1939) starring Billy Halop and the Dead End Kids, where Leo Gorcey is the basic arrogant character. More drama than comedy, production values for PRIDE OF THE BOWERY are poverty-row material, typical for Monogram Pictures. With more scenes screened outdoors with few scenes inside offices and barracks, everything moves by very quickly in 60 minutes. See how fast its prologue opening goes only to blink and now into the very next scene. Bobby Jordan resumes his typical best friend quota to Leo Gorcey, but the other East Side Kids (Donald Haines and David Gorcey) are strictly background material and nothing else. It's interesting seeing Scruno (Sunshine Sammy Morrison), having played one of the East Side Kids in the previous two entries, to continue playing Scruno, but now a member of the CCC. He's seen here meeting with the East Side Kids for the very first time rather than as former acquaintances meeting up again. Morrison does have a couple of amusing scenes built around his character, but gets little time to shine considering how much Gorcey is around taking all the glory. Mary Ainsley, its only female characte, with facial features of Lyda Roberti and blonde hair style of Ginger Rogers, is quite impressive as the gal believing she can help Muggs, but as Danny says, "Women and fighting don't mix."

Distributed on video cassette and later DVD, PRIDE OF THE BOWERY did include broadcasts on public television, cable television's USA Network and years later Turner Classic Movies (TCM premiere: September 13, 2004). Next installment: FLYING WILD (1941) where Leo Gorcey resumes his Muggs character, assuming a new surname used for the series duration of Muggs Maginnis. (**)

When they were still the east side kids. Pretty rough copy on tubi free streaming... and badly in need of restoration. Rough edits, washed out pictures. Sound quality to match. But it is free! Muggs (leo gorcey) shows up at a training camp, and tries to take over as lead dog. But the boys push back and put him in his place. The usual antics and arguements, that will be settled in the ring. Gotta learn some lessons. Right and wrong. Seems to be aimed at a younger crowd, but it's watchable. Bobbie jordan, sam morrison. Gorcey's brother david is in this one, but not his dad. Directed by joe lewis, who made three of these films with leo gorcey. From monogram pics. After this series, gorcey, hall and some of the crew started making the bowery boys films.

This is the third East Side Kids picture former Our Ganger Ernie "Sunshine Sammy" Morrison appeared in as Scruno. Here, he doesn't seem part of the gang but already part of the Civilian Conservation Corps group but his demeaning scene of carrying the bags of the gang is one of the few he's in. He has a better scene with lead Leo Gorcey when he's selling flowers in the street on the weekend. Gorcey wants to box but in a better place than the slums so his buddy Bobby Jordan tricks him into joining the organization I just mentioned. I'll just now say this wasn't a bad drama with some good humor sprinkled in. So on that note, I say give Pride of the Bowery a look.

One of the earlier features in the 'East Side Kids' series, "Pride of the Bowery" has the usual solid combination of youthful antics, rivalries, and action, with a few more serious moments along the way. Like a number of the features, it can be interesting to take note of the ways that the characters and the overall approach were developing.

The setup has Leo Gorcey as Muggs letting Danny (Bobby Jordan) trick him into entering a Civilian Conservation Corps camp, to get in shape. The story that follows has Muggs in a running battle of words with the camp captain, in a running battle of fists with another camper, and getting involved in trying to help a desperate pal. Much of the plot is predictable, at least for anyone familiar with the series, but there are some good sequences.

As this was still relatively early in the 'East Side Kids' series, the camaraderie among the gang members is still developing, and Muggs is really the only character with more than one side to him. It's interesting that, contrary to what is often the convention in movies about such characters, he makes quite a few mistakes and is at times pretty unlikable and small-minded, which tends to make him also a little more believable.

It can also be interesting to watch the various movies in the series to see how the group of generally sympathetic roughnecks is viewed by the adult characters. Here the script calls for the captain to make repeated statements to the effect that 'Muggs is a good kid who just needs a lot of discipline', probably to make sure that viewers don't take all of his behavior as a model to follow. As the series progressed, this kind of commentary became less commonplace, and the characters more often spoke for themselves.