Harold Ramis and company must have been fans of the Bowery Battalion as it appears some of the idea for Stripes owes some nods to this earlier entry of misfits (mutts) in the army. What's missing in Stripes is the wonderful mangling of language in the mouth of Slip Mahoney (and the writers). I always wondered if today's teens would even recognize the multiple malapropisms. In this film Donald MacBride (Sgt. Herbert Frisbie) is the precursor of Sgt. Hulka. And instead of testing the new urban assault vehicle, the EM-50 project (a souped up RV), the bait is Bernard Gorcey (Louie Dumbrowsky), the inventor of the hydrogen death ray, who has been inducted into the army in order to flush out some spies. You know how it goes, the boys eventually sympathize their watches, capture the spies for the inquisition, and in concussion have the greatest ending of any picture that Sgt. Frisbie has ever scene.
11 Reviews
The Bowery Boys In Peace And War
bkoganbing31 July 2010
Only hampered by the lack of production values that Allied Artists gave this film, they had just changed their name from Monogram Pictures, prevents me from giving this more stars. Bowery Batallions finds the Bowery Boys joining the army and catching a ring of spies, presumably Communist spies given the year of the film, 1951.
The film is also a great example of how Leo Gorcey was not any smarter than the others, just that he was loud and asserted his authority that way. Huntz Hall and the other geniuses join the army because of a rash of patriotism that wanted them to defend the USA after they mistook a simulated air strike on New York for the real thing. Huntz Hall shooting at planes with kid's cap pistol is a sight.
Leo however joins the army because the same recruiting sergeant who signed Huntz and the gang gets Leo to sign this piece of paper and he can 'visit' his friends. The funniest sequence in the film by far is when he and the other guys grab some uniforms off the rack because they don't like the ill fitting duds the army has given them. Problem is that they're officers uniforms and when wearing them, they're directed to the officer's club for eats and start mingling with the brass they're in a heap of trouble when day one in the Armed Forces hasn't finished.
Donald MacBride is in the film in his usual role as an exasperated authority figure, in this case a sergeant trying to make these boys fit to defend their country. All in all it's a fine Bowery Boys comedy and it might make you fans of their's if you've never seen any of their films.
The film is also a great example of how Leo Gorcey was not any smarter than the others, just that he was loud and asserted his authority that way. Huntz Hall and the other geniuses join the army because of a rash of patriotism that wanted them to defend the USA after they mistook a simulated air strike on New York for the real thing. Huntz Hall shooting at planes with kid's cap pistol is a sight.
Leo however joins the army because the same recruiting sergeant who signed Huntz and the gang gets Leo to sign this piece of paper and he can 'visit' his friends. The funniest sequence in the film by far is when he and the other guys grab some uniforms off the rack because they don't like the ill fitting duds the army has given them. Problem is that they're officers uniforms and when wearing them, they're directed to the officer's club for eats and start mingling with the brass they're in a heap of trouble when day one in the Armed Forces hasn't finished.
Donald MacBride is in the film in his usual role as an exasperated authority figure, in this case a sergeant trying to make these boys fit to defend their country. All in all it's a fine Bowery Boys comedy and it might make you fans of their's if you've never seen any of their films.
"Ah, I can smell the mess from here!"
classicsoncall31 July 2010
Warning: Spoilers
If memory and my own reviews of the Dead End/East Side/Bowery Boys are any indication, this wouldn't have been the gang's first brush with the military. With a film history spanning the Second World War, having the boys show up in uniform certainly would have happened before, as in the final scene of 1942's "Let's Get Tough". In that one, Bobby Jordan, Leo Gorcey and Huntz Hall each show up at the end of the picture in the uniform of a different branch of the service. With the early 1950's, Korea became the world's hot spot, and even though that conflict wasn't mentioned by name in this picture, the story still managed to elicit some war time paranoia. Especially with the mock air raid on New York City and the Empire State Building on prominent display as war planes flew overhead. I have to admit, it made me a little queasy watching that opening scene since the events of Nine-Eleven.
