I watched this again because I recalled Quentin Tarantino gave it a good review but part way through realised he was praising Machine Gun Kelly not this. This isn't bad it's just overly familiar: the rise and fall of a gangster, played by Steve Cochran, a handsome, accomplished actor who simply doesn't hold the screen the way that Charles Bronson did.
In fairness the character isn't that interesting - ambitious and that's it - and he's surrounded by so many dull stock elements: ruthless boss (the guy from Stalag 17), loving gal, whiny immigrant parents.
It has a jazzy soundtrack, a bit of action. Roger Corman keeps things moving. Steve Fisher wrote the script. Lili St Cyr does a strip tease that feels inserted in.
It's just not that good.
This was part of that "revived gangster movie" cycle of the late 1950s that included Al Capone and The Untouchables. See Machine Gun Kelly instead.
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