Pride Of The Bowery

Pride Of The Bowery
1940 - Monogram
Directed By Joseph H. Lewis



SYNOPSIS

Muggs (Leo Gorcey) wants to find a new place to train to become a great boxer. He enlists Danny (Bobby Jordan) and his other friends to find a new place. Danny dupes Muggs into going to a CCC camp (Civilian Conservation Corps) and all the East Side Kids accompany them there. Muggs struggles to fit in and soon seeks to help out a troubled boy who stole money from the camp safe to send to his ailing aunt. So, Muggs enters a boxing tournament in town and gets money... but gets caught putting his winnings back in the safe.



MY THOUGHTS

The fourth film in the East Side Kids series lacks the humor the series was known for and only an adequate plot.

Leo Gorcey and Bobby Jordan appear in the series for the 3rd time (the first film featured other actors) and have their roles nailed down perfectly and adlib most of the humor to assist the dry script.
The lack of funny also meant a much smaller part for comic relief 'Sunshine Sammy' Morrison. He's not even in the gang, just a fellow camper this time.

The film was Bobby Stone's first of his twelve appearances in the series and his worst because he's given more than a handful of lines. As the troubled boy Willie, he is simply terrible. In a series that cannot claim too many great supporting performances anyway, Stone stands out as the absolute worst.

The fight scenes were well shot with plenty of quick cuts and multiple angles, though the film is sped up almost comically fast.
Most of the film was shot outdoors (California doubling for upstate New York) and the beautiful scenery helps you to forget the film's budget was about $13.47
The low budget and short shooting schedule (all the films in the series were shot in about 6 days) definitely affects the final product, giving it an unpolished shine for better or worse.

Far from the best in the series, but far from the worst.