On Dress Parade (1939) User Reviews

Don't Call Me Shirley

[boblipton · 5/10 · 20 November 2022]

As Donald Douglas lays dying, he asks WWI buddy John Litel to succor his delinquent son, Leo Gorcey. As Litel is the commanding officer of a military academy, he grabs Gorcey and takes him to the academy, where the other members of the Dead End Kids are cadets.

The last of seven movies featuring the Dead End Kids is basically a remake of Boy's Town, with Litel as Spencer Tracy and Gorcey as Mickey Rooney. With Bryan Foy the producer, you know you're deep in B territory, and while the time passes without boredom, it doesn't offer much more.

After this, the troupe of young men went various ways, into two successor groups. After the War, Gorcey and Huntz Hall were the two leaders in a long-running B series for Monogram, "the Bowery Boys", which played for decades on television, and about which director William Beaudine said "There's someone waiting for this c**p?"

"No brass buttons for me. I'll take mine in a newsreel".

[classicsoncall · 7/10 · 16 April 2016]

Leo Gorcey goes to great pains to portray a totally unsavory character in the first part of this picture. He's a young street thug who gets maneuvered into military life after the dying father he never knew gets a friend's promise to have him attend the Washington Military Academy. Slip Duncan (Gorcey) had to be tricked into it though, when the authorities made it seem he was going to be arrested for a minor street crime he was involved in.

I had to grin over a response Slip had at the Academy when he was undergoing orientation. Nathan Hale was a revered figure on campus and an administrator explained that Hale was executed by the British as a spy. Sounding a lot like Donald Trump, Slip stated that 'any dope can get caught', a reference that the Trumpster took a lot of heat for in his remarks concerning John McCain. Funny how life imitates art, in this case, well after the fact.

The picture has a strong melodramatic approach in telling it's story. Slip Duncan becomes remorseful over an accident he caused and the incident sets him on a path of redemption as a soldier. His fellow 'Dead End Kids' also show up in the story as academy students although they're unknown to each other until they meet at school. It's interesting to see the players prior to becoming the East Side Kids or the Bowery Boys. Huntz Hall for example portrays a serious character, far from the clown fans came to know and love as 'Sach' in the later stories. He does however display a near-Sach moment when he hits a target on the rifle range, but quickly reverts back to form once again.

This one's done pretty much by the book as bad guy turns good under proper supervision and being forced to face up to consequences. All the familiar players are here; along with Gorcey and Hall you have Billy Halop, Bobby Jordan, Gabriel Dell and Bernard Punsley. Every once in a while the military academy's motto shows up as 'Courage - Honor - Conquer', which doesn't quite sound grammatically correct, so I did a quick internet search. Turns out it appears on a crest for Valley Forge Military Academy, though the filming locations in the picture were Warner Studio properties.

Courage, Honor, Conquor

[lugonian · 5/10 · 20 November 2022]

ON DRESS PARADE (Warner Brothers, 1939) directed by William Clemens, became the sixth and final "Dead End Kids" installment for the studio, and their least known and revived. Taken from an original screenplay credited to Tom Reed and Charles Belden, the story elements, especially during its second half, is actually revamped from an earlier military academy musical-drama, SHIPMATES FOREVER (1935) starring Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler. The only original idea is not having the "Dead End Kids" working together as a group of teens who end up in trouble, either getting involved with a gangster(s) or ending up in reform school. Regardless of top billing going to Billy Halop in the closing credits, ON DRESS PARADE rightfully belongs to the fifth-billed Leo Gorcey, that as an unruly character of high intellect.

The story begins with a prologue during the World War in 1918 where Michael Riker (John Litel) risks his life on the battlefield saving William Duncan (Donald Douglas), forming a lifelong friendship. Following a montage through the passage of time, 1920, 1927, 1929, 1933 and to modern-day 1939, the story resumes with Colonel Riker, now head of the Washington Military Academy for Boys, receiving note that William Duncan is dying and wants to see Riker immediately. Before he dies, Riker is asked from Duncan's deathbed to take care of his son. Following a meeting where Slip Duncan (Leo Gorcey), a hard-to-handle teenager living under the roof of Mrs. Neeley (Cissie Loftus), who would rather drink beer and play pool all day, gets the impression that he will be sent to reform school, thus, accepting Riker's invitation to enlist at his academy of cadets instead. While there, Slip refuses to abide by the rules and gets written up by his superiors. Cadet Major Jack Rollings (Billy Halop), commander of the regiment, is the only one who feels Duncan should be given a second chance to reform himself, regardless of getting the silent treatment from his fellow cadets, Johnny Cabot (Huntz Hall), Ronny Morgan (Bobby Jordan) and Georgie Warren (Gabriel Dell), following a serious accident among one of the other cadets. Co-starring Frankie Thomas (Cadet Murphy); Douglas Meins (Hathaway) and Aldrich Bowker (Father Ryan). Bernard Punsley, usually a member of the gang, is the only one of the "Dead End Kids" not part of the group. He's simply close friend of Slip back in the city with only two brief scenes.

