Pat O'Brien plays a very different sort of character in this film. He's the title character and is a cop. But, what makes him so different is that he's an incredibly overzealous jerk--a cop who is more interested in finding obscure laws than following the spirit of the law. As a result, the people on his beat in New York hate him, as he's always writing them up for petty violations instead of building rapport with the community. It all comes to a head when his persecution of a sap (Humphrey Bogart) results in his pushing Bogart to break a serious law--landing him in prison. As a result, he leaves a wife and handicapped daughter to fend for themselves--yet O;Malley STILL insists he did the right thing! His boss is furious with him. Despite telling him to ease up and be a human being, O'Malley just won't listen. So, to punish him (and perhaps teach him something) he assigns O'Malley to crossing guard duty. Now, saddled with a group of young kids to protect, the toughness of O'Malley starts to wane...a bit.
On the new beat, O'Malley makes a new pal--a cute kid who limps due to some leg injury. The kid is adorable and O'Malley even saves her life in an exciting scene. But, when he discovers WHO the kid is and who her far is, O'Malley is filled with regret--especially when he sees just how destitute the family now is. If he'd just shown a little heart with her dad (Bogart), the kid's life would be so much better.
How all this plays out is something you'll need to see for yourself. I'll say that what occurs isn't particularly believable, but it's also a lot of fun--thanks to some good performances--especially by O'Brien and Sybil Jason as the cute kid, 'Babs'. A very enjoyable film...even if it is a tad schmaltzy.
On the new beat, O'Malley makes a new pal--a cute kid who limps due to some leg injury. The kid is adorable and O'Malley even saves her life in an exciting scene. But, when he discovers WHO the kid is and who her far is, O'Malley is filled with regret--especially when he sees just how destitute the family now is. If he'd just shown a little heart with her dad (Bogart), the kid's life would be so much better.
How all this plays out is something you'll need to see for yourself. I'll say that what occurs isn't particularly believable, but it's also a lot of fun--thanks to some good performances--especially by O'Brien and Sybil Jason as the cute kid, 'Babs'. A very enjoyable film...even if it is a tad schmaltzy.