Claude Pierce (Freddie Bartholomew) is a rich boy with a poor father. Unlike most Bartholomew movies, he goes to live with his father in the slums gladly; it is his mother that hates the idea. However, Claude is excited to meet new friends, and he tries his hardest to win over classmates Buck Murphy (Jackie Cooper) and Gig Stevens (Mickey Rooney). These are the direct opposite of society children; Gig's father has just been sent to the electric chair for murder, and Gig idolizes him. However, the trouble they get into is typical of boys their age, and at heart, they're good people. Claude's father is banking on this and knows that his son's association with these types of boys will help him build character. It certainly does.
I have been dying to see this movie for years because of the excellent cast. Each boy lives up to my expectations. Bartholomew is charming as always. Rooney is a powerhouse, which was also expected. In Cooper's autobiography, he complains that Rooney stole the show from him, but Cooper's fans will not be disappointed. His part did not allow for a super-memorable performance. I believed the plot was going to be more impactful, similar to Boys Town. This isn't a movie you're going to learn any lessons from that you haven't learned before, and no scene stands out over another as more memorable. It is simply an enjoyable movie with a great cast, nothing more and nothing less.
