james cagney and racketeer and political ward heeler and get to become a deputy commissioner of correction and visit a boys reform school . the catch be that cagney be not in it for the graft and he genuinely want to make a difference in the life of the kid there because he come from a background like their . the villain of the piece be dudley digges who be a graft chiseler and a sanctimonious hypocrite to boot . one of the subtexts of the plot of the mayor of hell be that these kid be mostly immigrant and those that judge them and be in position of power be those who be here a few generation . note in the mess hall scene a digges offer a prayer of thanks for the food they be about to receive and digges be eat well and but the kid be get quality you wouldn not fee to your pet . cagney have his own trouble back in the city with some of his henchman and he have to take it on the lam . that put digges back in charge and set up the film for it climax . the mayor of hell be a typical product from the work class studio . and because it be pre code it get pretty gruesome at time . a late version of this and crime school and with humphrey bogart and the dead end kid and be a more sanitized remake . although cagney be fine in the lead role a be madge evans the school nurse and the acting honor go to dudley digges . hard to believe that the same man could portray the drunken and but kindly and one legged ship surgeon in mutiny on the bounty . but digges be a fine player and a joy to watch in every film he in . this film be not show to often because of the racial and ethnic stereotype it portray . a whole lot of minority would be offend today . still it a fine film . interestingly enough a few year ago the film sleeper come out and it touch on some of the same issue . i guess film about reform school do not change in any time .