Angels Wash Their Faces

A sequel to Angels With Dirty Faces in name only, The Angels Wash Their Faces suffers somewhat from the usual shenanigans of the Dead End Kids. As a matter of fact, with the presence of the Dead End Kids and Ann Sheridan this should have been treated as an actual sequel to Angels With Dirty Faces, at least for continuity's sake.

Speaking of Ann Sheridan, she is the one true shining light of this movie. To paraphrase a cliché, Ann Sheridan could read from a phone book for two hours and I would buy the DVD!

Another virtue of this movie is the chemistry between Ann Sheridan and Ronald Reagan. Unfortunately , this aspect of the film is kept too far in the background. For a better example of the Sheridan-Reagan duo I would recommend Juke Girl or Kings Row.

A club of boys gets a mayor elected during boys week in order to free their new member, who has been framed for arson by corrupt men.

At the state reformatory Gabe Ryan (Frankie Thomas) is paroled to his sister Joy Ryan (Ann Sheridan). In their new neighborhood Gabe fights Leo Finnegan (Leo Gorcey), wins, and is initiated with tests into the Termite club. They put out a fire in a basement. Owner Kroner (Bernard Nedell) lets them go, but his boss Martino (Eduardo Ciannelli) tells him to cast suspicion on Gabe. Deputy D. A. Pat Remson (Ronald Reagan) questions Gabe and gets coffee from Joy. Kroner tells kids to leave his lot, and Sleepy Arkelian (Bernard Punsly) is hurt in the street. Joy knows it is corrupt politics and appeals to Martino and his civic league. Martino tells Haines (Cy Kendall) and Kroner to burn a building and blame Gabe by getting him to hate Kroner. Peggy Finnegan (Bonita Granville) urges Gabe to run for boys mayor. Pat kisses Joy. Sleepy is trapped in a burning building and is killed. Pat blames fire commissioner Haines. Sleepy's mother (Marjorie Main) is devastated, and Pat has Gabe arrested.

Witnesses including Miss Hannaberry (Margaret Hamilton) and Haines testify against Gabe, who says they are lying. District Attorney Remson (Henry O'Neill) persuades the jury, and Gabe is sentenced to ten years. Termite leader Billy Shafter (Billy Halop) runs for mayor. Termites discourage other candidates with rough tactics as Billy studies. Mayor Dooley (Berton Churchill) announces that Billy won the contest to be mayor for one week. Billy appoints as officers Termites Leo, Huntz, Luigi (Gabriel Dell), and Bernie Smith (Bobby Jordan) along with Peggy for street cleaning. Pat proposes to Joy that they marry, but she declines. Mayor Dooley leaves Gildersleeve (Grady Sutton) to watch Billy, who has his cabinet lock up Gildersleeve. They go to get Gabe from jail but have to go to a judge, who has them thrown out. They attack Gildersleeve, and the police chief calls Pat, who says they must find those who framed Gabe. Termites go after the records of Haines. Bernie's father hints of an impending fire for insurance. Pat takes Haines' account book to his father, the D. A. Then Pat, an attorney (Minor Watson), and the Termites find evidence along with Kroner and Shuffle (Dick Rich), who are arrested; but their lawyer gets them released.

Peggy says that Shuffle can be arrested for spitting on the sidewalk. The attorney and Leo have Kroner and Shuffle arrested and put in stocks. Billy accuses them of killing Sleepy. News reports Boys Week terror, and Mayor Dooley heads back. The lawyer can't free them and goes to Martino, who flees. Pat gets Kroner to talk. When Dooley arrives, Termites grab Haines. Pat shows Dooley Kroner's confession and congratulates him. In the final scene the city is cleaned up and has playgrounds as Pat invites kids to his wedding.

The young spirit of this drama has juveniles reforming corruption by democratic and legal methods with occasional strong-arm tactics.

ANGELS WASH THEIR FACES is an obvious attempt to capitalize on the popularity of the previous ANGELS WITH DIRTY FACES, but emerges as a vehicle for the Dead End Kids rather than giving ANN SHERIDAN or RONALD REAGAN a chance to demonstrate their chemistry.

If you happen to be a fan of The Kids, this film is up your alley. They seem more like delinquents than real gangsters (by today's standards), while Sheridan and Reagan try to resolve the problems they create involving a wrongly accused case of arson.

Ray Enright keeps it all moving rather briskly, but the script--with its focus on the kids rather than the stars--is a disappointment for fans of Sheridan and Reagan.

The cast includes the usual Warner stock company of contract players, including Bonita Granville, Henry O'Neill, Eduardo Ciannelli, Frankie Thomas and Margaret Hamilton.

Summing up: Routine crime drama interesting only for a glimpse of Ann Sheridan and Ronald Reagan at an early stage of their careers.

This 1939 film tried to capitalize on the much better Michael Curtiz's film "Angels with Dirty Faces". As directed by Ray Enright, the only interesting thing is how tamed these kids were in comparison with what's going on with the youth in America's inner cities today.

The film is only worth seeing because of the presence of Ann Sheridan and Ronald Reagan, who showed they were well paired together. The Dead End kids have larger parts as the plot concentrates on them rather than in the older folks.

In a way it's curious how arson was used in the same way some scrupulous landlords did in later years right here in New York. It was the quickest way to turn a property around never considering the social problems it created. In today's climate with so many guns around there is a new reality. The young kids of the story seemed mere pranksters rather than criminals. How times change!

After a stint in reform school, fresh-faced Frankie Thomas (as Gabe Ryan) is ready to go straight. Upon release, he moves to "Beale St.", with pretty big sister Ann Sheridan (as Joy Ryan). The siblings don't know it, but the neighborhood is populated by young hoodlums and organized crime. Young Thomas quickly joins "The Dead End Kids" (as "The Termites") lineup of Billy Halop (as William R. "Billy" Shafter), Bernard Punsly (as Luke "Sleepy" Arkelian), Leo Gorcey (as Leo "Mousy" Finnegan), Huntz Hall (as Huntz Garman), Gabriel Dell (as Luigi Petaren), and Bobby Jordan (as Bernie Smith).

While Thomas scuffles with his "Dead End" pals, sister Sheridan is courted by handsome lawyer Ronald Reagan (as Patrick "Pat" Remson). This irks crime lord Eduardo Ciannelli (as Alfred Martino), whose romantic advances are reproached by Sheridan. While Sheridan organizes efforts to clean up the neighborhood, mobster Ciannelli counters with a horrific plan to frame brother Thomas for an arson incident, which may cause the death of a "Dead End" comrade...

In the sixth series film (depending on how you count them), the law of diminishing returns is clearly catching up with the "Dead End Kids". There are too many characters and situations rotating on screen, although most of them are enjoyable. The first part of the film involves (mostly) Frankie Thomas, a good addition to the group. Then, Billy Halop (mostly) takes center stage, becoming "Boys' Week Honorary Mayor", to help clear Thomas of arson.

Sheridan and Reagan make a great pair, as the likable, and level-headed adults; note, this is one of future President Reagan's most appealing early roles. The many other stand-outs include: James Cagney's young look-alike Frankie Burke welding a knife, wicked schoolteacher Margaret Hamilton, and grief-stricken mother Marjorie Main - each of these characters is "bigger" than the movie, which makes it all seem even more cluttered. But, it is a fun picture.

***** The Angels Wash Their Faces (8/26/39) Ray Enright ~ Frankie Thomas, Billy Halop, Ann Sheridan