The Devil Is a Sissy: A strange, scrappy relic

Is it worth your time?

If you like old black-and-white stuff where kids talk like tiny, angry adults, you might dig it. If you want something that feels like a real movie and not a weird social experiment from 1936, maybe skip it. It’s mostly for people who get a kick out of seeing how Hollywood used to think 'tough' kids behaved.

Freddie Bartholomew plays Claude, the new kid. He’s so polite it hurts to watch. He walks around Manhattan looking like he’s lost his butler. Then you’ve got Mickey Rooney, who is basically a hurricane in a newsboy cap. He’s doing the heavy lifting, trying to make the movie feel like it has a pulse.

There is this one scene where they try to prove how tough they are by acting out a mock trial. It drags on for an eternity. I found myself staring at the background extras just to see if anyone would break character. Nobody did. They were fully committed to this bizarre bit of neighborhood theater.

The chemistry between the three leads is... well, it's messy. It feels like they were all acting in three different movies at the same time. Claude is in a drama about manners, Mickey is in a slapstick comedy, and the other kid is just there. It’s awkward, but in a way that feels strangely honest.

Some odd notes from my notebook:

• The teachers in this school are all remarkably calm, considering these kids are absolute menaces.
• I really wanted to know where Claude got his suit. It’s too nice for a NYC playground.
• The slang is hilarious. No actual person has ever talked like these kids.
• The ending feels like it was tacked on by a studio executive who wanted everyone to hug.

It’s nowhere near as dark or interesting as some of the other gritty stuff from that era. You don’t get the weight of The Hound of the Baskervilles here. It’s lighter, fluffier, and kind of confused about what it wants to be. 🤷‍♂️

You can tell the studio was trying to do something 'meaningful' about poverty and friendship. But mostly, it just feels like a bunch of kids shouting in an alleyway. Sometimes that’s enough. Sometimes it’s just a lot of noise.

I didn’t hate it. I didn’t love it. I just finished it and felt like I needed a glass of water. If you watch it, you’ll see exactly what I mean. Don't expect a masterpiece.