Once under way, the story line gets a little disjointed when it's revealed that Louie Dumbrowsky was an Army hero during World War I, during which he became the inventor of the 'hydrogen ray', a newly developed war weapon. If so, I had to wonder why that technology wouldn't have been exploited in the intervening three decades. Funny, but it didn't seem to me that Louie remembered inventing that device until he was 'reminded' by the military brass. And now they make him a Major!?!?
So along with the military hi-jinks, there's a bit of espionage thrown in as enemy agents attempt to steal the hydrogen ray formula with inside help from secretary Marsha Davis (Virginia Hewitt). The funniest bit of the flick was probably the rifle drill run by the Colonel (Russell Hicks), reminiscent of Abbott and Costello's routine in 1941's "Buck Privates". You have to admit, the Colonel asked for it when he barked 'At Ease'.
You know, I had to stop and think about something one of the military recruiters said when they initially turned down Louie when he tried to sign up for the service - "As long as there's old duffers like him around, the country's in great shape". I think I just figured out what the problem is in 2010.
Once under way, the story line gets a little disjointed when it's revealed that Louie Dumbrowsky was an Army hero during World War I, during which he became the inventor of the 'hydrogen ray', a newly developed war weapon. If so, I had to wonder why that technology wouldn't have been exploited in the intervening three decades. Funny, but it didn't seem to me that Louie remembered inventing that device until he was 'reminded' by the military brass. And now they make him a Major!?!?
So along with the military hi-jinks, there's a bit of espionage thrown in as enemy agents attempt to steal the hydrogen ray formula with inside help from secretary Marsha Davis (Virginia Hewitt). The funniest bit of the flick was probably the rifle drill run by the Colonel (Russell Hicks), reminiscent of Abbott and Costello's routine in 1941's "Buck Privates". You have to admit, the Colonel asked for it when he barked 'At Ease'.
You know, I had to stop and think about something one of the military recruiters said when they initially turned down Louie when he tried to sign up for the service - "As long as there's old duffers like him around, the country's in great shape". I think I just figured out what the problem is in 2010.
for Bowery completist
SnoopyStyle23 January 2022
The gang mistakes a practice air raid for the real thing. They immediately sign up for the military. Slip tries to stop them but gets trapped himself. The boys get into constant trouble at camp but end up rescuing Louie and saving a secret weapon from foreign spies.
This was released soon after the start of the Korean War. I doubt it's anything deliberate. This is not wartime patriotism but rather a random coincidence. "At ease" is a funny button to a comedy scene. The spy stuff is very convoluted but that could work in a screwball comedy. I would leave Louie out of this one or at least interrogate him into the story in a more simple way. All in all, this is ok for Bowery completist.
This was released soon after the start of the Korean War. I doubt it's anything deliberate. This is not wartime patriotism but rather a random coincidence. "At ease" is a funny button to a comedy scene. The spy stuff is very convoluted but that could work in a screwball comedy. I would leave Louie out of this one or at least interrogate him into the story in a more simple way. All in all, this is ok for Bowery completist.
the usual bowery boys recipe
ksf-27 April 2022
This was kind of in the center of the bowery boys films, which means all three gorceys are in it... Leo, his brother, and his father. Along with huntz hall and billy benedict. In this one, when the military does a mock raid on the city, the boys join up. Although slip was already 35. Would the army really take him at 35, six years after the end of WW II, much less dumbrowski, at age 65 ? The usual silly bowery boys madness. Donald mcbride (was always yelling at the marx brothers) is in here as sergeant frisbie. Can the gang stay out of jail long enough to figure out who the spy is? All part of the bowery boy recipe of fun. Entertaining, if you go along for the ride. Directed by bill beaudine, who made tons of films with the bower boys crew. Leo gorcey wasn't in the last few bowery boys films, after his dad had died in a car accident. Leo passed away at age 55.
