Life on the East Side slum in Noo Yoick where the lives of the poor are overlooked by the rich. The film mostly centres around the adventures of a group of urchins, the
Dead End Kids (who make their movie debut here). Around them a series of dramas. An unemployed architect, Dave (
Joel McCrea) is torn between two girls. Drina (
Sylvia Sidney) is in a labour dispute and is as hard-up as he is, Kay (
Wendy Bray) is the mistress of a rich guy and she doesn't fancy being poor again.
Meanwhile gangster Babyface Martin (Humphrey Bogart) has returned to his old neighbourhood. He wants to find his mother and his old squeeze but isn't happy when he finds them...
The film is based on a Broadway show and often plays like one with fast moving action which swiftly moves from character to character on one big set. Life is rough and hard, but there is humour to be found in even the darkest of times. Great film, and great accents.
