Jeanskynebu the audience applauded

Dynamixor The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

ChanFamous I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

Myron Clemons A film of deceptively outspoken contemporary relevance, this is cinema at its most alert, alarming and alive.

calvinnme This was kind of silly fun made worthwhile by the performances of both Calleia, in familiar gangster role and the young Cooper - who gets to cry about his dog, whom his father does not like. Cooper runs away in the first place to save his dog from dad's ire.One has to suspend all belief in the plot. At the start Calleia is intent on rubbing out young runaway Cooper because he is a witness to a crime he has just committed. But then a common love bond develops for Cooper's dog, who happens to be Rin Tin Tin, Jr. and Calleia does a miraculous if somewhat unbelievable 180. He soon becomes a big brother to Cooper and even does battle with the other baddies to protect him.I found myself wishing that I could be Jackie Cooper, romping around with a tender hearted gangster and my loyal Rin Tin Tin, swimming in a forest lagoon, frolicking amongst the berry bushes while singing an old Italian tune, and eating roasted rabbit and marshmallows. That being said, I'd have preferred a different ending, but only in regards to the gangster.

wes-connors Southern California rich kid Jackie Cooper (as Frederick "Freddie" Martindale Vincent III) runs away from home when his wealthy widower father tells the boy he can't keep his dog "Duke" (a role credited to Rin Tin Tin Jr., billed as a canine offspring of the most successful animal star at the time). Young Cooper and his German Sheppard hit the streets as hitchhikers. Unable to get picked-up, Cooper and "Duke" jump a truck. In quick succession, they are caught in a gangster shoot-out, kidnapped and taken hostage by convicted bank robber Joseph Calleia (as Joseph "Joe" Calerno)...While trying to avoid detectives and disgruntled gangsters, Cooper and Mr. Calleia bond; they sleep, swim and toast marshmallows together. Cooper eventually finds himself in even greater danger, with Calleia, "Duke" and father Robert Warwick (as Frederick Martindale Vincent II) struggling to save the lad's life. Veteran humanitarian Jean Hersholt appears nicely as a La Crescenta veterinarian. "Tough Guy" is a formula film with subversive undertones. The co-stars perform well. Calleia and veteran director Chester M. Franklin skillfully bring it to a captivating, bang-up ending.******* Tough Guy (1/24/36) Chester M. Franklin ~ Jackie Cooper, Joseph Calleia, Harvey Stephens, Jean Hersholt

whpratt1 In 1936 there was no special films about 'Lassie', Rin Tin Tin Sr. and Jr. entertained the movie goers. In this film they even had Rin Tin Tin ride on top of a station wagon and at times you could see a stuffed animal being a stunt dog for the dangerous twists and turns around a deserted road! Jackie Cooper(Freddie), "Chosen Survivors",'74 was the great child star and was the pretty boy of MGM studios. In this film Freddie goes through a rough time being kidnapped by a mean bunch of gangsters. Joseph Callera,(Joe Calerno),"Cry Tough",'59, came to Freddie's rescue, however, Rin Tin Tin Jr.,"Fangs of the Wild",'39, went through plenty of trouble trying to track down his faithful friend Freddie through thick and thin! Jean Hersholt,(Doctor Mulback, Veterinarian), Dancing in the Dark",'49, gave a great supporting role, who was a great veteran actor for many years. This is a great Classic Rin Tin Tin film along with Jackie Cooper, which was shown along with another feature film, newsreel and some cartoons on Saturday night at the local movie houses in the USA!

boblipton A nice little second feature, the last directed by silent perennial Chester Franklin -- brother of Sidney Franklin, with whom he co-directed a lot of children's movies in the teens.We needn't go too much into the details of the plot, which are pretty harmless as you might expect of anything with Rin-Tin-Tin Jr. and Jackie Cooper. However, it is a pleasure to watch Joseph Calleia, who was all too frequently cast as a gangster in evening clothes as a tough guy, being reformed by Coop's innocence and, of course, Rinty. He does very well with the role. MGM was trying to promote him as a leading man in this period. It's a pity it did not take.