'Machine-Gun Kelly' is pretty fine film-noir directed by no other than great sleaze fest master Roger Corman with Charles Bronson in his first leading role and Susan Cabot as his on-screen partner in crime. The film is loosely based on real life criminal George 'Machine-Gun' Kelly (in real life Kelly never killed anyone for example). Even the note in the opening credits gives us a warning - "The title character upon which this story is based is true. The other characters, all events and firms, depicted are fictional. Any similarities to actual persons living or dead is purely coincidental." The film opens with up-beat jazz music and then the viewer is thrown into bank job in progress, and all of the sudden - the cheeriness of the opening titles is gone. From there on Corman manages to keep the steadily serious tone throughout the film, and cheese level is close to the minimum. Bronson does fantastic job as fictionalized 'yellow' gangster Kelly who is nothing without his gun. The phony tough guy image and his real fears are well balanced with such subtlety that the character never sidetracks or seem forced. Bronson's chemistry with Susan Cabot (who is just wonderful as deceiving and tough-talking Flo) is wonderfully natural. They could be real partners in crime. Although done with small budget (and it shows in some more action packed scenes) the film is much higher in quality than usual AIP productions from that period. At least half the credit for good looks of this film definitely goes to Floyd D. Crosby's beautiful cinematography.
'Machine-Gun Kelly' upon its release brought director Roger Corman his first serious critical praise.
'Machine-Gun Kelly' upon its release brought director Roger Corman his first serious critical praise.