Angels Wash Their Faces

directed by Ray Enright
Category: "Drama"
Year of Release:1939
Date Added:08/25/2026
Date Watched:08/25/2026
Description:Gabe gets our of reform school and goes to live in the city with his sister Joy (Ann Sheridan). He meets a local gang called The Termites (played by the "Dead End Kids — Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall, etc.), poor, rowdy teens who are basically decent. Local real estate mogul, Martino, has a couple of thugs burning buildings in the city for the insurance. One of the thugs, Kroner, has the hots for Joy, but she wants no part of him. So, to get back at her and to cover their own crime, they burn down a building and frame Gabe. Because a boy died in the fire, Gabe gets 10 years in prison. Assistant D.A., Pat (Ronald Reagan) has been dating Joy. He believes Gabe is innocent, so he teams up with the Termites to gather evidence. The get word about a building that is going to be burned and catch Kroner and the other thug. They're arrested but soon let go. But the kids find out about some old blue laws — no bowling on Sunday, no sitting on the sidewalk — and get Kroner and the other guy arrested on those charges. Because the laws are old, the crime is being put in public stocks. They let the thugs sit in the stocks until they confess, and Morelli is arrested. Gabe is cleared, and Pat and Joy get married.
My Rating:6

Reviews for Angels Wash Their Faces

Review - Angels Wash Their Faces

Lively, I'll give it that. Apparently the actors who played the Dead End Kids caused such a ruckus at the studio that their contracts were cancelled. The story isn't very plausible, but in the midst of all the silliness there was Ann Sheridan and Ronald Reagan both playing very likeable, sympathetic roles.

Reviewed by Roger on 2026-08-25 16:10:40

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