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Friday, February 19, 2016

RISE AND FALL OF LEGS DIAMOND 1960 (TCM VIEWING)

Budd Boetticher directed this great gangster yarn.

Ray Danton stars as Jack Diamond a small time thief who wants much more out of life. After a brief stint in jail he decides to steal from thieves and slowly moves close to a gangster named Arnold Rothstein (Robert Lowery).

All goes well as Jack causes Rothstein so many problems that he hires him to be a bodyguard. Jack then slowly begins to move in on Rothsteins booze,drugs and women. Soon Jack "Legs" Diamond is running the show.

Simon Oakland is Lt. Moody, a policeman who is always one step behind Diamond. Elaine Stewart is the main woman who belongs to Rothstein and her name is Monica Drake. Diamond soon steals her and them dumps her as he does with most women. The gorgeous Karen Steele Alice Scott, a young woman who is constantly used by Diamond, but cannot help loving him.

One of the other standout performances goes to Warren Oates as Jack's younger brother Eddie. This is a gripping and totally entertaining film that will immediately hook you and keep you watching. Danton gives the performance of a lifetime and this should have made him a huge star.

It's also a kick to see Jesse White as a sadistic mob boss named Leo "Butcher" Bremmer, who is reduced to nothing by Diamond.

This is available from Warner Archive, and I would highly recommend you pick it up and watch a terrific film. The rest of the cast includes Judson Pratt, Frank DeKova, Joseph Ruskin and Dyan Cannon.

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