The Devil Is a Sissy (1936) in Color — Starring Freddie Bartholomew & Jackie Cooper

The Devil Is a Sissy (1936) — Buy This Classic in Color

Experience the heartwarming Depression-era coming-of-age story The Devil Is a Sissy (1936), now available as a professionally colorized digital download for only €15.00. Directed by W.S. Van Dyke and starring three of Hollywood’s most talented child actors — Freddie Bartholomew, Jackie Cooper, and Mickey Rooney — this engaging MGM production follows a cultivated English boy who must prove himself on the rough streets of New York’s Lower East Side. Download instantly in DRM-free MP4 format and enjoy this charming classic in vivid color.

Plot Summary

Claude Pierce is a well-mannered, impeccably dressed English schoolboy who arrives in New York City to live with his father after his parents’ divorce. Played by Freddie Bartholomew with the refined diction and delicate bearing that made him Hollywood’s most polished child star, Claude is utterly unprepared for the world he encounters on the streets of Manhattan’s Lower East Side. The private tutors, country estates, and gentle routines of his privileged English upbringing are useless currency in a neighborhood where toughness, street smarts, and the ability to throw a punch are the measures of a boy’s worth.

Claude’s first days at his new public school are a gauntlet of humiliation. The other boys mock his accent, his clothes, and his manners with the creative cruelty that children specialize in. His chief tormentors are two streetwise kids who couldn’t be more different from each other but who share the common ground of being tough, self-reliant products of the city’s unforgiving streets. Buck Murphy, played by Jackie Cooper with cocky swagger and barely hidden vulnerability, is a wild, impulsive kid whose bravado masks a troubled home life. Gig Stevens, played by Mickey Rooney with the explosive energy that would soon make him America’s top box-office star, is a scrappy, wisecracking charmer whose survival instincts are sharper than any book learning.

Claude’s determination to win acceptance from Buck and Gig leads him through a series of increasingly dangerous adventures in the city — from after-school scrapes in back alleys to encounters with local toughs and petty criminals who prey on the neighborhood’s children. Bartholomew plays Claude’s transformation from sheltered aristocrat to street-educated survivor with remarkable subtlety, showing the boy absorbing the lessons of his new world without losing the essential kindness and courage that are his true inheritance.

The friendship between the three boys deepens as each discovers what the others have to offer. Claude brings loyalty, moral seriousness, and an education that opens doors the street kids have never considered. Buck’s bravery and protective instincts reveal a natural leader underneath the bravado. Gig’s humor and quick thinking save all three from situations that muscle alone cannot solve. Together they form an alliance that crosses the social boundaries the adult world tries to enforce.

The film’s dramatic weight centers on Claude’s secret shame — his father is condemned to death for a crime, and the boy lives in terror that his new friends will discover this truth and reject him. The subplot gives the film an emotional gravity that elevates it beyond typical child-star entertainment, exploring themes of inherited guilt, social prejudice, and the question of whether a boy’s character is determined by his parentage or his own choices.

The climax involves a boxing match that tests not only Claude’s physical courage but the loyalty of the friendships he has built. The fight sequences, coached to look authentic while remaining appropriate for a family audience, provide a physical metaphor for Claude’s entire journey — a sheltered boy who learns to stand his ground and fight for what matters.

Cast & Crew

Director: W.S. Van Dyke

Stars: Freddie Bartholomew, Jackie Cooper, Mickey Rooney, Ian Hunter, Peggy Conklin, Katharine Alexander, Gene Lockhart, Grant Mitchell

The three child leads deliver performances that showcase why each was a major star. Freddie Bartholomew brings refinement and emotional depth to Claude, Jackie Cooper combines toughness with hidden tenderness as Buck, and Mickey Rooney demonstrates the explosive, irrepressible energy that would make him the world’s biggest box-office attraction within two years.

Why Buy This Classic in Color?

This professionally colorized restoration brings fresh visual life to the film’s Depression-era New York settings. The crowded, colorful streets of the Lower East Side, the warm interiors of neighborhood shops and tenements, and the green expanses of Central Park all gain atmospheric authenticity in period-accurate color. The contrast between Claude’s proper English clothes and the street kids’ worn, hand-me-down outfits visually underscores the social gap that the story bridges. Now also available in colour.

Buy now for €15.00 — instant DRM-free digital download, compatible with all MP4-capable devices.

Historical Significance

Released in 1936, The Devil Is a Sissy brought together MGM’s three biggest child stars at the peak of their youthful fame, creating a generational document of Depression-era childhood. The film captures the social anxieties of the period — class division, the fear of inherited criminality, the struggle for dignity in poverty — through the accessible lens of children’s adventure. Director W.S. Van Dyke, known for his efficient style, gets naturalistic performances from all three boys that transcend the typical artificiality of child-star vehicles. Through colorization, this charming MGM classic is preserved for modern audiences who can enjoy its nostalgic warmth in vivid new color.

Technical Details

• Format: MP4
• Resolution: HD 720p
• Colorized: Yes, frame-by-frame restoration
• Audio: Original English mono
• Runtime: 92 minutes
• DRM-free: Yes
• Instant download: Yes
• Price: €15.00

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Movie-Specific Questions

Q: What makes the pairing of Bartholomew, Cooper, and Rooney special?
A: This was the only film to unite MGM’s three top child stars, each representing a different acting style — Bartholomew’s refinement, Cooper’s emotional rawness, and Rooney’s explosive energy — creating a dynamic that elevates every scene they share.

Q: Is this suitable for family viewing?
A: Yes, the film is a genuine family classic that deals with themes of friendship, courage, and acceptance in an age-appropriate way while offering enough dramatic complexity to engage adult viewers.

Q: How does the film address class differences?
A: Through Claude’s journey from privileged English boy to accepted member of a Lower East Side gang, the film sensitively explores how children can bridge social divides that adults maintain, finding common ground in courage and loyalty.

Digital Download Questions

Q: What format is the download?
A: The film is delivered as a high-quality MP4 file in HD 720p resolution, playable on virtually any modern device.

Q: Is this download DRM-free?
A: Yes, the download is completely DRM-free for your personal, non-commercial use.

Q: How quickly will I receive my download?
A: You will receive a secure download link on the confirmation page immediately after purchase, with a backup link sent to your email.

Related Colorized Classics

• Captains Courageous (1937)
• Boys Town (1938)
• Little Lord Fauntleroy (1936)
• Dead End (1937)
• Angels with Dirty Faces (1938)