Baby Face Nelson

Mickey Rooney gives an energetic ,scary and persuasive performance in this crisp and edgy don Siegal movie.The businesslike script by Irving Shulman and Daniel Mainwaring traces the rise of Nelson from apprentice gunman to Rocca(Ted de Corsia),through his meetings with Dillinger(Leo Gordon), his incarceration and subsequent escape aided by girlfriend Sue(Carolyn Jones)and his rise to the status of Public Enemy Number 1 Little is said about the background to the story-prohibition is scarcely touched on -or about Nelson's personal motivation .Instead it records -even ,disquietingly ,celebrates his achievements and behaviour.

The support cast gives Rooney solid backup and special kudos go to Sir Cedric Hardwicke ,Jack Elam and Emile Meyer It looks cheap and low budget but this actually helps the impact of this slick ,anti-social pulp movie

I did not have any surprise with this film. I have always loved every of the Don Siegel's features and this one makes no exception. Action packed, rough, tough script pulled by terrific performances with the likes of Mickey Rooney and Leo Gordon. I will never forget their prison films characters; LAST MILE for Rooney and RIOT IN CELL BLOCK 11 for Gordon. Rooney is as crazy as he was in the Howard Koch's masterpiece where he already was a cold blooded killer, leader of a bunch of men who have nothing to lose. This gangster film is not so easy to purchase and that's a real shame. I think it is one of the best of Don Siegel, so typical of his trade mark. Find it at all costs.

Don Siegel's low budget gangster tale has a nasty uncompromising sting to it. Siegel's Direction is spare, but efficient. Mickey Rooney plays the title hood for all he's worth - a bitter thug with a chip on his undersized shoulders. Carolyn Jones is his sultry moll, Sue Nelson, who doesn't have that much cheerier a disposition. Irving Shulman and Daniel Mainwaring's (who previously had written INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS for Siegel) screenplay plays loose with the facts, if not the essential essence of Baby Face's story. Along the way, Baby Face and Sue join up with John Dillinger's (Leo Gordon) gang. Cedric Hardwicke is his oily best as a shady Doctor and George Stone plays a Bank Manager who Baby Face takes an unexpected kinship with. Jack Elam, Dabs Greer and Elisha Cook Jr. provide sturdy support. BABY FACE NELSON is a bit too clipped to fully deliver the goods, but, it's a more than competent B movie with an edge.

What separates a film noir from just a regular gangster flick made in the mid-40's to late 50's? Genre definitions are slippery beasts. I think a noir should, in most cases, say something about the human condition, something about how we respond to pressure, how our past defines us, how a bad decision in a moment of weakness can send us down the wrong path. A gangster flick is pretty much simple shoot-em-up entertainment. Because Nelson starts out bad and maintains that course, I wouldn't say we're getting much insight into the human condition. But it is damn fine shoot-em-up entertainment with another surprising performance by Mickey Rooney. As the tough-as-nails Nelson, he's cold and ruthless without a trace of his goody-good reputation. Also notable is Carolyn Jones as his game-for-anything devoted gal, and a series of fine (but with Nelson around, short-lived) supporting performances. Siegel proved with THE LINEUP that he could create top-notch thrills of the vicious variety, and although this film doesn't quite reach those heights (Rooney's good, but he's no Eli Wallach) it presents a series of rapid-fire scenarios without ever dawdling too long. Terrific jazz age score and one hell of a great ending, too. Noir or not, definitely worth a look.

This film has been somewhat hard to find over the years, but I got hold of a copy last year that surprised me with its quality.

Rooney is totally committed to the role of the trigger happy Nelson, and makes you forget all the lovable roles he has played. His bantam gangster is startlingly convincing.

The rest of the cast is adequate and the Depression atmosphere is fairly believable. Jack Elam and Sir Cedric Hardwicke stand out in their oddball unexpected roles. Leo Gordon is his usual intimidating self as Dillinger.

But it is Carolyn Jones who gives the most memorable performance as Nelson's moll. I was amazed at her portrayal of the very sensual girlfriend. She showed a range of emotions and actions that I would have never guessed from seeing only her Morticia Addams and other notable roles. The movie is worth seeing just for her amazing incarnation of the loyal, loving Sue.

Anyone who likes gangster movies should check out this little B movie gem.