My Boys Are Good Boys (1979) User Reviews

Teens rob armored car during their lunch hour

[yonhope · 4/10 · 5 August 2005]

Hi, Everyone, Your boys might be good boys, but your movie's a bad movie. How did they fail with this one? The cast is made up of great veteran actors who can easily turn in a great performance. The title song is sung by Dorsey Burnette. Even Dorsey cannot make this title song sound good.

The story line is adequate. A few kids want to rob an armored car. What kid doesn't want to rob an armored car? No real violence to speak of here. Stupidity galore but little violence.

This movie unfolds more unevenly than a 29 cent taco. Ida Lupino is the loving wife who is not in love. A part she has played to perfection many times before. David Doyle (Am I the only one who confuses him with Tom Bosley?) overacts. Lloyd Nolan is excellent in his role but it does not save the movie. Ralph Meeker looks like he is being handed his pages of script just before each scene begins.

This cast could have spent the same amount of hours with a good director and a good script and they could have made a real winner. The last line in the movie is so ridiculous it almost made my smoke detector go off.

It is fun to watch this to check gas prices way back when.

Ida Lupino was better in High Sierra. Lloyd Nolan was better in Peyton Place. Ralph Meeker was better in The Dirty Dozen.

If you like Dorsey Burnette's voice, listen to Hey Little One or Tall Oak Tree.

Other than that it was OK.

Tom Willett

Strange Movie, and not in a good way

[CatherineYronwode · 3/10 · 13 January 2012]

I would have rated this film with 1 star, but it got an additional 1 for Lloyd Nolan's brave performance as a security officer and an extra 1/2 for Ida Lupino as a shrewish wife, and an extra 1/2 for Ralph Meeker's role as a truculent drunk bad dad.

But the MUSIC! Oh my God. The music. The horrible synthesizer music bubbling away like little rodential heartbeats as we are supposed to feel fear, tension, drama, interest, or some other emotion which we cannot feel because the music is popping like popcorn farts! Oh, Lord have mercy. If you are the kind of person who can't take bad music, please, be cautious -- the sound track may damage your internal organs.

Also this film is a wasteland of bad late 1970s architecture, as it was filmed right before Post-Modern architecture saved us all from architectural cultural suicide. Just keep reciting your mantra, "Later on there would be good architecture. This was not the end of the world." Oh, and there's this insane fainting-gas stuff. The teens buy it at the local convenience store, no doubt. Another reviewer suggested the idea came from "Batman." I concur.

And i will offer a sparkly reward to anyone who can tell me the name of the book that Ida Lupino is reading on her bed when Ralph Meeker comes home after a long day in the armoured car industry. My TV was too small to zero in on it, but i have the feeling that if i could have read that title, i would have been rewarded by some sort of fabulous in-joke. Or maybe not.

Lloyd Nolan is okay. Ida Lupino is okay. Ralph Meeker is okay. The rest of this movie is insanely useless except to people who want to watch cars crash into one another over and over and over and over again.

Good boys plan good robberies

[bkoganbing · 3/10 · 27 April 2018]

As one of the previous reviewers confessed this film had all the earmarks of a tax write-off which it was for producer and star Ralph Meeker. Meeker got old Hollywood names Ida Lupino, Lloyd Nolan and Bosley from Charlie's Angels David Doyle to join him in this project.

Meeker is an armored car guard and he has a son Sean Roche in a reform school. Roche and his buddies from a reform school execute a well thought out plan along with Roche's sister Kerry Lynn to rob Meeker's armored car on its rounds collecting coins. Unlike bills completely untraceable, that part was well thought out. So was the actual robbery. But the idea is to do it and get back before this juvenile penal institution does its head count as these places are wont to do.

Lloyd Nolan as the security investigator for the armored car company is the only one who doesn't just go through the motions. The rest act like they are waiting for paychecks to clear from Ralph Meeker. The rest of the cast it's like we're seeing an amateur theater group.

This was Ida Lupino's farewell acting job. Too bad she couldn't go out on something better.

From Bad to Camp to Cult

[gbuttkus · 22 September 2006]

In 1977, when I was still endeavoring to be an actor, Colleen Meeker, Ralph Meeker's spouse, spread the word that any actors who were hungry enough to work for "nothing", to get a "film credit" --she had the project for them. Keenan Wynn, who had been approached to be in the film, helped to get me an audition, and I was cast as the "reformatory guard".

