THAT GANG OF MINE (1940) The East Side Kids | Comedy, Drama, Sport | B&W

That Gang of Mine is a 1940 film directed by Joseph H. Lewis and starring Leo Gorcey and Bobby Jordan. It is the third film in the East Side Kids series.

SYNOPSIS
Muggs Maloney, a street-smart gang member with dreams of becoming a jockey, is determined to cheat his way to the top. His ambitions get a boost when old horseman Ben arrives in New York with his prized thoroughbred, Bluenight, hoping to turn the horse into a champion racer despite his poor financial state. The East Side boys step in to help, offering makeshift quarters for Bluenight and convincing Algy Wilkes' father to pay the entrance fee for the upcoming race.

Muggs, eager to prove himself, takes the reins as Bluenight’s jockey, but his inexperience leads to a disastrous performance on the track. Noticing the horse’s potential, a seasoned trainer named Morgan advises Mr. Wilkes to use a more experienced jockey, but Muggs persuades everyone to give him another shot.

The night before the big race, a crooked bookie named Nick plots to sabotage Bluenight. The boys uncover the scheme just in time, saving the horse from harm. On race day, however, Muggs realizes he's not up to the task of leading Bluenight to victory. In a moment of self-awareness, he steps aside and persuades the skilled jockey Jimmy Sullivan to take his place. With Jimmy in the saddle, Bluenight triumphs, fulfilling Ben's dream and proving that even the most ambitious dreams require knowing when to step back.

CAST & CREW
Bobby Jordan as Danny Dolan
Leo Gorcey as Muggs Maloney
Sunshine Sammy as Scruno
David Gorcey as Peewee
Donald Haines as Skinny
Eugene Francis as Algy Wilkes
Remaining cast
Clarence Muse as Ben
Dave O'Brien as 'Knuckles' Dolan
Joyce Bryant as Louise
Milton Kibbee as Mr. Wilkes
Richard Terry as Henchman Blackie
Wilbur Mack as Nick Buffalo
Hazel Keener as Mrs. Wilkes

Directed by: Joseph H. Lewis
Written by: William Lively (screenplay), Alan Whitman (story)
Produced by: Sam Katzman
Cinematography: Robert E. Cline, Harvey Gould
Edited by: Carl Pierson
Music by: Lew Porter
Distributed by: Monogram Pictures Corporation
Release Date: September 23, 1940
Running Time: 62 minutes
Country: United States
Language: English