Bowery Boys #21
Michael_Elliott17 August 2010
Bowery Battalion (1951)
** (out of 4)
Number twenty-one has Slip, Sach and the other three joining the Army accidentally when they think the country comes under attack. Once there they battled with Sgt. Frisbie (Donald MacBride) as Louie (Bernard Gorcey) is called to Washington, D.C. as it turns out he was a WW1 hero who just happened to create a special bomb. Soon a couple spies are trying to kill Louie and it's up to the boys to try and keep him safe. I'm surprised it took so long for the studio to send the boys to the Army especially when you consider most comedy team do this at some point in their careers. Even by 1951 the "dumb recruits" battling the mean drill Sergent had already grown old and sadly this film doesn't add anything new or fresh. I think the biggest problem with the film is that they're working with an incredibly unoriginal story and there's not single attempt to do anything with it. We get so many forced situations that you can't help but sit there and feel as if you've seen it countless times before and done much better. The running gag here is that the boys keep doing dumb things and keep getting thrown into jail. This happens around four times. It wasn't funny the first time and it's certainly not funny any of the other times. I was really surprised at how unfunny many of the scenes where even if they weren't original. Usually the scene where the men try to follow all the instructions at least gets a few laughs but not here. The only saving grace happens early on when the boys don't like their outfits and try on some others, which just happen to belong to some Majors. The boys start going around not fully understanding why everyone is saluting them but of course they figure it out after it's too late. I think Hall comes off the best here as he's at least energetic and tries to keep things moving. Leo doesn't get to do much, which is shocking but even more so is the fact that he's not given any good dialogue to mix up. Daddy Gorcey comes off a little better and especially in the early scene where he tries to enlist. I think the stuff dealing with him missing the boys was quite touching in its own right. With that said, we've simply seen this type of film way too many times and this one here just isn't funny enough to bother with.
** (out of 4)
Number twenty-one has Slip, Sach and the other three joining the Army accidentally when they think the country comes under attack. Once there they battled with Sgt. Frisbie (Donald MacBride) as Louie (Bernard Gorcey) is called to Washington, D.C. as it turns out he was a WW1 hero who just happened to create a special bomb. Soon a couple spies are trying to kill Louie and it's up to the boys to try and keep him safe. I'm surprised it took so long for the studio to send the boys to the Army especially when you consider most comedy team do this at some point in their careers. Even by 1951 the "dumb recruits" battling the mean drill Sergent had already grown old and sadly this film doesn't add anything new or fresh. I think the biggest problem with the film is that they're working with an incredibly unoriginal story and there's not single attempt to do anything with it. We get so many forced situations that you can't help but sit there and feel as if you've seen it countless times before and done much better. The running gag here is that the boys keep doing dumb things and keep getting thrown into jail. This happens around four times. It wasn't funny the first time and it's certainly not funny any of the other times. I was really surprised at how unfunny many of the scenes where even if they weren't original. Usually the scene where the men try to follow all the instructions at least gets a few laughs but not here. The only saving grace happens early on when the boys don't like their outfits and try on some others, which just happen to belong to some Majors. The boys start going around not fully understanding why everyone is saluting them but of course they figure it out after it's too late. I think Hall comes off the best here as he's at least energetic and tries to keep things moving. Leo doesn't get to do much, which is shocking but even more so is the fact that he's not given any good dialogue to mix up. Daddy Gorcey comes off a little better and especially in the early scene where he tries to enlist. I think the stuff dealing with him missing the boys was quite touching in its own right. With that said, we've simply seen this type of film way too many times and this one here just isn't funny enough to bother with.
If I can turn you into a soldier it would be the greatest accomplishment in military history!
sol12181 August 2010
Warning: Spoilers
(Some Spoilers) With the Cold War heating up in Korea fear of an enemy attack on the USA has reached almost paranoid proportions. It's under those scary conditions that the Bowery Boys Sach Chuck Whitey and Butch enlist into the US Army to do their duty as patriotic American fighting men. Slip who's bit less patriotic is nevertheless forced to join the US Military in him trying to stop his fellow Bowery Boys from joining it!
