This 1932 film directed by Frank Borzage, is a melodrama typical of its time. Today however the script is almost laughably bad.
Even though Spencer Tracy is top billed he is NOT the main character,that role goes to young Tommy Conlan. Fox was apparently trying to make this lad a star, he did make a few more films then like most juvenile performers he disappeared from the screen.
He gave a very credible performance as a troubled teen, he wasn't a real bad boy he just always wound up in trouble.
Spencer Tracy in one of his earliest roles is a druggist who takes the boy against his best wishes in. Lucky it all turns out well or Tracy would never have become Fr Flanagan (BOYS TOWN). & win his second Oscar.
Ralph Bellamy also in an early role plays the sincere Juvenile court judge.
Two actresses from the silent era (which ended only a few years before) are featured, Doris Kenyon is Tracy's beautiful wife & very interested in the young Juvenile. She had a short career & was a very capable actress,
Beryl Mercer (Al Jolson's mother in THE JAZZ SINGER) very effective as the grandmother of another lad who is Tom's friend. She was on many sound movies for decades & always good.
My rating of 6 seems low, but the films production values are only adequate. At least I liked this better than the co-feature on the DVD
AFTER TOMORROW with Charles Farrell, that too is a melodrama that becomes a very silly comedy today. It has the same director as this film. These 2 movies were Mr. Borzage's earliest efforts, He did become a very good studio director.
YOUNG America--- ratings
**1/2 (out of 4) 72 points (out of 100) IMDb 6 (out of 10)
AFTER TOMORROW--ratings
** (out of 4) 63 points (out of 100) IMDb 5 (out of 10)
.
Even though Spencer Tracy is top billed he is NOT the main character,that role goes to young Tommy Conlan. Fox was apparently trying to make this lad a star, he did make a few more films then like most juvenile performers he disappeared from the screen.
He gave a very credible performance as a troubled teen, he wasn't a real bad boy he just always wound up in trouble.
Spencer Tracy in one of his earliest roles is a druggist who takes the boy against his best wishes in. Lucky it all turns out well or Tracy would never have become Fr Flanagan (BOYS TOWN). & win his second Oscar.
Ralph Bellamy also in an early role plays the sincere Juvenile court judge.
Two actresses from the silent era (which ended only a few years before) are featured, Doris Kenyon is Tracy's beautiful wife & very interested in the young Juvenile. She had a short career & was a very capable actress,
Beryl Mercer (Al Jolson's mother in THE JAZZ SINGER) very effective as the grandmother of another lad who is Tom's friend. She was on many sound movies for decades & always good.
My rating of 6 seems low, but the films production values are only adequate. At least I liked this better than the co-feature on the DVD
AFTER TOMORROW with Charles Farrell, that too is a melodrama that becomes a very silly comedy today. It has the same director as this film. These 2 movies were Mr. Borzage's earliest efforts, He did become a very good studio director.
YOUNG America--- ratings
**1/2 (out of 4) 72 points (out of 100) IMDb 6 (out of 10)
AFTER TOMORROW--ratings
** (out of 4) 63 points (out of 100) IMDb 5 (out of 10)
.