Angels' Alley (1948)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

William Beaudine

Writers:

Tim Ryan (screenplay)
Tim Ryan (story)

Release Date:

7 March 1948 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Drama

Tagline:

ADVENTURE,,,Along Dead End Street!

Plot:

Slip invites his cousin Jimmy to stay with his family after he is released from prison. However, Jimmy soon gets mixed up with an auto-theft ring...

Plot Keywords:

Trial | Hospital | Garage | Racketeer | Probation

Cast

Leo Gorcey	...	Terence 'Slip' Mahoney
Huntz Hall	...	Sach 'Turkey' Horace Debussy Jones
Gabriel Dell	...	Ricky Moreno
William 'Billy' Benedict	...	Whitey (as Billy Benedict)
David Gorcey	...	Chuck
Frankie Darro	...	Jimmy
Nestor Paiva	...	Tony 'Piggy' Locarno
Rosemary La Planche	...	Daisy Harris
Geneva Gray	...	Josie O'Neill
Benny Bartlett	...	Harry 'Jag' Harmon (as Bennie Bartlett)
John Eldredge	...	Asst. Dist. Atty. John Willis
Nelson Leigh	...	Father O'Hanlon
Thomas Menzies	...	Boomer O'Neill (as Tommy Menzies)
Mary Gordon	...	Mrs. Mamie Mahoney
Dick Paxton	...	Jockey Burns (as Richard Paxton)

Runtime:

67 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #12874)

Company:

Monogram Pictures Corporation

Movie Connections:

Followed by Crazy Over Horses (1951)

Diminishing Dead End Returns

This is a woefully lackluster attempt to revisit some of the original "Dead End" and "Angels…" themes from the original 1930s film series. The strained, more serious "Angels' Alley" storyline isn't helped by the ill-fitting comic antics of Leo Gorcey (as Slip Mahoney) and Huntz Hall (as Sach Jones). William "Billy" Benedict (as Whitey) and David Gorcey (as Chuck) make the most of their small roles. Perhaps acting wisely, Bobby Jordan (as Bobby) makes no appearance at all. Unfortunately, Mr. Jordan opted out of the series, which had reached a relative peak with "News Hounds" and "Bowery Buckaroos" (both 1947).

The "Sweet Shop" is mentioned, but "The Bowery Boys" are based in the "St. Vincent Boy's Club", Gorcey's home, or the local pool hall. Bernard "Louie" Gorcey does not appear; instead, "Slip" lives at home, with his Irish mother Mary Gordon (as Mamie Mahoney) and moocher cousin Frankie Darrow (as Jimmy). Other semi-regular "Bowery Boys" of interest include the bad boy duo Benny "Bennie" Bartlett (as Harry "Jag" Harmon) and Buddy Gorman (as Andrew "Andy" Miller). With the forthcoming "Jinx Money", the Bowery series begin a return to its more successful formula.

*** Angels' Alley (3/7/48) William Beaudine ~ Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall, Frankie Darrow