You won't be disappointed!

Just so...so bad

A Brilliant Conflict

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

I have never seen a post-WWI or post-WWII film begin like this one. Pickford begins with a cute little promo to STILL buy war bonds in order to pay for the war even though it has ended. I am surprised that in the restored version of this film that they included this and it's a nice touch.This is apparently the second film produced by Mary Pickford and its title is a bit odd--sounding less sweet than the usual Pickford film! And, in many ways, Mary plays someone who, uncharacteristically, is NOT sweet but a real spoiled rich brat--though in keeping with her usual roles she does play a young girl (despite being awfully old for such a part at 27). She lives with her grandfather, who is a cut-throat industrialist. He spoils her rotten and seems quite content to have raised a little monster.One day, Mary's father returns from abroad. Apparently he's some sort of sociologist and likes studying and writing about the poor. He offers his daughter a chance to come live with him in the slums of New York and she accepts, as she longs for her father's attention. However, the jerky grandfather feels betrayed and disowns her! Nice guy, huh?! Once in the slums, Mary is STILL a snob and has no interest in the people around her. But, eventually, in an almost magically fast transformation, Mary not only reaches out to the poor around her but becomes one of them--a real ragamuffin. Eventually, when the grandfather learns about her, he is at furious. What happens next you'll just have to see for yourself in this well-acted and fun film. But, like many of Mary's films, it is low on the believability scale, so please just sit back and enjoy without questioning how ridiculous some of the film becomes. It's still a fine old fashioned melodrama. Not among her best, but still a very good effort--plus the plot is a bit unusual for a nice change of pace.By the way, how DID they make the cat do all those acrobatics? I sure hope the cat wasn't harmed to make it do that!!

When I sat down to watch The Hoodlum quite frankly I was expecting a gangster film of sorts even though it starred Mary Pickford. It was not what I thought it would be given the title, but it was a chance for Mary to show off her considerable talent and appeal.The Hoodlum finds Mary the granddaughter of Ralph Lewis a John D. Rockefeller like tycoon who gives her whatever she needs. The mansion she lives in looks very much modeled on the Rockefeller Estate in Pocantico Hills in Tarrytown, New York. She's spoiled and bored and after a tiff with granddad, goes to live with her father on Craigen Street in the middle of a slum in the inner city. But father who is writing a sociological urban treatise has precious little time for her also, so Mary learns the ways of Craigen Street very fast.If Mary Pickford wasn't America's Sweetheart she might well have been called America's Imp from this film. In The Hoodlum she gets to show off her considerable comedic talents when fleeing from the law. The family chauffeur 'let' her drive the car and her speeding results in a hilarious car chase with the local law. And her second chase seen with a city cop after she cleans the clocks of the other kids in a crap game is worthy of anything Mack Sennett or Charlie Chaplin might have done in their films.The Hoodlum is a different take on Mary Pickford and one her considerable legion of fans should not miss.

Despite the rather reckless-sounding title, the Mary Pickford feature "The Hoodlum" is actually an entertaining and thoughtful movie that resembles many of her other films, with a few touches that make it different and worthwhile. The story-line is a bit too far-fetched on some occasions, but otherwise the movie works very well.Pickford gets to play the kind of high-spirited but innocent character at which she excels, and she makes full use of the material. After her character moves in with her father, some of the scenes of her transformation are quite amusing. Pickford had the rare ability to bring out a character's yearning for change and desire for experimentation without making the character come across as self-righteous or rebellious.The production and the rest of the cast are solid, but it's mostly Mary's show, and she pulls everything together. Her interactions with her grandfather are nicely done on both ends, and add some real substance to a movie that was already entertaining. The settings are believable, and especially so in the slum neighborhood. The story is relatively simple (if implausible at times), but it is thoughtful and worthwhile.

Mary Pickford's appeal as `America's Sweetheart' is very clear in this film. While many of her fellow actors use an excessively theatrical style, she is totally natural. She inhabits her character completely and, contrary to the stereotype of her films, that character is anything but sweet for most of the movie. In fact, much of the delight of watching her is in enjoying her bad behavior!Another impressive facet of the film is the authentic-looking slum where Amy Burke (Pickford's character) spends most of her time. Although created at a Hollywood studio, the slum almost smells like old New York.The film does employ some ethnic stereotypes common at the time – but the poor characters are generally treated with affection, while the rich are seen as uncaring and in need of enlightenment. Also, it seems notable that Amy associates with ALL the kids of the slum neighborhood, not just those of her own ethnic group.