Sent to Ft.Stockton for basic training the Boys turn out to be such a pain in the butt to the US Army and their take no BS drill instructor Sgt.Frisbie that they do more to help the enemy overseas that protect their country here back home! It's later when Sweet Shop owner Louie Dumbrowsky also decided to join the military and fight the commies that it's found out that he invented back in 1918 this Hydrogen Ray! Given a commission,from corporal to major, Major Dumbrowsky is put in charge of the Bowery Boys at Ft.Stockton.
A lot more serious then any of the previous Bowery Boys films "Bowery Battalion" has Slip Sach & Co. take on a commie,in 1951 when the film was made what else could it have been, spy network working right out of Ft.Stokton! It was the commie spies Decker & Conroy together with a inside source, guess who, at the fort who wanted to get their hands on Louie Dumbrowsky's, who had the blueprint for it locked in his head, Hydergen Ray in order to use it against the US and it's allies in any future war with their beloved USSR.
It's later when the Boys are tipped off by the secretly kidnapped, by Decker & Conroy, Louie Dumbrowsky that he's in fact being kidnapped they go into their routine #11 number and save the day and the USA from, by the commies getting the secret of the Hydrogen Ray, total destruction. In the end that the Bowery Boys end up getting a trip to the White House, to be decorated by the President with the Madel of Honor, instead of where they spent most of their time in the movie: The Ft.Stockton guard house & stockade!
P.S Those making the movie "Bowery Battalion" had no idea that they in fact were on to something with putting the super secret "Hydrogen Ray" in it. It was a year later,in the fall of 1952, that the US Military did in fact explode a weapon of mass mass destruction that was called the "H" or more accurately "Hydrogen Bomb"!
Sent to Ft.Stockton for basic training the Boys turn out to be such a pain in the butt to the US Army and their take no BS drill instructor Sgt.Frisbie that they do more to help the enemy overseas that protect their country here back home! It's later when Sweet Shop owner Louie Dumbrowsky also decided to join the military and fight the commies that it's found out that he invented back in 1918 this Hydrogen Ray! Given a commission,from corporal to major, Major Dumbrowsky is put in charge of the Bowery Boys at Ft.Stockton.
A lot more serious then any of the previous Bowery Boys films "Bowery Battalion" has Slip Sach & Co. take on a commie,in 1951 when the film was made what else could it have been, spy network working right out of Ft.Stokton! It was the commie spies Decker & Conroy together with a inside source, guess who, at the fort who wanted to get their hands on Louie Dumbrowsky's, who had the blueprint for it locked in his head, Hydergen Ray in order to use it against the US and it's allies in any future war with their beloved USSR.
It's later when the Boys are tipped off by the secretly kidnapped, by Decker & Conroy, Louie Dumbrowsky that he's in fact being kidnapped they go into their routine #11 number and save the day and the USA from, by the commies getting the secret of the Hydrogen Ray, total destruction. In the end that the Bowery Boys end up getting a trip to the White House, to be decorated by the President with the Madel of Honor, instead of where they spent most of their time in the movie: The Ft.Stockton guard house & stockade!
P.S Those making the movie "Bowery Battalion" had no idea that they in fact were on to something with putting the super secret "Hydrogen Ray" in it. It was a year later,in the fall of 1952, that the US Military did in fact explode a weapon of mass mass destruction that was called the "H" or more accurately "Hydrogen Bomb"!
Uncle Sam Wants Who?
wes-connors5 April 2009
While sharing a soda with a young blond boy, hapless Huntz Hall (as Horace De Bussy "Sach" Jones) mistakes a mock "Air Raid" drill for the real thing. Feeling patriotic, Mr. Hall takes three of "The Bowery Boys" to join the U.S. Army. Soon, wise guy leader Leo Gorcey (as Terence Aloysius "Slip" Mahoney) arrives to find father Bernard Gorcey (as Louie Dumbrowsky) has barricaded his "Sweet Shop", fearing an attack. After learning his missing pals have gone to enlist, Mr. Gorcey seeks to retrieve them. But, Leo Gorcey is tricked into enlisting himself, by drill sergeant Donald MacBride (as Herbert Frisbie).