Remember there were no direct-to-video films made at that time. Until a couple of years ago, I was not even aware that this film made it to VHS. Most of the actors, myself included, agreed to turn their paychecks back into the production kitty, in lieu of promises to be paid when the film finally opened. Well it never officially opened in any theater that I was cognizant of. There was a full page ad taken out in Variety, and I saved that. I had heard a rumor that the film was shown once on late night local LA television.

So it was an under the radar production. I never received a dime for doing it. It was not a SAG sanctioned picture, and therefore there never were residuals forthcoming. We thought of it as a slim-budgeted tax write off for Ralph Meeker's production company. It gave the opportunity for several over-the-hill burned out Hollywood stars to have one more Hurrah in front of an actual camera; specifically Lloyd Nolan, Ralph Meeker, and Ida Lupino (called Lupe by her friends). David Doyle was still pre-CHARLIE'S ANGELS at that point. My scenes were with him.

It was directed by Bethel "Buck" Buckalew, aka Peter Perry, and Arthur P. Stootsberry. He cast himself as a cop in one scene. He was one of those just under the surface Hollywood Indie movers and shakers that had been around, and busy, since the 60's; semi-functioning as an actor, producer, writer, second-unit director, and sometimes director. He made, or was a part of production companies that made dozens of terrible, crappy, yet wonderfully bizarre non-union almost-seen-by-no one films; like KNOCKERS UP (1963), and CYCLE VIXENS (1978).

As the other reviews and comments have suggested, the plot of the film, such as it is, had to do with some malcontent teenagers, bad boys from a reformatory, and one bad girl, who robbed an armored car. Ralph Meeker drove the armored car, as the security guard. His bad son planned the robbery to "hurt" his father. At the time, I was actually embarrassed to have my name associated with the pic, but after all these turgid decades, looking back in fond retrospect --I no longer want to disassociate myself from it. I love it. Recently I watched the film with 30 film club members, and we all laughed and enjoyed the movie. It was very camp, all those 70's hair-dos and clothes, car chases, and wretched vapid idiotic dialogue. It reminded me of viewing an Ed Wood film. Lloyd Nolan was the only actor to rise above the material, besides myself of course. The film is now, according to the internet, building a cult following. Go figure.

Let's take off the gloves and be honest, here.

[aaronmocksing1987 · 1/10 · 5 June 2010]

This movie stinks harder than all the dumplings left over by a thousand dogs, a thousand cats, a thousand bulls and maybe one or two elephants. I see nothing fantastic about this movie other than a bunch of ugly kids trying to pull off an Ocean's Eleven with a bunch of even uglier older men and women. Sean, or whatever the heck his name is, is by far the worst interpretation of a rebellious kid - you'll find better acting from the kid from 'Austin Powers' one, two, and three. This was obviously a film that was supposed to be the next greatest thing since Muhammed Ali took to the ring and kicked everyone's butt, but I'm gonna be perfectly frank, Frank... it's not. It doesn't even rank as high as me walking on top of a Dance Dance Revolution machine trying to impress all of the employees at Hooters, man. It's that bad. If you've got your copy, I suggest you take it and dump it in the ground and bury it for all it's worth. It'll eat your eyes and burn your tongue straight off, finding all of your next of kin and ripping them apart without your knowledge.

The music sounds more like a bunch of farts going off at once; 'musical farts', as I like to call it. Perhaps that is the only redeeming quality I have to give about this movie - and it shows that you too can be an amazing cult following by doing just that. Everyone should remember that the next time they get their couple of dollars and a video camera, and decide to make this movie. Will there be a sequel to this? Let's hope so, boy howdy! Maybe there, the musical farts return, with the opening theme song redux and maybe a Pachelbel's Canon solo. I bet that grossly obese kid will have a field day with it.

What's up with that fat tub of lard though, anyway? Did he even get a second's worth of screen time for his effort? I don't know what's scary, the weird-looking neegroe humping the doctor and the Charlie's Angels guy during the beginning or the two fat chest boobs wobbling each time the fat guy hustled from scene to scene. I bet he's dead now. He probably deserved it.

Like I said, this movie sucks. You'll have a field day with 'Bawop, Bawop, Bawoowowowowowooooop' tune when one of the hillbillies is drinking his brandy in the car while snooping on a potential sex victim, but that's as far as it goes. Other than that, this movie sucks. You're stupid if you rated it any higher.

