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Thursday, August 2, 2018

YOUNG DILLINGER 1965 (WARNER ARCHIVE)

I hadn't seen this movie for almost 25 years.

The last time I saw this was when TNT broadcast it back in the 90's I recorded it on VHS back then. Now it has finally reached DVD.

Nick Adams stars as John Dillinger, a young man who gets mixed up in a life of crime and violence at the behest of his beautiful girlfriend, Elaine (Mary Ann Mobley). Stealing money to get married is the start of a life of crime for John.

Finally John is arrested and in jail he meets 'Baby Face' Nelson (John Ashley) and 'Pretty Boy' Floyd (Robert Conrad). After much plotting they escape from jail with the help of John who has been moved to an honor farm.

It's a highly fictitious film, but it is a good one with plenty of action. As a matter of fact CBS TV was going to run it, but cancelled out because of the violence. There is plenty of gunplay and mass killings, but the one that stands out is when John tries to have his face changed by a plastic surgeon played by John Hoyt.

When the surgery doesn't work out, Dillinger ties to doctor to a wheelchair and rolls him into a lake! Sad to say this film didn't do well at the box office, and I can't fathom why. The leads all do a fantastic job as does director Terry Morse.

The rest of the cast includes Dan Terranova, Victor Buono, Reed Hadley, Gene Roth, Frank Gerstle, Walter Sande, Joy Harmon, Ted Knight and Beverly Powers. Stanley Cortez photographed the film beautifully and you have to love the music of Shorty Rogers.

Glad to see Warner Archive bring out this wonderful and fun little film that seems to have slipped thru the cracks.

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