Samuel Goldwyn's production is introduced: "Every street in New York ends in a river. For a many years, the dirty banks of the East River were lined with the tenements of the poor. Then the rich, discovering that the river traffic was picturesque, moved their houses eastward. And now the terraces of these great apartment houses look down into the windows of the tenement poor." This transatlantic "tale of two cities" made "Dead End" (1935) a Pulitzer Prize-winning Broadway stage hit for playwright Sidney Kingsley; and, this adaptation is one of the best stage to film trips taken during the 1930s.
First of all, the film introduces the scene-stealing (and much cloned) "Dead End Kids" who, most notably, morphed into "The East Side Kids" and "The Bowery Boys" for two decades of crime drama and comedy. They are, more or less, fairly reflective of the stage show; consequently, they form a finely choreographed ballet of punk antics. The "Dead End Kid" leader is Billy Halop (as Tommy Gordon); others in the gang's classic line-up are: Huntz Hall (as Dippy), Bobby Jordan (as Angel), Leo Gorcey (as Spit), Gabriel Dell (as T.B.), and Bernard Punsly (as Milty).
The "ensemble" cast focuses on four main characters. Young Halop, despite his lowly appearance in the credits, is central. He faces two paths in life: will he will succumb to the temptations offered by crime, and become like well-heeled and charismatic Humphrey Bogart (as "Baby Face" Martin), or grow into the poor but morally upstanding Joel McCrea (as Dave Connell)? Helping tie the much-imitated plot threads together is hard-working, but striking Sylvia Sydney (as Drina Gordon); Halop's supportive big sister, she is also suffering from an unrequited love for Mr. McCrea.
Halop and Ms. Sydney offer, arguably, the film's most consistently fine performances; for openers, they never appear too "staged" - which is not to suggest that theatrically-styled acting is a distraction, considering this picture. Halop, in his movie debut, is an especially noteworthy stage-to-film actor; his troubled juvenile delinquent character was repeated numerously. When Halop grew out of the role, "Dead End" co-star Jordan (an endearing tyke in this film) successfully filled his shoes. Of course, Sydney is excellent; a marvelous stage and film actress, her work in the latter was underrated for decades.
Also making a fine impression is Claire Trevor (as Francey); although her part is no more than a cameo, she received an "Supporting Actress" nomination for artfully suggesting the syphilitic prostitute toned down for movie audiences. "Dead End" received nominations for "Best Picture", "Art Direction" (Richard Day), and "Cinematography" (Gregg Toland). Arguably, Mr. Day's beautiful New York City set would have won, had it not been his third annual award. Additionally, it would have been a nice idea to see Halop receive one of the irregular "juvenile performance" Oscars awarded at the time. And, in hindsight, William Wyler's direction certainly seems slighted.
********** Dead End (8/24/37) William Wyler ~ Billy Halop, Sylvia Sydney, Humphrey Bogart, Joel McCrea
First of all, the film introduces the scene-stealing (and much cloned) "Dead End Kids" who, most notably, morphed into "The East Side Kids" and "The Bowery Boys" for two decades of crime drama and comedy. They are, more or less, fairly reflective of the stage show; consequently, they form a finely choreographed ballet of punk antics. The "Dead End Kid" leader is Billy Halop (as Tommy Gordon); others in the gang's classic line-up are: Huntz Hall (as Dippy), Bobby Jordan (as Angel), Leo Gorcey (as Spit), Gabriel Dell (as T.B.), and Bernard Punsly (as Milty).
The "ensemble" cast focuses on four main characters. Young Halop, despite his lowly appearance in the credits, is central. He faces two paths in life: will he will succumb to the temptations offered by crime, and become like well-heeled and charismatic Humphrey Bogart (as "Baby Face" Martin), or grow into the poor but morally upstanding Joel McCrea (as Dave Connell)? Helping tie the much-imitated plot threads together is hard-working, but striking Sylvia Sydney (as Drina Gordon); Halop's supportive big sister, she is also suffering from an unrequited love for Mr. McCrea.
Halop and Ms. Sydney offer, arguably, the film's most consistently fine performances; for openers, they never appear too "staged" - which is not to suggest that theatrically-styled acting is a distraction, considering this picture. Halop, in his movie debut, is an especially noteworthy stage-to-film actor; his troubled juvenile delinquent character was repeated numerously. When Halop grew out of the role, "Dead End" co-star Jordan (an endearing tyke in this film) successfully filled his shoes. Of course, Sydney is excellent; a marvelous stage and film actress, her work in the latter was underrated for decades.
Also making a fine impression is Claire Trevor (as Francey); although her part is no more than a cameo, she received an "Supporting Actress" nomination for artfully suggesting the syphilitic prostitute toned down for movie audiences. "Dead End" received nominations for "Best Picture", "Art Direction" (Richard Day), and "Cinematography" (Gregg Toland). Arguably, Mr. Day's beautiful New York City set would have won, had it not been his third annual award. Additionally, it would have been a nice idea to see Halop receive one of the irregular "juvenile performance" Oscars awarded at the time. And, in hindsight, William Wyler's direction certainly seems slighted.
********** Dead End (8/24/37) William Wyler ~ Billy Halop, Sylvia Sydney, Humphrey Bogart, Joel McCrea