Common Sense Media Review
By Renee Schonfeld
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Old-fashioned crime tale is hokey, sometimes brutal.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
What's the Story?
Jimmy (Roger Mobley), aided by his lovable homeless friend "The Colonel" (old-timer Don Beddoe), delivers his morning newspapers. At exactly the same time, a scar-faced thief on the run from police throws a briefcase filled with stolen money into a vacant lot. When Jimmy and the Colonel find the case, the mystery begins. The money disappears; the crook tracks down Jimmy; and The Colonel may actually be a liar and thief himself. Tensions multiply as the villain gets desperate and Jimmy, his widowed mom, a newspaper reporter, The Colonel, and an adorable puppy all find themselves in grave danger.
Is It Any Good?
Black-and-white, terminally old-fashioned, with vast holes in both logic and continuity, The Boy Who Caught a Crook is unlikely to appeal to most people except as an example of 1960s B-movies.
The director, Edward L. Cahn, is famous for scores of cheap, poorly written crime thrillers, prison movies, and westerns, some of which are cult favorites. But this movie, despite a likeable juvenile hero and a sweet old man, is far from noteworthy. Moments of brutality and an unlikely resolution to the core mystery are other key reasons why the film offers little for a family audience.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the violence in this movie. Did it seem real to you? How was it different from what is often called "cartoon violence"?
Discuss "good" lies and "bad" lies? Which lies in this story were meant to help not hurt? Did they? When, if ever, is there a reason not to tell the truth?
Why did Jimmy's mother tell him not to mention the scar-faced man to the police? Did you agree or disagree with her? Why?
Movie Details
- In theaters : October 1, 1961
- On DVD or streaming : October 18, 2011
- Cast : Don Beddoe , Roger Mobley , Wanda Hendrix
- Director : Edward L. Cahn
- Studio : United Artists
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : Adventures
- Run time : 72 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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