After turning the elder Gorcey away as too old, the Army recruits heroic "Major Dumbrowsky", due to his past service record (he invented the "hydrogen ray"). Meanwhile, son Gorcey, Hall, William "Billy" Benedict (as Whitey), Buddy Gorman (as Butch), and David Gorcey (as Chuck) provide Sgt. MacBride and the Army with "Bowery Boy" high-jinx. The best bit involves Gorcey and the gang unwittingly donning officers' uniforms. MacBride's engaging "Sgt. Frisbie" characterization gives the tired, old plot some spark.
**** Bowery Battalion (1/24/51) William Beaudine ~ Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall, Donald MacBride
After turning the elder Gorcey away as too old, the Army recruits heroic "Major Dumbrowsky", due to his past service record (he invented the "hydrogen ray"). Meanwhile, son Gorcey, Hall, William "Billy" Benedict (as Whitey), Buddy Gorman (as Butch), and David Gorcey (as Chuck) provide Sgt. MacBride and the Army with "Bowery Boy" high-jinx. The best bit involves Gorcey and the gang unwittingly donning officers' uniforms. MacBride's engaging "Sgt. Frisbie" characterization gives the tired, old plot some spark.
**** Bowery Battalion (1/24/51) William Beaudine ~ Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall, Donald MacBride
LOUIE'S SHOW ALLLL THE WAY!
tcchelsey21 January 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Leo Gorcey's real life father, Bernard (who played Louie) was forever threatening to quit the series because he wanted bigger parts. He got his wish and then some in BOWERY BATTALION, which also
hold the distinction of marking the point in the series where the Boys entered the military. After all, it worked well for Abbott and Costello and, even, Laurel and Hardy, so why not give it a try?
Of course, as the writers would have it, there was the usual dose of poetic license. Louie --it turns out-- developed a top secret Hydrogen Ray during WW 1 and has been re-recruited by the US ARMY! Subsequently Louie becomes a decorated officer and the gang has their hands full trying to protect him from enemy spies. You have to admit, it's all silly stuff and fluff, but what us big kids at heart enjoyed through the years BOWERY BATTALION also marked the first episode without Gabe Dell, who left to go solo in his career, so there was more emphasis on the Bowery Boys themselves, especially Whitey (Billy Benedict) and his mindless banter with Sach. Good support by frequent series co-star Donald MacBride as the ever exasperated Sgt. Frisbie! Without fail, Gorcey has all the hilarious malaprops and one liners. Chuck asks him, "What's a hydrogen ray?" To which Slip replies, "Its a ray invented by this guy named hydrogen! " Insanity reigns supreme!
Of course, as the writers would have it, there was the usual dose of poetic license. Louie --it turns out-- developed a top secret Hydrogen Ray during WW 1 and has been re-recruited by the US ARMY! Subsequently Louie becomes a decorated officer and the gang has their hands full trying to protect him from enemy spies. You have to admit, it's all silly stuff and fluff, but what us big kids at heart enjoyed through the years BOWERY BATTALION also marked the first episode without Gabe Dell, who left to go solo in his career, so there was more emphasis on the Bowery Boys themselves, especially Whitey (Billy Benedict) and his mindless banter with Sach. Good support by frequent series co-star Donald MacBride as the ever exasperated Sgt. Frisbie! Without fail, Gorcey has all the hilarious malaprops and one liners. Chuck asks him, "What's a hydrogen ray?" To which Slip replies, "Its a ray invented by this guy named hydrogen! " Insanity reigns supreme!
The Army could have never been THIS desperate for men!!!
planktonrules10 May 2016
Warning: Spoilers
When you watch a Bowery Boys film, you are not expecting a film that could become part of the Criterion Collection or a movie that is Academy Award material. So, even though much of "Bowery Battalion" makes absolutely no sense whatsoever, I accept it because the film doesn't have any pretense...and it is what it is...simple and mindless entertainment. After all, how much of any of this is possible except in a B-movie?!