With Leo Gorcey carrying on the first name of Slip, one would immediately think of that very name he used in his popular and long-running "Bowery Boys" series (1946-1956) for Monogram Pictures. Huntz Hall, best remembered as Gorcey's sidekick, Sach, from that same series, doesn't get much to do in ways of comedy, in fact, neither do the other Dead End Kids members as well. It might have been better off had ON DRESS PARADE been a solo Gorcey effort instead, for which that is what it appears to be. There are no female counterparts here for romantic interest, only the elderly Cissie Loftus for one brief scene. The film plays quickly, in fact, 62 minutes, with scenes briefed and no long-winded dramatics. Regardless of its overly sentimental dramatics as a whole, ON DRESS PARADE benefits more for the elevation in stardom for Leo Gorcey for his future films range of both "The East Side Kids" (1940-1945) and "Bowery Boys" series to come.

Shown once in a while on Turner Classic Movies cable channel. ON DRESS PARADE has been placed on DVD with another Dead End Kids drama, HELL'S KITCHEN (1939) on its flip side. (**)

Familiar Story But Entertaining

[Michael_Elliott · 17 April 2016]

On Dress Parade (1939)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Slip Duncan (Leo Gorcey) is a street-tough kid from New York who does what he wants when he wants. The father he never knew had a dying wish that he go to military school and he's eventually tricked into going. Once there he keeps his rebel ways until it nearly costs someone their life.

ON DRESS PARADE was the seventh and final film in The Dead End Kids series. If you've seen the previous entries then you should know that the tone to these films were a lot darker than future version of the kids under The East Side Kids and The Bowery Boys. While this entry isn't the greatest film in the world it's at least entertaining enough for fans.

I will start off with the biggest flaw and that's the fact that there's really nothing shocking or too uncommon. In other words, all of the films followed the same basic formula so once the movie gets going you'll know exactly where it's going. Slip is a jerk to everyone, something bad happens and then he changes his way. There are some good moments scattered throughout including the fact that Slip gets pushed around quite a bit.

Gorcey certainly deserves a lot of credit here as he delivers a nice performance and there's no doubt that he was perfect at playing this type of obnoxious jerk. The supporting cast includes nice turns by Gabriel Dell, Huntz Hall, Bobby Jordan, John Litel and Billy Halop among others. The direction is good enough to keep the 61 minute running time running smoothly and there are a couple nice laughs to go along with the drama.

Angels march in their places.

[mark.waltz · 4/10 · 6 September 2019]

It's obvious that MGM's "Boy's Town" was a high profile attempt to capture the essence of the Dead End Kids, and for the future Bowery Boys, their follow-ups to "Dead End" and "Angels With Dirty Faces" got more sentimental as an effort to capture the essence of the more polished MGM hit. At least they didn't have a sneering, over acting Mickey Rooney type in them, but for this last Warner Brothers effort (a low B after several A films), the sentimentality is off the charts. It takes nearly half of the hour long film to go by before anything dramatic really occurs, and it's obvious that a lot of that first half is filler due to the rushed script.

Leo Gorcey is the equivalent of "Boy's Town's" Rooney, a tough kid set up as a troublemaking bully, sent to the military academy against his will, and forced to take a good look at himself when his antics cause another cadet to have a serious accident. Gorcey does a 180 degree turn, wins the respect of the other cadets who earlier hated him, and proves to academy head John Litel (a friend of Gorcey's late father) that his instinct was right.

The first scenes of the film are a pointless montage of the last days of World War I and historical events following it, but it is the last half of the film that really takes off. Gorcey is joined by Bobby Jordan, Huntz Hall and a few others from "Dead End", but it's very apparent that the talented Gorcey was the breakout star, even if he simply settled on becoming a caracterature once established in the upcoming series of B films. Too much stock footage and unnecessary filler makes this seem desperately rushed out rather than properly developed.

Skip this melontramatic cinnamonatic disaster

[wayne-85801 · 1/10 · 11 February 2024]

Of the more than 60 + Dead End Kids to Bowery Boys movies I've soldiered through this is by far the worst. The drama is flat and violin filled. It's unfunny and tedious. It's basically a pro-military propaganda movie and a bad one at that.

