Walter Matthau's GANGSTER STORY (1960)

[Dewey1960]

One of the more delightful aspects of having TCM is the comforting knowledge that sooner or later so many wonderful quasi-obscure little noir gems will eventually be broadcast and make their way into the home libraries of those who so ravenously covet them.

One such deliriously sublime example is GANGSTER STORY, a no-budget 1960 indie noir that starred and was directed by Walter Matthau. Produced in Los Angeles on virtually no money at all, it tells the simple but compelling story of criminal Jack Martin (Matthau) who, at the outset of the story has escaped his police captors and killed a cop in the process. His flight takes him to a quiet little town where he holes up while planning an outrageously weird bank job back in the big city. The heist nets him a bundle and now with the cops, the FBI and the outraged local crime kingpins (how dare this punk upstage them!) hot on his trail, the chase that will lead to Martin’s ultimate destiny becomes hotter by the minute.

This is a tough one to recommend across the board, as there will no doubt be many who are put off by the obvious lack of resources devoted to the making of this picture. But connoisseurs of ragtag B crime noirs are likely to savor the abundance of eccentric touches that Matthau invests in this truly odd and surprisingly inventive thriller. Trivia freaks will enjoy knowing that Carol Grace, the actress who plays Matthau’s love interest, became the real-life second Mrs. Matthau a couple of years later.

GANGSTER STORY airs on TCM late Saturday night (Sunday morning). Perfect pre-dawn entertainment.

[raftfan]

Before he became better known as a comedian and Jack Lemmon's sidekick, Matthau was a pretty convincing tough guy. Besides "Gangster Story", he played a gangster in "King Creole" and "Slaughter on Tenth Avenue". Hard to think of him in those kinds of parts today, but he was quite effective.

I enjoyed "Gangster Story", a rather intriguing compact crime yarn, though it definitely suffered from it's $1.98 budget.

[moira finnie]

Thanks for the recommendation, Dewey. Since I've tried to watch this during the day, (not possible, since it's far too sunny for a low rent noir to beguile me at that time of day) and I'm currently reading, with pleasure, Carol Grace Saroyan Matthau's memoir, Among the Porcupines, I'll try to check Gangster Story out again at 4:45am on Sunday. (oy! but those birds in my yard wake me up then anyway...)

I love Walter Matthau's villains. They are lower than a snake's belly, have no redeeming social value, and are funny, (especially in retrospect).

[Mr. Arkadin]

Thanks for the tip Mr. D. I will be tuning in.