Machine-Gun Kelly (1958)

So much average

Overrated

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

'Machine-Gun Kelly' is pretty fine film-noir directed by no other than great sleaze fest master Roger Corman with Charles Bronson in his first leading role and Susan Cabot as his on-screen partner in crime. The film is loosely based on real life criminal George 'Machine-Gun' Kelly (in real life Kelly never killed anyone for example). Even the note in the opening credits gives us a warning - "The title character upon which this story is based is true. The other characters, all events and firms, depicted are fictional. Any similarities to actual persons living or dead is purely coincidental." The film opens with up-beat jazz music and then the viewer is thrown into bank job in progress, and all of the sudden - the cheeriness of the opening titles is gone. From there on Corman manages to keep the steadily serious tone throughout the film, and cheese level is close to the minimum. Bronson does fantastic job as fictionalized 'yellow' gangster Kelly who is nothing without his gun. The phony tough guy image and his real fears are well balanced with such subtlety that the character never sidetracks or seem forced. Bronson's chemistry with Susan Cabot (who is just wonderful as deceiving and tough-talking Flo) is wonderfully natural. They could be real partners in crime. Although done with small budget (and it shows in some more action packed scenes) the film is much higher in quality than usual AIP productions from that period. At least half the credit for good looks of this film definitely goes to Floyd D. Crosby's beautiful cinematography.'Machine-Gun Kelly' upon its release brought director Roger Corman his first serious critical praise.

Roger Corman, now past the age of 90, is to be congratulated for making movies on a shoestring. The guy was a master, and an educated one too -- engineering from Stanford. And an engaging actor too in small parts.That's not to say the movies he made were good. The Poe stories weren't Poe stories, just lurid tales in gaudy color with Vincent Price's mellifluous voice haunting the sound tracks.Corman joined the parade that was turning out gangster "biographies" around 1960. This one is not as good as Rod Steiger's "Capone" but no worse that Mickey Rooney as Baby Face Nelson.It's routine in every detail. The acting is pedestrian when it's not plain bad -- as in Susan Cabot's or Frank DeKova as an alcoholic gas station owner. Bronson was not yet the irresistible force for justice that he was to become, so he's still in his sinister mode -- sneering and insulting everyone.These insults are unexplainable. Everyone insults everyone else or at least teases them. Bronson never smiles except when Morey Amsterdam as a homosexual is humiliated. He's a pustule ready to pop. Yet his colleagues seem to enjoy taunting him, especially about his fear of death, even though they must KNOW he's going to deck them for it.It would have been nice if the dialog were in any way original but it lacks sparkle. There isn't a memorable line in the entire movie. And it would have been so easy -- "Mother of Mercy, is this the end of Machine Gun Kelly?" "I wish you was a wishin' well so's I could tie a bucket to ya and sink ya." (Huh?) If Kelly really were like this, he must have been an unpleasant man.

Another drive-in special from the guy who really knew how to make them, the ever resourceful Roger Corman. No 1958 teen-ager in the back row, front, or in-between really cared about subtleties of plot, characterization, or other adult stuff like historical accuracy. Just make the big screen go fast, tough, and sexy, especially for the hot-and-heavy back row who probably didn't care if it was Doris Day as long as they had a place to park in the dark. Seeing the movie 50 years later, I now know that Bronson can smile and squint at the same time. Actually, he's more animated here than the Mt. Rushmore super-star he later turned into. I doubt younger viewers can appreciate just how different he was from the pretty-boy 1950's dominated by the likes of Tab, Troy, and Rock. Once you saw that Bronson mug, you didn't forget.Other reviewers are right. It's colorful characters here that count and there's a good bunch of them, especially the tough-as-nails old bordello madam. You know it's a drive-in special when the producers don't even try to disguise the cat-house with a dance hall cosmetic. And where did they get that really exotic idea of the mountain lion. My guess is that Corman stopped somewhere in the desert where gas stations of old used roadside zoos as a hyped- up come-on. I thought they would use the critter to kill off one of the characters, especially the oily Amsterdam. My favorite scene is where tough guys Jack Lambert and Bronson square off in a hard-eye squinting contest. I doubt that you could pass a laser beam between them. Anyway, the movie was not exactly Oscar bait in 1958, but even now it's still a lot more tacky fun than a lot of the prestige productions of that year.

George Kelly is a small-time crook looking to make some big newspaper headlines to impress his imposing moll Flo. After one successful bank robbery after another, one turns into a botch job with Kelly's phobia of death leaving on his men dead and the other wanting his blood. After ridding that problem, due to Flo's pressure to do something. She influences him into kidnapping a wealthy businessman's daughter, but this would lead onto their downfall with Kelly's lurking weakness coming through. Roger Corman does it again. "Machine-Gun Kelly" is another fine example of perfect film-making on a minimal budget and time restraint, where he's still able to deliver a sturdy, brisk and fleshed-out b-gangster film with a professional touch. The picture looked good, and photographer Floyd Crosby's sharp and shadowy handling brought out the film's brooding ambiance. While Gerald Fried's jazzy music score keeps it all in an exciting and saucy mood. Corman's style isn't overly jumpy, but more so tight, tough and namely suggestive in its actions and basic story telling. Actually there's plenty of time and focus on the material, and that of the complex character of Kelly. One of the major curiosities however, would be that of Charles Bronson's sterling performance as George "Machine-Gun" Kelly. For his first lead role he plays it accordingly, with an on edge and moody shade of an infant bully. Equally as impressive was his icy co-star Susan Cabot. Her vividly titular performance as the cheeky, sly broad of Kelly's is dominantly manipulative. The support cast (Morey, Frank De Kova, Jack Lambert, Richard Devon, Connie Gilchrist) added much-welcomed colour and personality. Corman's straight-laced direction is efficiently organised and he brews up a smoky atmosphere with its authentically wishy-washy 1930's settings. R. Wright Campbell's pulp material is loaded with a snappy, economical and highly engaging script and is loosely based on a 1930s gangster. It's actually an innovative little set-up with some effective psychology brushes and a downbeat ending that fits right at home with the central character's ineptness of his reputation. Kelly's character really sticks out a like a sore thumb compared to the rest of the hardened criminal figures. It's all about the power and name one achieves from these acts is what they're after, not just the doe. This what makes Kelly look uncomfortable. Even with its limitations, it turns out to be a highly entertaining and satisfying low-scale crime caper by Roger Corman.