DipitySkillful
an ambitious but ultimately ineffective debut endeavor.
Rio Hayward
All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.
Jerrie
It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...
wes-connors
While cleaning offices in the "Metropolis Building", loquacious Leo Gorcey (as Terrance "Slip" Mahoney) receives a letter stating "Terrance Mahoney, Esq." is the heir to an estate in Long Island. Believing he has struck it rich, Mr. Gorcey brings pals Huntz Hall (as Sach), William "Billy" Benedict (as Whitey), David Gorcey (as Chuck), and Benny "Bennie" Bartlett (as Butch) to inspect the mansion. As you might expect, "The Bowery Boys" discover "Mahoney Manor" is inhibited by spooks and diamond smugglers. Describing himself s a "friend of the family," private investigator Gabriel Dell (as Gabe Moreno) arrives to help. This is yet another stab in the "old dark house" plot, with the most notable feature being the return of pretty Amelita Ward (as Teresa Mahoney), who would soon marry Gorcey.*** Smugglers' Cove (10/10/48) William Beaudine ~ Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall, Gabriel Dell, Amelita Ward
Michael_Elliott
Smugglers' Cove (1948) ** (out of 4) Terrance Mahoney (Leo Gorcey) is left a large mansion on a cliff overlooking the sea. Slip and the boys head out there to take a look not knowing that he's the wrong Terrance Mahoney and that there are some smuggler's working in the house. Number eleven in the series isn't at the bottom but it's no where near the top either. This is the first entry in the series that pretty much left me cold as there wasn't a single laugh to be found anywhere. That might make you think that the movie is a complete waste since this is a comedy after all but in fact I think the more dramatic moments work the best. The actual mystery of what's going on in the basement made for a good drama and director Beaudine actually handles it quite well. I thought he did a very good job at building up the mystery and making the drama work. So, why doesn't the film work better? Because the comedy is so poorly written that it really takes away from the drama. Sach (Huntz Hall) is so out of place here you can't help but wish they'd left him out like they did Louie. The comedy bits from the other players including Gorcey isn't anything special either and in the end we're left with a rather bland attempt at humor. What mild humor does work comes from Gabriel Dell who is once again playing the same character but with a different job. This time out he's playing a rather nerd-ish character who is constantly getting into trouble. I thought the actor did a good job with the role and helped keep the film moving at a decent pace.
O'Malley
If this Bowery Boys comedy-melodrama doesn't make you laugh, then we could never be friends. Filled with wonderful moments, the "Shoveler" line is one I remember from childhood, and thanks to Rob Waggs for mentioning it.I would disagree with Rob that this is the greatest Bowery Boys picture (for me that is Blues Busters, followed by Blonde Dynamite and then Live Wires), but it is certainly up there.Piece of trivia: In 1949, Leo Gorcey married Amelita Ward, who played Teresa in the film. They met on the set, and given the hurried shooting schedules of Monogram pictures, it must have been a whirlwind romance.
Robert_Wagner62
This is one of my favorite Bowery Boys comedies, minus Bobby Jordan. Slip (Terrence Mahoney)played by the great LEO GORCEY, "thinks" he inherits a mansion, but he's mistaken, because the letter is addressed to "Terrence Mahoney, Esq.", and Slip just happens to be cleaning this other Mahoney's office when the letter arrives, great pretense aay?Well then the hijinks begins as Slip, Satch (Huntz Hall), Whitey (Billy Benedict) & the rest of the boys go to the mansion & discover that there's a diamond smuggling racket going on right in the house. One great scene is when the bad guys have our heroes locked up in a room, Satch loses it and begins to jabber "Oooh Whitey, Whitey, Whitey..." but Whitey just keeps on pacing the floor and doesn't notice Satch's frustration.Well, the real Terrence Mahoney shows up just in the nick of time as does Gabriel Dell, another original Dead End Kid, and the boys get saved & Slip gets the house. If you get a chance to, see this movie, it'll make you laugh.
