Penrod and Sam

Penrod and Sam (1937)

Genres - Drama, Children's/Family, Crime  |   Release Date - Feb 28, 1937 (USA - Unknown), Feb 28, 1937 (USA)  |   Run Time - 68 min.  |   Countries - United States  |   MPAA Rating - NR
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Synopsis by Hal Erickson

Penrod and Sam was the third (and least faithful) screen version of the same-named Booth Tarkington novel. Billy Mauch, the more talented of the Mauch twins, stars as troublesome pre-teen Penrod, up to his usual mischief with his usual gang (including former "Our Gang" members George Billings and Jerry Tucker). Most of the original story is thrown out the window in favor of an up-to-date "gangster" angle, with Penrod vowing to round up a gang of bank robbers after his young pal Verman (Phillip Hurlic) is orphaned during a shoot-out. Having gleaned their expertise from "G-Man" movies and detective novels, Penrod's gang manages to capture the crooks, who have conveniently taken refuge in the kids' clubhouse. Penrod and Sam did well enough to engender two sequels, Penrod and His Twin Brother and Penrod's Double Trouble, both of which teamed Billy Mauch with his look-alike sibling Bobby.

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Keywords

brother, robbery, detective, investigation, private-detective, twins