Tired of Toein' the Line

[wes-connors · 3/10 · 13 April 2008]

Reform school resident Sean Thomas Roche (as Tommy Morton) receives a visit from father Ralph Meeker (as Bert Morton), who informs him schoolteacher mother Ida Lupino (as Bess Morton) is retiring. Clearly, Mr. Meeker and Mr. Roche have some "generation gap" difficulties; but, they pale in comparison with the love lost between the two men and Ms. Lupino. Lupino could care less about her delinquent son; instead, she enjoys tutoring pretty young Kerry Lynn (as Priscilla). Little do the adults know, but the "kids" are plotting…

This sometimes confusing, and seldom plausible, "misunderstood kids drama" has a few interesting attributes. Old pro Lloyd Nolan tries to sort out the plot; he contributes greatly to an interesting cast. Prrforming admirably, Mr. Nolan makes everyone sharing his screen time look better. David Doyle, waiting for "Charlie's Angels" to resume, has quite a "My Boys Are Good Boys" backstory to tell. Notably, Lupino's shrewish characterization was her last film appearance, before retiring.

My Boys Are Good Boys....so I put them in this bad movie!!!

[kidboots · 4/10 · 21 October 2007]

It was interesting to read the above reviews. gbuttkus' insights into the production gave the film a new interest to me.

When I first saw it - I was surprised that Ralph Meeker was in it - I could remember him from "Paths of Glory" and "Kiss Me Deadly", I thought he was such an underrated actor. The next shock was Ida Lupino (one of my favourite actresses) and then Lloyd Nolan. What were they thinking!!! Perhaps they were doing it as a favour to Meeker.

Ralph Meeker was executive producer so it was obviously a subject he felt strongly about.

Tommy is ticked off with his dad for failing to bail him out of a detention centre (as Dad says "I've bailed you out 5 times already"). Things aren't much better at home - Mom (Ida Lupino) treats Dad like dirt. She also has no time for their son, Tommy, but treats her pupil Priscilla, like a princess. (Priscilla, is the brains behind the weekend armoured car robbery).

Tommy and some of his detention centre mates have decided to rob an armoured van on the weekend. One of the kids, Chunky, looks as though he would be more at home on a "Happy Days" set. The detention centre is peopled with happy, laid back guards that think their "boys are good boys". They are pushovers for any kid out of kindergarten.

"Chunky" pretends to faint because of lack of food and the guards not only believe him they run around looking for chocolate bars. That gives the boys ample time to steal the guards keys, tie them up and escape.

There are a few crazy car chases .

Ralph looks permanently hung over - what with the lines he has to speak and putting up with Ida's tirades, who can blame him!!!! David Doyle's speech about why "my boys are good boys" showed why he shouldn't be working in a tough detention centre.

You will never guess the ending - but maybe you will!!!!

Good action movie

[vampi1960 · 6/10 · 17 September 2006]

Ida Lupino and Ralph Meeker together again after being terrorized by giant rats in food of the gods.anyway Ralph meeker plays an armored car driver,his son is in a reformatory being watched over by a guard with a big heart(David Doyle)yeah bosley on TVs Charlie's angels.well the plot starts to unfold when three of the kids plan to rob the armored car led by Ralph Meekers son(Sean Thomas Roche)and a girl(Kerry Lynn)who is being tutored by Ralph meekers characters wife.there's some good car chases and crashes,plot twists and some pg rated mayhem,ill have to say its not a bad little b movie,also in the movie is the great Lloyd Nolan who i remember from the Julia TV show with Dianne Carroll. i saw this one on the 50 action classics DVD set from mill creek,formally tree line films.i guess Ralph Meeker and Ida Lupino needed a break from the food of the gods(77)i especially like David Doyle's performance as the guard.6 out of 10

"This is just like the movies, huh?"

[classicsoncall · 6/10 · 4 April 2010]

Well, my boys might be good boys, but the girls turn out to be real bad. That was actually a pretty neat ending when it turned out Mrs. Morton (Ida Lupino) was Priscilla's (Kerry Lynn) partner. But boy, it sure took a long time getting there. Especially when Lloyd Nolan's character did the interrogation bit at the reformatory. Here's what I don't get - at any point along the way, the security officer from the armored car could have told a client to let the cops know what was going on. Or could have written a note on the pick up log. Didn't that cross anybody's mind? And what was the business with all those cars crashing and running into grocery carts and flipping over on a dirt track? I thought the DVD I was watching suddenly turned into a different movie. You know, back in the Thirties and Forties, when they kept these flicks under an hour and in black and white, they seemed much more tolerable. I'm sure if they made this one with Mickey Rooney and Spencer Tracy back in the day it would have turned out just fine. Even Ida Lupino would have felt better about it.

