Well, this was quite a surprise. Jackie Coogan plays the hell out a kid trying to make a name for himself and also trying to influence the other kids on his block to look up to him. Seeing that most of the kids in the area are Dead-End-Kid Wannabes, you can tell it's not going to be easy. His main focus is a kid his family has taken in since both of his parents are dead. The kid is disabled too. His name? Yes! It's Gimpy! After a somewhat slow start what with Coogan's character successfully getting the neighborhood kids out of a charge of gambling with Dice, and getting into a long winded conversation about how Abe Lincoln was the greatest person alive, the film shifts mostly to Coogan's relation to Gimpy. Gimpy doesn't have a lot going for him, and Coogan wants that to change, so when Christmas comes around, he wants it to be the best ever for Gimpy! (Bring a Kleenex for these scenes (I needed one!), Soon a subplot involving Coogan's gangster older brother comes into play, and guess who gets caught in the middle! (Hint, bring more Kleenex). I REALLY liked Coogan in this one, his performance here is so underplayed, powerful and strong.
Review of Streets of New York
