Spy Chasers

The thirty-eighth film in the Bowery Boys series is a lot of nonsense about the fictional European kingdom of Truania, a coin split in half, and Louie's brother that we never see -- a Truanian general named Felix. Pretty tired movie with some much-needed assistance from Sig Ruman and Leon Askin. Lisa Davis is the pretty princess who brings Louie and the Boys into the whole mess. As for the gang, Huntz Hall is once again trying too hard and Leo Gorcey seems to be phoning in his malapropisms and yelling at Hall. Bernard Gorcey plays a major part in this one but he doesn't have any particularly funny bits. David Gorcey and Bennie Bartlett are also here, barely ever speaking as usual. Best scenes involve the little girl who wants some candy ("Do you want to hear me scream?"). The series was past its prime by this point so you take your laughs where you can get them. The 'boys' all look like they're pushing forty and all seem content to go through the motions. It's nothing great but watchable if you're a fan of the series.

Princess Ann (Lisa Davis), daughter of a deposed European king (Sig Ruman) asks Louie Dumbrowsky (Bernard Gorcey) for help because spies from her home country are following her. It seems that Louie's brother Felix is a General in Truania working underground to restore the king. The princess gives a half coin to Louis which, when joined with the other half, signals that the king can return to Truania. But there is treachery and skulduggery afoot and it takes the Bowery Boys to sort it all out. A highlight scene is when a little tomboy (Linda Bennett) accidentally ends up with the half coin. It often happens that in B movies one can see both actors on their way down and actors on their way up. Sig Ruman was such a talented actor that this role must have been a let down for him. On the other hand, as a fan of both The Naked City and Twelve O'Clock High television shows, it was fun seeing Paul Burke early in his career in an uncredited bit part as a messenger from Truania. This is a pleasant and enjoyable Bowery Boys outing.

The Bowery Boys are in fine form in "Spy Chasers". There are quite a few laughs in this movie. The story is good as is the supporting cast. This is one of the Bowery Boys movies that I will always stop and watch when I see it on.

This Bowery boys entry is one where the production code was slightly ignored as the "Mata Hari" character loses a dress and is not wearing a slip; she's wearing a teddy. The Old Production code prohibited showing the female form that revealingly, but that was a crazy idea. Leon Askin was here and playing a version of the middle European villain he always played; whether it was in Hogan's Heroes, What did you do in the War Daddy?, or One,Two, Three. The difference here was he was not facing Bob Crane or James Cagney; he lost to Huntz Hall. It is light hearted fare and should be taken as what it is, a B-movie and the equivalent cinematically of a hot dog.

The biggest disappointment to me in Spy Chasers was that Bernard Gorcey had an opportunity to play a dual role and it was passed up. I would like to have seen him as his own brother as the plot called for.

But we never see General Dumbrowsky in this Bowery Boys film. But the princess of the eastern European country that Louie Dumbrowsky hails from comes to the fabled eatery on the Bowery and asks for help because some spies are trailing her and she wants the tail removed. Of course Bernard Gorcey and the Bowery Boys comply with her wishes.

Princess Lisa Davis further wishes that the Boys help out her father regain his throne. Louie's brother across the sea is a general in the underground army and the delivery of half a coin, matched with the one she and her father the king played by Sig Ruman has will signify that the king should return to claim his throne.

But he's got a pair of fifth columnists in his own entourage in the persons of Leon Askin and Veola Vonn working real hard to see this doesn't happen. Vonn works her wondrous charms on Huntz Hall and he does some things to sabotage their efforts.

As this is a fictional Eastern European country, we can assume that the people who threw the king out were Communists. In 1955 there were still several monarchs and heirs to the crowns of eastern European countries in exile who probably might have been heartened to see one of them start a successful counterrevolution. But they might have been surprised at the source of the help that Sig Ruman got.

All in all your average Bowery Boy comedy.