After six years as the East Side Kids (for a total of 22 movies), several of the actors who started out in Dead End moved over to the long-running Bowery Boys series. Live Wires was the first of 48 Bowery Boys movies made through 1958, and like many of the other entries, it provides a mix of comedy and crime. Slip Mahoney (Leo Gorcey), leader of the Boys, loses a series of jobs because he gets violent when insulted, though his long-suffering older sister (Pamela Blake) tries to get him to settle down and take things easier. Slip eventually finds work at the same company where Sach (Huntz Hall) is employed as a process server, and that leads to their tracking down criminals. Louie’s Sweet Shop already features as the gang’s home base, although Bernard Gorcey (Leo’s father) is not yet playing Louie. Watch for Mike Mazurki as one target of a summons.

  Recommended. Otto finds this one pleasing enough to relax.