King of the Roaring 20's - The Story of Arnold Rothstein (1961)

User Rating:

5.6/10   

Director:

Joseph M. Newman

Writers:

Leo Katcher (book)
Jo Swerling (writer)

Release Date:

11 June 1961 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Tagline:

The Roaring 20's. The Vice-Ridden Years Of The Jazz-Mad Era!

Plot:

The story of flamboyant Prohibition-era gangster, gambler and bootlegger Arnold Rothstein.

Plot Keywords:

Beautiful Woman | Independent Film | Based On Book | Character Name In Title

Cast

David Janssen	...	Arnold Rothstein
Dianne Foster	...	Carolyn Green
Mickey Rooney	...	Johnny Burke
Jack Carson	...	Timothy W. 'Big Tim' O'Brien
Diana Dors	...	Madge
Dan O'Herlihy	...	Phil Butler
Mickey Shaughnessy	...	Jim Kelly
Keenan Wynn	...	Tom Fowler
Joseph Schildkraut	...	Abraham Rothstein
William Demarest	...	Henry Hecht
Murvyn Vye	...	Williams
Regis Toomey	...	Bill Baird
Robert Ellenstein	...	Lenny
Teri Janssen	...	Joanie
Jim Baird	...	Arnold Rothstein as young boy

Also Known As:

The Big Bankroll (UK)

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Bischoff-Diamond Corporation

Trivia:

Final film of Jack Carson.

What Happened?

With a screenplay by Jo Swerling, this should have been a dynamite movie. However, with direction by Joseph M. Newman, it winds up being a pointless B movie. No action, no movement, not even really any clear character....

Given a desire to portray an enigmatic character, David Janssen was a potentially perfect choice for the role of Arnold Rothstein, boss gambler and the man who may have fixed the 1919 World Series. Janssen had a striking ability to show an intelligent character clearly engaged in the moment even as he evaluates the situation disinterestedly, an acting ability that he used to perfection on the small screen in both THE FUGITIVE and HARRY O. Yet, except for his scenes with Mickey Rooney (who finally got the chance in this movie to stretch himself in a real acting assignment and comes off as the best in the cast), we get little of that. Instead we get a movie in which each plot point is mechanically foreshadowed and then shown in a rather dull fashion.

There are a few standout performances: Dan O'Herlihy as the corrupt cop is great, but all he does is make you wish the movie is about him. What's going on in his mind and why? Joseph Schildkraut handles his couple of scenes with dignity and care. Jack Carson slides through his role as the head gangster in his typical bluff, understated manner. But the center of this movie starts nowhere, leads nowhere and takes no advantage of any of the strengths of the talents involved.