Are These Our Children

{{short description|1931 film}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2020}} {{Infobox film | name = Are These Our Children? | image = Are These Our Children poster.jpg | alt = | caption = Theatrical release poster | director = [[Wesley Ruggles]] | producer = [[William LeBaron]] | writer = [[Howard Estabrook]] ''(adaptation & dialogue)'' | story = Wesley Ruggles | starring = [[Eric Linden]] [[Ben Alexander (actor)|Ben Alexander]] [[Beryl Mercer]] [[Mary Kornman]] [[Arline Judge]] [[Rochelle Hudson]] | music = [[Max Steiner]] | cinematography = [[Leo Tover]] | editing = [[William Hamilton (film editor)|William Hamilton]] | studio = [[RKO Pictures]] | distributor = RKO Picture | released = {{Film date|1931|11|13|New York City|1931|11|14|US}} | runtime = 75 or 83 minutes<ref name=afi>{{AFI film|4117}}</ref> | country = United States | language = English | budget = | gross = }}

'''''Are These Our Children?''''' is a 1931 American [[Pre-Code Hollywood|pre-Code]] [[drama film]] directed by [[Wesley Ruggles]] and written by [[Howard Estabrook]]. The film stars [[Eric Linden]], [[Ben Alexander (actor)|Ben Alexander]], [[Beryl Mercer]], [[Mary Kornman]], [[Arline Judge]], and [[Rochelle Hudson]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/2868/are-these-our-children|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140904210606/http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/2868/Are-These-Our-Children/|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 4, 2014|title=Are These Our Children (1931) - Overview|work=Turner Classic Movies|access-date=September 9, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/movies/movie/83899/Are-These-Our-Children-/overview|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903151121/http://www.nytimes.com/movies/movie/83899/Are-These-Our-Children-/overview|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 3, 2014|department=Movies & TV Dept.|work=[[The New York Times]]|publisher=[[Baseline (database)|Baseline]] & [[All Movie Guide]]|author=Hal Erickson|title=Are-These-Our-Children- - Trailer - Cast - Showtimes|author-link=Hal Erickson (author)|date=2014|accessdate=September 9, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://movies.tvguide.com/are-these-our-children/123920|title=Are These Our Children? Trailer, Reviews and Schedule for Are These Our Children?|work=TV Guide|accessdate=September 9, 2014}}</ref> The film was released on November 14, 1931 by [[RKO Pictures]].

==Plot== Eddie Brand s a high school student in New York City. After he loses an oratory contest about the U.S. Constitution, he becomes depressed and leaves his girl friend Mary to take up with Flo Carnes and her hardcore friends, Maybelle, Agnes, Nick Crosby and Bennie Gray, in spite of his grandmother's warnings. He and his new crowd of friends get drunk on gin in jazz clubs and dance halls, and start robbing strangers for cash. Eddie drops out of school and become more and more dependent on liquor.

One night, Eddie, needing a drink, shoots an old family friend, Heinrich "Heinie" Krantz, who has refused to sell him a bottle of booze. When Eddie, Nick and Bennie are arrested for the murder, Nick blurts out the truth on the witness stand, and Eddie is given the death penalty, with Nick and Bennie given life sentences.

==Cast== {{div col|colwidth=28em}} *[[Eric Linden]] as Edward "Eddie" Brand *[[Ben Alexander (actor)|Ben Alexander]] as Nicholas "Nick" Crosby *[[Beryl Mercer]] as Mrs. Martin, Eddie's Grandma *[[Mary Kornman]] as Agnes "Dumbbell" *[[Arline Judge]] as Florence "Flo" Carnes *[[Roberta Gale]] as Maybelle "Giggles" *[[Rochelle Hudson]] as Mary *Billy Butts as Bobby Brand *[[William Orlamond]] as Heinrich "Heinie" Krantz *Bobby Quirk as Bennie Gray *[[Ralf Harolde]] as Prosecutor *James Wang as Sam Kong *[[Robert McKenzie (actor)|Robert McKenzie]] as Oscar Cook *Earl Pingree as Charlie *[[Russ Powell|Russell Powell]] as Sam *Harry Shutan as Defense attorney {{div col end}}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{AFI film}} * {{IMDb title}} * {{TCMDb title|2868}}

[[Category:1931 drama films]] [[Category:1931 films]] [[Category:American black-and-white films]] [[Category:American drama films]] [[Category:Films directed by Wesley Ruggles]] [[Category:RKO Pictures films]] [[Category:Films with screenplays by Howard Estabrook]] [[Category:1931 English-language films]] [[Category:1931 American films]] [[Category:Films scored by Max Steiner]] [[Category:English-language drama films]]