Angels with Dirty Faces

Released November 26, 1938

When Declan meets James and Bruce, he shields his face with a book, assuming the strangers mean to harm him. This turns into a bonding moment, sharing a laugh about this movie, released the prior month. Normally, Declan wouldn’t waste time going to the movies, but he went along with several tenured professors in his department, considering it a good career move.

The movie’s plot is simple. The lives of two childhood friends follow very different paths. One a tough guy and criminal, the other a Catholic priest. This movie gets spoofed in “Home Alone”, when Kevin watches “Angels with Filthy Souls.”