When the film begins, Sach and a few of the usual idiots think the US is under attack and immediately rush off to enlist in the army. Slip goes to retrieve these idiots and somehow ends up enlisting as well. Why ANY army (let alone the US army) would take these subhumans, I have no idea--especially when they cannot seem to learn the most basic of commands while in basic training. But it gets crazier, Louie misses the boys and tries to re-enlist (even though he's in his 60s and 4'10")...unsuccessfully. However, later some of the military brass decide to make Louie a Major!!! In the meantime, some evil spies decide that Louie is a super-genius and want to kidnap him (!!!!). It's made a lot easier because the boys are now on guard duty and any half- witted spy can easily talk their way onto the base...which they do. Now at this point you wonder how Louie and the gang can get out of this alive...let alone end up being heroes. Well, thinks to the magic of Hollywood, don't be too surprised how any of this silly film ends!
Overall, this is a dumb but likable movie. It never makes any sense but the picture still is entertaining---much like watching reality TV or watching your child in peewee league!
When the film begins, Sach and a few of the usual idiots think the US is under attack and immediately rush off to enlist in the army. Slip goes to retrieve these idiots and somehow ends up enlisting as well. Why ANY army (let alone the US army) would take these subhumans, I have no idea--especially when they cannot seem to learn the most basic of commands while in basic training. But it gets crazier, Louie misses the boys and tries to re-enlist (even though he's in his 60s and 4'10")...unsuccessfully. However, later some of the military brass decide to make Louie a Major!!! In the meantime, some evil spies decide that Louie is a super-genius and want to kidnap him (!!!!). It's made a lot easier because the boys are now on guard duty and any half- witted spy can easily talk their way onto the base...which they do. Now at this point you wonder how Louie and the gang can get out of this alive...let alone end up being heroes. Well, thinks to the magic of Hollywood, don't be too surprised how any of this silly film ends!
Overall, this is a dumb but likable movie. It never makes any sense but the picture still is entertaining---much like watching reality TV or watching your child in peewee league!
Major Dumbrowsky?
hogwrassler22 January 2022
I am watching Bowery Battalion (1951) on TCM right now. Sach sees an air raid drill going on in the Bowery and thinks it the real thing. He, Whitey, Butch, and Chuck rush down the army recruiting office to serve their country in time of war. When finds out what they've done, he goes to get them out, but winds up signing enlistment papers too! When the recruiting sergeant asks Slip his occupation, he responds with "spy." That sounds a little better than "shiftless loafer." Naturally, the boys get in trouble from the start and wind up in guardhouse. Louie misses the boys so much he tries to enlist, but is turned down. However, Louie was actually a hero in WWI for bravery under fire. He was also known for inventing a hydrogen ray, which supposedly could devastate the enemy, but was later proven impractical. The army wants to catch some spies lurking around the base, and decides to recall Louie and make him a major. Then they can use him and his hydrogen Ray weapon as bait to catch the bad guys. Naturally, things don't go as planned and Louie gets kidnapped. Can the boys come to his rescue in time?
The opening theme is a snappy rendition of "You're in the army now." Leo Gorcey is credited first, above the title. Then Huntz Hall by himself. The supporting actor page lists Bernard Gorcey and William Benedict (Whitey) in larger letters than Buddy Gorman (Butch) and David Gorcey (Chuck).
Bowery Battalion (1951) is an entertaining BB movie and is made better by the performance of Donald McBride as Sergeant Frisbie. This one is well worth watching.
The opening theme is a snappy rendition of "You're in the army now." Leo Gorcey is credited first, above the title. Then Huntz Hall by himself. The supporting actor page lists Bernard Gorcey and William Benedict (Whitey) in larger letters than Buddy Gorman (Butch) and David Gorcey (Chuck).
Bowery Battalion (1951) is an entertaining BB movie and is made better by the performance of Donald McBride as Sergeant Frisbie. This one is well worth watching.
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