Der Killer mit dem Babygesicht

Pretty Boy Floyd is a rather pedestrian and overlong biopic of the famous gangster. Luckily there's an outstanding cast on hand to lend the film some much needed credibility: John Ericson is fine as Pretty Boy, but it's great to see Barry Newman, Peter Falk, and Al 'Elect Me Governor' Lewis playing his various sidekicks. We even get Jason 'Brain That Wouldn't Die' Evers as Floyd's nemesis, the determined local lawman.

The career of notorious 1930's bank robber Pretty Boy Floyd is recounted in this sleazy production that also manages to unfold in rather lackluster fashion. Ericson certainly merits the nickname 'Pretty Boy', however his romanticized killer fails to generate an eye-catching level of viciousness. Thus, the story lacks necessary spark at the center. Still, the producers do manage a few compensations. The movie does a pretty good job showing Floyd's lingering roots in Oklahoma where he was something of a folk hero, banks being not too popular in the Depression era 30's. The rural set-ups are also well done showing the shantytown poverty of the time. However, the rest of the production is threadbare, to say the least.

Then too, poor Joan Harvey (Lil) may look the part of Floyd's squeeze, but her acting skill sort of comes and goes. On the other hand, Carl York as Curly manages to inject some real feeling into an otherwise colorless narrative. Good to see Peter Falk getting his first movie break. Too bad he wasn't given a bigger role and a chance to spice things up. Lives of real gangsters were popular on both TV (The Lawless Years, and The Untouchables) and in a number of movies of the time (Capone, Baby Face Nelson). Unfortunately this minor effort is one of the more forgettable ones.

Chronological with some name changing & liberties to some minor facts, PBF is not bad. If you know nothing of PBF outside his name as I, it is worth a glimpse & held me. Did capture era with fashion, costumes, & props. Gave me a realization of the desperate times, caliber of female companions, glamour & glamourlessness, & extreme ups & downs of a gangster of his time.

This film was typical of the B-Movie fare of the late 1950's and early 1960's, spurred by the 1959 TV release of "The Untouchables."

The 1960 film, "The Rise and Fall of Jack Legs Diamond", and the 1961 film "Portrait of a Mobster" were better examples of how these films should and could be made well. B-movies, yes; but there's B and then there's - B made well.

The actor who portrays Pretty Boy Floyd, John Ericsons, was slated for better things, and the studios did try. He was indeed a good journeyman actor but, for some reason, simply did not have the matinée idol gene in him.

There is nothing spectacular going on in this film, but it does move and its easy watching. Its only only standout highlight worth mentioning is a, all too brief but great performance by the late "Munsters" actor, Al Lewis: look for it.

I will not teach you anything by telling that the early sixties was for Hollywood the period of gangster biographies: MURDER INC, RISE AND FALL OF LEGS DIAMOND, PURPLE GANG, YOUNG DILLINGER, MAD DOG COLL, BONNIE PARKER STORY, BABY FACE NELSON, PORTRAIT OF A MOBSTER, PAY OR DIE, KING OF THE ROARING 20's...all more or less small budgets, but all effective, sharp, brutal. This one makes no exception to the rule. John Ericson is the main element of this also very good directed movie from a film maker whose it is I suppose the best job. It is obviously not a huge budget film, but it is sharply made, with an excellent music score. Just enjoy, this feature is not so hard to get.