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Dead End

Play trailer Poster for Dead End 1937 1h 33m Crime Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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83% Tomatometer 12 Reviews 77% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
Mobster "Baby Face" Martin (Humphrey Bogart) returns home to visit to the New York neighborhood where he grew up, dropping in on his mother (Marjorie Main), who rejects him because of his gangster lifestyle, and his old girlfriend, Francey (Claire Trevor), now a syphilitic prostitute. Martin also crosses paths with Dave (Joel McCrea), a childhood friend struggling to make it as an architect, and the Dead End Kids, a gang of young boys roaming the streets of the city's East Side slums.
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Dead End

Critics Reviews

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James Baldwin The Devil Finds Work The severity of the social situation which Dead End so romanticizes (somewhat like its direct descendant, West Side Story) utterly precludes the innocence of its heroine. Jan 17, 2024 Full Review Meyer Levin (Patterson Murphy) Esquire Magazine The cast is perfect; Allen Jenkins surprisingly strong as Humphrey Bogart's shadow. Apr 17, 2020 Full Review Ann Ross Maclean's Magazine Highly recommended, but not for children. Oct 7, 2019 Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews Couldn't be more outdated. Rated: C Mar 18, 2015 Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com William Wyler's screen version of this juvenile delinquency drama features the Dead End Kids and boasts excellent performances from Bogart as a criminal before he became star and Joel McCrea as the decent guy. Rated: B- Mar 6, 2008 Full Review Jonathan R. Perry Tyler Morning Telegraph (Texas) Rated: 4/5 Jun 4, 2005 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Scott R NYT 1000 movies list. An unusual drama showing the class struggles on the docks / row houses in NYC. How the rich can be right next to the poor and come into conflict in the big city. Although dated, it still is a well made film. Saw on Tubi. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 10/05/25 Full Review Isaiah Y Notable William Wyler film featuring a good early performance by Humphrey Bogart Rated 3 out of 5 stars 08/12/25 Full Review nick s Fantastic shot framing throughout the film. Wyler manages to get great performances out of the actors. Just a quality production. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 12/05/23 Full Review Josh G Incredible use of lighting every scene is a masterpiece, ever line of dialogue is perfect and and filled monologues and devastation of life on the street in 1920's. It blew me away. Humphrey Bogart steals every scene in his limited role. This is a wonderful example of film noir and should be taught in film school over Maltese falcon and Casablanca. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 04/17/23 Full Review merick h Fantastic film. A pet peeve of mine is when people call classic films like this "dated". I can't think of a more idiotic statement. Obviously; it was made in 1937. If you have a specific criticism, make it. Otherwise, that comment is just lazy and annoying. It's a great film. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review steven a The contracted stage-like waterfront setting is symbolic of the social issues addressed, however cinema censorship blunted some of the more shocking elements of the original play. Moodily photographed with great use of shadow by Toland, the film still generates a brooding atmosphere, helped by expert performances from Bogart and McCrae. Also of note is Francis as Bogart's old flame who has descended into prostitution and Sidney as the concerned sister of one of the youth gang members. The Dead End Kids may seem a little too mannered today but they were memorable enough to spawn a dedicated series of B-pictures. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Dead End

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Cast & Crew

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William Wyler

Director

Sylvia Sidney

Drina Gordon

Humphrey Bogart

Hugh "Baby Face"

Joel McCrea

Dave Connell

Wendy Barrie

Kay Burton

Claire Trevor

Francey

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Dead End

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Movie Info

Synopsis Mobster "Baby Face" Martin (Humphrey Bogart) returns home to visit to the New York neighborhood where he grew up, dropping in on his mother (Marjorie Main), who rejects him because of his gangster lifestyle, and his old girlfriend, Francey (Claire Trevor), now a syphilitic prostitute. Martin also crosses paths with Dave (Joel McCrea), a childhood friend struggling to make it as an architect, and the Dead End Kids, a gang of young boys roaming the streets of the city's East Side slums.
Director
William Wyler
Producer
Samuel Goldwyn
Screenwriter
Lillian Hellman, Sidney Kingsley
Distributor
Embassy Pictures, Film Classics Inc.
Production Co
Samuel Goldwyn Company
Genre
Crime, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Aug 24, 1937, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 31, 2020
Runtime
1h 33m
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