Teenager Jimmy Mason lives with his mother till she is knocked down and killed by a hit and run driver. With nowhere else to live he goes to his uncle and aunt's home in the city. Here he quickly idolises their lodger, Matt Kelly. Kelly acts as though he knows everybody and Jimmy has no idea that he is really a bootlegger. Kelly gives him a job answering the phone but the premises are soon raided by the police. Jimmy refuses to say anything that could lead to Kelly; in his naïvety he believes that booze there had been planted by Kelly's enemies and that Kelly will get him out of his predicament... even when he is sentenced to three years at a reform school. Officially the school is meant to educate young wrong doers so they can work when they get out; in reality it is a brutal place where the boys are worked hard and brutalised if they break any rules. Eventually he tries to escape to try to get help for a seriously ill friend... once more he trusts Kelly; but will he do the right thing.
This is a decent enough story although it does move a little too fast at times; Jimmy has barely got to the city before befriending Kelly; then he is arrested on his first day working for him. The idea that this poor boy would be willing to spend three years locked up without talking seems unlikely... he won't even say where he lives to protect Kelly. This leaves his aunt and uncle clueless as to where he is. The film clearly has an agenda regarding the condition at the reform school... of course if establishments at the time were that bad such an agenda would be justified. The cast is solid enough; despite his third billing Junior Dirkin, as Jimmy, is the main character and he does a fine job in the role. Top billed Bette Davis impresses as Kelly's girlfriend but the role is fairly small. Pat O'Brien is also solid as Kelly. The copy of the film I saw wasn't too good; the sound track was particularly scratchy at times; while one can't blame the makers it did detract somewhat. Overall not a must see but worth a watch if you enjoy old films.
This is a decent enough story although it does move a little too fast at times; Jimmy has barely got to the city before befriending Kelly; then he is arrested on his first day working for him. The idea that this poor boy would be willing to spend three years locked up without talking seems unlikely... he won't even say where he lives to protect Kelly. This leaves his aunt and uncle clueless as to where he is. The film clearly has an agenda regarding the condition at the reform school... of course if establishments at the time were that bad such an agenda would be justified. The cast is solid enough; despite his third billing Junior Dirkin, as Jimmy, is the main character and he does a fine job in the role. Top billed Bette Davis impresses as Kelly's girlfriend but the role is fairly small. Pat O'Brien is also solid as Kelly. The copy of the film I saw wasn't too good; the sound track was particularly scratchy at times; while one can't blame the makers it did detract somewhat. Overall not a must see but worth a watch if you enjoy old films.