This documentary style crime drama is based on the true events in Phenix City, Alabama in the early 1950s. In fact there is a talky prologue that consists of a series of interviews that goes on much too long and adds nothing to the film. The film itself is quite interesting, marked by gritty cinematography and a rapid pace. Given the vintage of the film, the violence is shockingly brutal, particularly when targeted at women and children. The main shortcoming is the uneven acting. McIntire is fine, but most of the cast is pretty bad. Kiley is the main culprit here, chewing the scenery as a gung-ho military vet intent on cleaning up his home town.
Review of The Phenix City Story
