My Boys Are Good Boys (1978)

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.

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.

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.

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!!!!