In the depths of the Depression, two teenage boys strike out on their own in order to help their struggling parents and find life on the road tougher than expected.In the depths of the Depression, two teenage boys strike out on their own in order to help their struggling parents and find life on the road tougher than expected.In the depths of the Depression, two teenage boys strike out on their own in order to help their struggling parents and find life on the road tougher than expected.
- Awards
- 1 win
- Sally
- (as Dorothy Coonan)
- Boy
- (uncredited)
- Police Sergeant
- (uncredited)
- Policeman in Court
- (uncredited)
- Brakeman Throwing Stones
- (uncredited)
- Youth in Line-up
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe movie shown in the movie theater scene (about an hour into the film) is another Warner Bros. release, Footlight Parade (1933).
- GoofsSally's piece of cake jumps from the plate into her hands between shots.
- Quotes
Eddie: [to the judge] I knew all that stuff about you helping us was baloney. I'll tell you why we can't go home: because our folks are poor. They can't get jobs and there isn't enough to eat. What good will it do you to send us home to starve? You say you've got to send us to jail to keep us off the streets. Well, that's a lie. You're sending us to jail because you don't want to see us. You want to forget us. But you can't do it because I'm not the only one. There's thousands just like me, and there's more hitting the road every day.
Tommy: [also to the judge] You read in the papers about giving people help. The banks get it. The soldiers get it. The breweries get it. And they're always yelling about giving it to the farmers. What about us? We're kids!
- ConnectionsFeatured in Alibi Mark (1937)
- SoundtracksThe Gold Diggers' Song (We're in the Money)
(uncredited)
Music by Harry Warren
[Played after the kids leave the dance; also whistled by Eddie (Frankie Darro)]
Frankie Darro and Edwin Phillips portray the juvenile leads Eddie and Tommy, with Darro's performance effective and appealing. Their characters indulge in the usual teenage shenanigans until the depression overtakes their parents. As times toughen, and Eddie's father can't find work, Eddie decides to sell his jalopy to help out. This sets up the first of many splendid scenes, as Eddie's tough-guy veneer drops just long enough to share raw emotions with his father (Grant Mitchell). Zero cringe factor here, Wellman excels at emotions between men and it's never maudlin.
Hitting the (rail)road to find work, Eddie and Tommy encounter Sally, an adorable, nose-scrintching Dorothy Coonan dressed as a man. And the three set off across the country, with high ideals and optimism clashing with depression realities. Brutal and raw, this is a journey you, too, must take. A page of America's history told so expertly as to make you laugh and cry simultaneously.
Ms. Coonan (Sally) quit films after "Wild Boys" to marry director "Wild" Bill Wellman, and remain his his wife until his death in 1975. My highest recommendation.
- arthursward
- Jan 21, 2003
- How long is Wild Boys of the Road?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Junaci Pavlove ulice
- Filming locations
- Southern Pacific Taylor Yard, Glendale, California, USA(train yard sequence)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime1 hour 8 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1