Interesting little feature

[searchanddestroy-1 · 25 December 2016]

I had never heard of it before watching this seventies crime movie. A crime flick that looks like a fifties or late forties film, speaking of juvenile delinquency. Not the seventies genre, for sure. The story is very surprising, where a bunch of very young hoodlums pull a daring and clever armored truck heist, behaving like professionals. Very surprising. I did not expect so much. And seeing old movie actors like Oda Lupino and Lloyd Nolan is pretty weird and funny too. Yes, a very good little film which grabs you, despite the fact that you have only a few spectacular and exciting elements. But don't misunderstand me, that's not a masterpiece, just a smart little grade B picture. Music score all along the film is pretty entertaining too.

Teen Gang Steals Money From Armored Car

[BillyJoe-8 · 5 January 2006]

When you think of movie versions of armored car robberies, you might envision this: Tough, ski-masked ex-cons packing automatic weapons, car chases, shootouts, helicopters, the mastermind. My Boys Are Good Boys has elements of this Hollywood stereotype--but it mostly deviates from it. (Don't look for blown-up buildings or police shootouts.) The film casts well-known actors Meeker and Lupino as parents of two of the teens who rob the car. All of the teen bandits in this movie are unknowns, but their acting is adequate. The teens plan the robbery from inside an LA County boys reformatory, with the outside assistance of a female teen, Priscilla, played by Kerry Lynne. Apparently Priscilla has a "bio" mom but lives with her divorced dad (Meeker) and his step wife (Lupino). This is important but I don't want to give away the ending.

The writers have taken-up an unlikely idea: "Hey, let's have TEENS rob an armored car instead of grungy ex-cons! It hasn't been done before!" The writer's next hurdle was how to get a teen gang to do it. So they wrote the plot to include a group of incarcerated reformatory boys to pull the heist. Predictably, the group has some trouble trying to break-out of their complex, but once out are picked up by the stepsister of one of the boys (Priscilla) in an SUV. (This is at a time when they still called SUV's "cars.") A baffling attempted assault happens against Priscilla by a "Plain Clothes" or "Off-Duty" (?) cop just before the gang starts its run--this is resolved at the end of the movie. Sort-of. The "cop" seems to be in the movie because the producer said, "Hey, we gotta add more violence and tension to this movie to change the rating or make it hip!" The Criminal Mastermind (there is more than one mastermind) is Priscilla's stepbrother, Tommy. Tommy and his bandits and his stepsister commandeer the specially-targeted armored car, and eventually achieve their goal of a big heist. After some trouble, the boys break back into the reformatory to pretend they had never left.

The adults in this movie play various parts such as investigators, parents, clerks, guards, cops. I feel that veteran actor Lloyd Nolan plays some of the best scenes in this movie. Especially good is his grilling of the gang at the reformatory--well-written and directed.

I had remembered actor Nolan from various works but I did not know who the actors Lupino or Meeker were until after I viewed this movie. If you are under thirty you may not know anyone in this film.

The movie includes the use of some implausible "Batman-like" fainting gas as a goofy device, but you just sort of ignore that because...you saw it on Batman! Also, the movie is too short. Fifteen or twenty-minutes more could have fleshed out the characters and plot and made the movie more enjoyable.

Some of the music is effective for setting mood. The title song, MY BOYS ARE GOOD BOYS--is not that great, considering it is a theme. I think that I could have written a better one! Most of the musical score is sort of a electronic synthesizer/country music type. Cheap, no doubt--and it didn't age well. (It is a little better than the funk or disco seen in other 1970's movies, though.

I rarely buy DVD's but I bought this movie with 49-other DVD's in a bargain set. I feel that there are only 5 or 7 good movies out of the set, this is one of them. But that's not saying much. Still, because I'm as much of a historian as a movie lover, I will watch the movie again. The work is good for a hoot when you want to relax with something short and familiar, and see what the suburban Los Angeles area was like in 1976 or 1977. (I think it was shot then but released later, not sure.) It is surprising to see what appears timeless after more than 25-years. And what in our culture has disappeared.

My boys are still very good boys.

[bluestar-11 · 17 August 2007]

This film is available on Mill Creek Entertainment's Action Classics 100 Movie Pack. After watching Trained to Kill: USA (the real reason I bought the box set) I switched to the next movie My Boys Are Good Boys, at first I assumed it was about rebellious youths and the whole movie would take place in the reformatory where they are held, but the story seemed to have more surprising twists and turns then an episode of 24. A somewhat easy escape leads to the youths robbing an armored truck. This is one of the best stories I have seen in a long time. What was also surprising was the performances. More notably David Doyle who played Harry Klinger the reformatory guard giving his my boys are good boys speech, Kerry Lynn as Priscilla, and the always hungry Chunky played by Robert Cokjlat. This film is a classic and a joy to discover.