During a game of street baseball, angelic slugger Bobby Jordan (as Danny Stevens) scores a hit by capturing dangerous bank robber Max Rosenbloom (as Butch Brocalli). Young Mr. Jordan secretly plans to spend the $200 reward money on new baseball uniforms for "The East Side Kids". But, leader Leo Gorcey (as Muggs McGinnis) wants the money to be split seven ways, with fellow club-mates Stanley Clements (as Stash), Huntz Hall (as Glimpy), Bobby Stone (as Skinny), Ernest Morrison (as Scruno), and David Gorcey (as Peewee).
Misunderstandings put Jordan at odds with his former pals. And, bad becomes worse when former "East Side Kid" Gabriel Dell (as Henry "Hank" Salko) returns, to warn the gang that Mr. Rosenbloom is out of prison, and prowling for Jordan...
"Smart Alecks" uses its cast well. The film's line-up of performers is a classic, and the storyline is a good representation of this particular Bowery boy era. "Introducing Stanley 'Stash' Clements" leads the credits; a good addition to the team, Mr. Clements looks very much like he was brought in as a possible replacement for one of the Gorcey brothers (which is more precisely what happened, in 1956). And, Jordan's pretty sister Gale Storm (as Ruth Stevens) is a treat.
****** Smart Alecks (8/7/42) Wallace Fox ~ Bobby Jordan, Leo Gorcey, Stanley Clements, Gale Storm
