*By submitting your contribution, you agree to TCM's Terms of Use. TCM will use your personal information consistent with our Privacy Policy

• Wild Boys of the Road

  • Goetan
  • 11/16/14

  An effective Pre-code social drama. A group of children travel to find jobs during the Depression. The story is potent, but dated, and the studio wanted the ending to be happier, but too safe. Good, but no longer able to pack the same punch it once did. I give it a 3/5.

• wild boys of the road

  • kevin sellers
  • 11/16/14

  Great movie, until the ending, which is a campaign speech for FDR and the New Deal. This is the second good Wellman picture to flub the ending. The other was Ox Bow Incident, with its mawkish reading of the innocent hanging victim's letter to his wife. Too bad, since, in my opinion, it takes both movies out of the "great" category. As far as this movie is concerned, up until the scene with the kindly judge sitting in front of an NRA poster (as if!) it is fine, gritty, populist drama with some truly harrowing and realistic pre code scenes, including a rape in a boxcar, (The rapist is an uncredited Ward Bond. Only time I've ever seen him as a villain.) a kid losing his leg to an oncoming train, a kindly aunt of one of the kids turning out to be a hooker, and a battle between hobo kids and railroad detectives. Give it a B plus.

• pre-code Wellman gem

  • Christine Hoard Barre
  • 5/11/11

  Hard-hitting, fast-paced and mostly unsentimental film of depression-era teens and an early gem from Wellman. Terrific acting from all concerned (the lead teen was also in "Mayor of Hell" with Cagney) and fine photography. Anyone interested in pre-code films and/or Bill Wellman's work will certainly appreciate this movie.

• Still Relevant Today

  • Bruce Reber
  • 3/24/09

  My parents used to tell me stories about their experiences growing up during the Great Depression. This is only the second time I've seen Wild Boys, and it is a powerful film about the desperation of struggling for survival during this dark period of American history. I have seen several films made during the Depression and later ones set in this era, but Wild Boys gives the most realistic portrayal of the Depression's impact on America's youth. I grew up during the 60's and 70's, and the problems I had to deal with seem very small compared to what my parents' generation faced. It seems that today's youth is facing the same problems (though not to as great a degree), but I think this generation needs to see Wild Boys to know that they have the means to change their situation that were not available to Depression-era youth. I like watching these kind of films to experience what I have only read about in books and heard from my parents. Keep showing more great films like Wild Boys TCM!

• The Depression and youth

  • Phil Reid
  • 3/23/09

  This movie should be shown to anyone who believes that our difficulties today compare with this Depression of the thirties. And remember, this movie is credited with realism, but actually falls short of the real hardships in that time. An excellent movie.

• A winner and still relevant for all times

  • Herbert
  • 3/23/09

  This is not merely nostalgia but a real learning experience. I am reading daily, true stories about kids during the depression to residents at my work location. These authors were kids during the depression and as adults wrote their family stories. I would love for my residents to see this film. Please release on DVD or Video.

• Itching to see it!

  • Joe Griffith
  • 1/11/08

  This is one of William (Wild Bill) Wellman's early and unfortunately under rated films. ( featured in a doc. of his work "Wild Bill: Hollywood Maverick" Carlson Films. Please make this classic available for purchase.

• Wild Boys of the Road

  • Polly
  • 12/5/07

  A Great film!The actors are new to me but I think they did a very good job. The year the movie was made was around when the Great Depression was going on. It wasn't a big movie back then and maybe that's why. But I thought it was a great film, anyone who wants to see it should!

• More Reviews