This is very similar to the 1938 Warner Brothers crime spoof "A Slight Case of Murder" with Barton MacLane and Gladys George playing characters very similar to the ones that Edward G. Robinson and Ruth Donnelly played, and Eily Malyon nearly identical to the one that Margaret Hamilton portrayed.
Standing in for the Bobby Jordan character are his fellow Dead End Kid costars Billy Halop, Huntz Hall, Gabriel Dell and Bernard Punsley, along with Bobs Watson as Pesty, junior member of the gang. They are the son of old gangster pals of pals of MacLane's, becoming guests in his home after Malyon uses her influence on him in helping them all reform.
As MacLane and George's daughter, scream queen Evelyn Ankers is the romantic lead, with Charles Lang her boyfriend and Edward Pawley as a gangster seeking revenge on MacLane. Shemp Howard is one of Pawley's henchmen. This is formula stuff but very enjoyable, and the stern looking Malyon has one of her best parts, showing a feisty nature and a good heart, yet very funny. Watson is too icky sticky though, but the older kids make up for his cutesy irritation.
Standing in for the Bobby Jordan character are his fellow Dead End Kid costars Billy Halop, Huntz Hall, Gabriel Dell and Bernard Punsley, along with Bobs Watson as Pesty, junior member of the gang. They are the son of old gangster pals of pals of MacLane's, becoming guests in his home after Malyon uses her influence on him in helping them all reform.
As MacLane and George's daughter, scream queen Evelyn Ankers is the romantic lead, with Charles Lang her boyfriend and Edward Pawley as a gangster seeking revenge on MacLane. Shemp Howard is one of Pawley's henchmen. This is formula stuff but very enjoyable, and the stern looking Malyon has one of her best parts, showing a feisty nature and a good heart, yet very funny. Watson is too icky sticky though, but the older kids make up for his cutesy irritation.