Fryman-ZS/United Artists. Director Don Siegel; Producer Al Zimbalist; Screenplay Irving Shulman, Daniel Mainwaring; Camera Hal Mohr; Editor Leon Barsha; Music Van Alexander; Art Director David Milton
Mickey Rooney
Carolyn Jones
Cedric Hardwicke
Leo Gordon
Anthony Caruso
Jack Elam
Nelson was a member of the notorious Dillinger gang that scourged the midwest circa 1933. The script [from a story by Robert Adler] makes him a ruthless, trigger-happy, coldblooded killer.
The versatile Mickey Rooney is not particularly convincing as the pint-sized Nelson. He snarls, boils with hatred and is unrepentant. But he merely seems to be going through the motions and his performance never matches the acting found in gangster classics.
More impressive is Carolyn Jones' portrayal of Rooney's loyal moll. She's a plain jane who's attracted to him by some strange affection. But with the FBI closing in on the wounded Rooney, it is she who kills him when he admits he would even shoot down small boys.
(B&W) Available on VHS. Extract of a review from 1957. Running time: 85 MIN.
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