The Cry Baby Killer (1958)

User Rating:

4.9/10   

Director:

Jus Addiss

Writers:

Leo Gordon (screenplay)
Leo Gordon (story)

Release Date:

17 August 1958 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

YESTERDAY a Teenage Rebel... TODAY a mad-dog slayer!

Plot:

Nicholson makes his film debut as a juvenile delinquent, who panics when he thinks he's committed murder.

Plot Keywords:

Police | Panic | Surrender | Hostage | Tear Gas

Cast

Harry Lauter	...	Police Lt. Porter
Jack Nicholson	...	Jimmy Wallace
Carolyn Mitchell	...	Carole Fields
Brett Halsey	...	Manny Cole
Lynn Cartwright	...	Julie
Ralph Reed	...	Joey
John Shay	...	Police Officer Gannon
Barbara Knudson	...	Mrs. Maxton
William A. Forester	...	Carl Maxton
John Weed	...	Police Sgt. Reed
Frank Richards	...	Pete Gambelli
Bill Erwin	...	Mr. Wallace
James Fillmore	...	Al
Smoki Whitfield	...	Sam (as Jordan 'Smoki' Whitfield)
Ed Nelson	...	Rick Connor

Runtime:

70 min | USA:75 min (director's cut)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Allied Artists Pictures

Trivia:

This was Jack Nicholson's film debut.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "E! True Hollywood Story: Jack Nicholson" (2005)

Great Camp

Cry Baby Killer, The (1958)

*** (out of 4)

This is somewhat of a Holy Grail for me because I've been dying to see this flick since I became a fan of Jack Nicholson back in the late 80s. I've been pretty lucky to know people who own rare movies but not a single one ever had this film and in fact, I never he knew anyone who had actually seen it. In the film Nicholson (in his debut) plays a hot headed teen who is upset when the town's tough guy steals his girl. After being jumped, Nicholson gets ahold of a gun, kills the tough guy and then takes another man, a woman and her baby hostage. A tough as nails cop (Harry Lauter) tries to talk him out as the television station and onlookers gather outside. This moral/teenage flick is in the same vein as Rebel Without a Cause but it stands out due in large part to being Nicholson's debut. I wouldn't say he gives a good performance as he goes way too over the top in a few scenes but you can see certain trademarks that'll show up in some of his classic performances. The scenes with him screaming at the crying baby get some unintentional laughs as does a few other scenes but this just adds to the cult appeal. Since this film is on DVD now I'm sure it will become a cult classic of the Drive-In teenage films. Producer Roger Corman and screenwriter Leo Gordon have cameos.