mnorris-97396 I agree with other reviewers about the fabulous performance of Marjorie Main. It has stuck with me for decades. "you're just a dirty dog" I realize that her accent is wrong -- more Okie than Brooklyn (or other NYC neighborhood). But on my fourth or fifth view, I just noticed how much Bogart's speaking pattern resembles Huntz Hall's. (I realize that's kind of the point -- that the kids growing up today are going to follow the path of Babyface Martin of yesterday -- but I urge you to listen to the similarity in the speech patterns. )

writers_reign The element that prevented my enjoying this film wholeheartedly was the sound; in 1937 they had yet to perfect the sound department and provide 'natural' sound which includes 'atmos' the normal background noise that you would expect to hear especially in a movie like this where 90% of the action occurs in the street. Though set in the street it was clearly shot in a studio and the mic was in a soundproof booth so that what we hear is 'clean' sound which is, of course, unnatural. Screenwriter Lilian Hellman has 'opened out' the Broadway play as little as possible so that no imagination is required to visualise the story on stage. Probably the stage version of Street Scene was very similar. Wyler retains the theatricality by having the disparate characters come together in an area no larger that a Broadway stage and exaggerate the social divisions. The drawback in this approach is that the characters don't seem quite real and give the impression that they are playing solitaire just out of camera range while waiting for their cue to move to stage centre, say their lines and exit. Having said that there are several fine performances to admire and it remains watchable close on eighty years later.

chaswe-28402 A stagey, turgid mess contrasting slum-kid poverty with ill-defined high-rolling crime, though committed off-screen and merely suggested, and classy capitalist riches. Wait a year and watch The Adventures of Robin Hood and his 1938 redistribution of wealth instead. It is difficult to think of any creatures less appealing than those dead-end mini-gangsters. The impression left by this movie is its sense of unreality. The unvarying set scene is crammed with uninteresting incident, often repeated, which fails to advance the plot. Even the manner that McCrea gets chucked into the ditch, and then the misdirected shoot-out with Bogart towards the end both seem flimsy and fake. Bending over backwards to make allowances for the film's vintage, it still amazes me that it has attracted so many positive reviews and currently enjoys such a high rating.Its hour and a half is only redeemed by the presence, naturally, of Humphrey Bogart. Something of a mystery how this short, fairly homely- looking man succeeds in commanding such a strong screen presence. This may have its origins in the way he speaks. Firstly, no matter how rapidly the words leave his mouth, they are always clear and understandable. Secondly, they never sound like lines scripted by someone else: it's as if he had just thought of them himself, and instantaneously come up with them. Added to which is the realism of his facial expressions. But since he only has a supporting role, and gets eliminated by McCrea, he can't really help the story. He does glamorise the bad guy, which isn't what the film is trying to say. Most kids would rather be Bogart than McCrea. The romantic sub-plot adds nothing, and is of minimal interest.

gazzo-2 I liked it, thought it dragged out somewhat despite being only an hour and a half, and sure it's very much a product of it's times-the Depression. This does hold your interest though. One-the cast-Bogie on his way up, Sylvia Sidney-often overlooked today, Trevor's cameo, MacRae. Two-the great set. Quite impressive. No CGI here. Sets. I liked the Dead-end Kids-Hall, Halop, Gorcey, etc. These guys were in dozens of films into their 40's playing the same parts. They're certainly NOT the Cripps or the Bloods, say-more latter day Oliver Twist-level street thugs. But the despair and vicious cycle of slum life is still the same.There's Bogie's being shot dead by Joel MacRae, there's the kid being beat up in the warehouse, there's the cameo of Ward Bond as the doorman, there's the rich gal going off w/ her rich businessman boyfriend, etc. You have seen it all before but it's done fairly well here.*** outta ****, pretty good.