Machine-Gun Kelly (1958)

User Rating:

6.4/10   

Director:

Roger Corman

Writer:

R. Wright Campbell (writer)

Release Date:

May 1958 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Biography | Crime | History

Tagline:

Without His Gun He Was Naked Yellow!

Plot:

Machine-Gun Kelly, the famous bank robber, seldom without his Thompson machine gun. The story opens...

Plot Keywords:

Bank | Tommy Gun | Cult Favorite | Beautiful Woman | Depression

Cast

Charles Bronson	...	George R. 'Machine Gun' Kelly
Susan Cabot	...	Florence 'Flo' Becker
Morey Amsterdam	...	Michael Fandango
Richard Devon	...	Apple
Jack Lambert	...	Howard
Frank DeKova	...	Harry
Connie Gilchrist	...	'Ma' Becker
Wally Campo	...	Maize
Barboura Morris	...	Lynn Grayson
Lori Martin	...	Sherryl Vito (as Dawn Menzer)
George Archambeault	...	Frank
Robert Griffin	...	Mr. Andrew Vito
Michael Fox	...	Detective Clinton
Larry Thor	...	Detective Drummond
Shirley Falls	...	Martha

Also Known As:

Machine Gun Kelly (USA) (alternative spelling)

Runtime:

80 min | Argentina:85 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Iceland:16 | West Germany:18 (nf) | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | USA:Unrated

Company:

American International Pictures (AIP)

Trivia:

Actor Dick Miller, a Roger Corman regular, was scheduled to play the title role, but writer R. Wright Campbell kept pushing for his brother, William Campbell, to get it and began tailoring the script to emphasize his brother's strengths. To avoid internal squabbling, Corman assigned the role to Charles Bronson.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Pulp Fiction (1994)

Good Corman

Machine Gun Kelly (1958)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Low budget gangster film has Charles Bronson playing the title character, a harden criminal who always has his Thompson machine gun in hand but he also has a fear of being killed. This Roger Corman quickie is pretty good throughout, although the film really doesn't offer anything new the to the genre. The movie moves at a pretty fast pace and contains plenty of action to keep fans entertained. The most interesting thing about watching this movie today is seeing the young Bronson give a performance, which he certainly wouldn't give after becoming a star. If you've only seen Bronson's later day stuff then you're in for a treat as we see a different type of Bronson here. A fast talker, one that smiles and even one who flirts with the ladies. This adds a little more charm to the film that I'm sure it didn't have back when it was originally released. Susan Cabot is very good as Bronson's girlfriend, a dirty little girl who doesn't mind looking at other men. The action is very good throughout and the film has a great music score but I wish it had tried something a little different every once in a while. The best moments in the film are the ones with Bronson messing with a caged lion.