MR. MUGGS STEPS OUT (Monogram, 1943), directed by William Beaudine, begins a new reign in the "East Side Kids" series. Regulars including "Sunshine Sammy" Morrison (Scruno) and Bobby Jordan (Danny) reportedly left for active duty during World War II with their characters discontinued. David Durand, however, appears as Danny, but it's uncertain whether his character is the continuation of the Danny as previously portrayed by Jordan. Buddy Gorman ("Skinny") steps in as one of the new members of the gang, while Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall and Billy Benedict resume their usual antics, with Gabriel Dell once again playing a different character (named "Nifty" Nolan this time around) from previous editions.
Rather than the usual skyline viewing of the East Side neighborhood of New York City's Bowery district followed by the antics by the East Side Kids, the story starts off instead with the introduction of the society family: John Aldridge Murray (Emmett Vogan) and his wife, Margaret (Betty Blythe) at the breakfast table. Their butler, Charney (Halliwell Hobbs) is seen coping with servant trouble performed by Maisie O'Donnell (Patsy Moran) acting as maid, and "Butch" Grogan (Eddie Gribbon), both of whom Margaret had hired from police court hoping to give them a chance. Because their daughter, Brenda (Joan Marsh) is being held in police court for socking a policeman, Mrs. Murray not only comes to pay the $100 fine for her daughter's release, but hires Ethelbert Maginnis, better known as "Muggs" (Leo Gorcey) by order of the judge (Noah Beery) to either spend six months in reform school or get a job within 24 hours. Muggs takes the job as a replacement of her chauffeur, George, now in military service. Hired at $35 a month, Muggs also brings along his pals of Glimpy (Huntz Hall), Pinky (Billy Benedict), Danny (David Durand), Rocky (Jimmy Strand) and Skinny (Buddy Gorman) as additional help for the society matron. Assisting as servers at Brenda's engagement party to Virgil Wellington Brooks III (Stanley Brown), the boys are later given 24 hours by Mr. Murray to help retrieve a missing necklace believed to have been stolen from Elizabeth (Lottie Harrison) by some mysterious party guest (Nick Stuart) whom nobody knows. Gabriel Dell appears late in the story as "Diamond" Hamilton's partner in crime.
A bit different from its preceding entries, and an improvement at that. It would be a matter of time before the series would make Muggs its central character with all the others of the East Side Kids acting as background characters. This would be the first of two movies in which Muggs name is used in its title (the second being MR. MUGGS RIDE AGAIN! In 1945). While the cast listings spell Gorcey's character of Muggs with two G's, on screen he verbally spells his first name with only one "G." Aside from frequently getting hit with a cap by Muggs, Huntz Hall provides his usual quota of laughs serving hor d'oeuvres with his fingers and placing those that have fallen on the floor back on the tray for reserving. The final half of the story at Danceland on East 9th Street sets the mood for the kids playing detective accompanied by Maisie with Brenda dressed like a gangster's moll. This edition contains limited scenes set on the New York City streets and more time inside at the Murray household, Danceland and an apartment on 29th Street and 8th Avenue.
Regardless of format changes, MR. MUGGS STEPS OUT is a rewarding edition to the series moving swiftly at 64 minutes. With this being the 15th installment to the "East Side Kids" series, MR. MUGGS STEPS OUT has the distinction of not being shown as frequently on television as the others. Never distributed on video cassette, it does have an offering for viewing on DVD. Next installment: MILLION DOLLAR KID (1944) (**)