I've even watched the four hour long movie serials and as bad as they are I'd watch them all over again rather than watch this one hour mess.

I've got to repeat the first paragraph to meet the required characters of this review Of the more than 60 + Dead End Kids to Bowery Boys movies I've soldiered through this is by far the worst. The drama is flat and violin filled. It's unfunny and tedious. It's basically a pro-military propaganda movie and a bad one at that.

A very different style film for the Dead End Kids.

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 20 November 2022]

While this is an Dead End Kids film, it's style is quite different. Instead of it consisting of a group of young hoodlums (such as in "Dead End" or "Crime School" or "Angels with Dirty Faces"), the only budding ex-con is played by Leo Gorcey. As for the rest, they are pretty normal...especially Huntz Hall! Oddly, Hall does not play the usual idiot!

The story begins, briefly, during WWI and shows some guys fighting and bonding. Soon it switches to 1939. One of the three friends, Colonel Duncan, has died and his two friends come to pay their respects. Soon they realize the Colonel's son is a real punk in need to discipline and they think a stretch in military school will shape him up. Of course, Slip Duncan (Gorcey) has zero interest in anything other than petty crime, so they have to trick him into agreeing to go to the school. Once there, Slip expects the entire school to change just for him...and he makes a lot of enemies in the process. It gets so bad that they strongly are considering tossing him out of the school. Can Slip get with the program or is he destined for a life of crime and, eventually, prison?

In many ways, this film feels like Warner Brothers is remaking MGM's "Boys Town"...a huge hit from the previous year. Gorcey is essentially playing Mickey Rooney's role...and it pretty much goes the say way.

I was surprised that I liked this film as much as I did...much of it because Gorcey wasn't playing his Bowery Boys character, Slip Mahoney. His character had more depth...and the rest of the gang are more likable...less annoying. Overall, an enjoyable old fashioned film.

REMEMBERING LEO GORCEY

[tcchelsey · 8/10 · 19 November 2022]

Huntz Hall told a super story about his old pal Leo Gorcey, along with Gabe Dell, to Mike Douglas on his tv show back in the 70s. You can find this on YOUTUBE. He said both on and off the screen Leo was the boss of the gang, at least the one with all the chutztpah! He drove Jack Warner and the rest at Warner Brothers nuts, but he also had the talent, especially for snappy one liners. The story goes that one night Gorcey, he and Gabe happened upon a lot of cars that were used in the movies. Leo picked the biggest sedan, they all hopped in and went for a drive around Burbank! Huntz Hall asked him how long he was driving, to which Leo replied "This is the first time I ever drove a car!" This kind of sums up this movie, which was the last the gang made for Warners, before the East Side kids and the famous Bowery Boys. Gorcey plays Slip (the same character name he had in the Bowery Boys) who is a problem teenager! There's some very dramatic moments at play here which leads to Slip re-evaluating his past (redemption) and going to military school, hence the title ON DRESS PARADE. True, it's an old storyline, long used by the Dead End Kids, but its fun to watch Gorcey (who knew his stuff on camera) get in and out of another mess and admit he needed an attitude adjustment. Great support from all the familiars, including Billy Halop, Bobby Jordan, Gabe Dell and Huntz Hall, who isn't as goofy as he was in the Bowery Boys, but he has his moments. Interestingly, this was written by veteran Tom Reed, whose career spanned back to the silent era, beginning with the original PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (starring Long Chaney). He also was a contributing writer to the iconic BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1935), before working at Warner Brothers. The gang's all here, but Leo is da man! Remastered on dvd WB box sets. Warners later acquired all the Bowery Boys movies and also remastered them into super box sets.

What You'd Expect

[rmax304823 · 22 January 2003]

SPOILERS.

They were still known as the Dead End Kids at this stage of their career, because of their appearance in "Dead End". Later they'd become East Side Kids and Bowery Boys. Leo Gorcey is the protagonist here. He was the one wearing the beanie. As a favor, John Litel sees that Gorcey ("Slip") is admitted to Washington, a military academy. The other Dead End Kids are also students there. They are given lines like, "In the language of my native Broadway, you are behind the eight ball plenty." Gorcey throws a plate of food into the face of a senior classman. He starts fights. He doesn't stow his gear properly. He's distraught. He wants to quit but is tricked into staying. In the end he succeeds and everything ends happily.

You should be either ten years old or totally drunk if you want to find anything fresh or amusing in this movie. I can't find a single thing to recommend this movie if you're not in one of those two pathological conditions. The story line is predictable, even at this early stage of the Kids' development. The acting is nonexistent. There is no humor that rises above the level of the worst pun you've ever heard.

In 1939, people paid to watch this.