Teen-Age Crime Wave

Enjoyed this old time film from the 1950's where Tommy Cook, ( Mike Denton) plays the role of a two-time loser in robbery and his sidekick is Terry Marsh, (Molly McCart) who also has a police record. Mike & Molly commit another robbery and Mike kills a police office while he is escaping and this couple wind up taking over a farm house where an elderly couple live. There is another girl named Jane Koberly,(Sue England) who is a delinquent girl and gets deeply involved with Mike and Molly. Mike continues to shoot and kill people at the farm house and then there is a big shoot out at the historic Griffith Park Observation in Los Angles, California. This is not the greatest of black and white films from the 1950's, but I bet plenty of people enjoyed this film during those years.

This is a very worthwhile diversion. Tommy Cook overacts all over the place, but it does provide many enjoyable chuckles. Molly McCart does a fine job as Terry and deserved a successful career based on the talent she displayed here. While Sue English as Jane portrayed her character satisfactorily, the role did not require much of a stretch. Given her obvious attractiveness, I am surprised I was not previously aware of this actress! This production must have had an "in" with the Griffiths Observatory, as they were certainly given full access to the site! Recommended fun! James Bell,the farmer, is immediately recognizable from the dozens of TV and film roles he's had over the years!

Fred S Sears could not avoid the juvenile delinquency fashion wave that spread in the Hollywood industry; thanks to REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE, about which this film is a pale, lame, rubbish remake. Many elements are similar, the Observatory element is a so that obvious tribute o the Nicholas Ray's so famous film. This film produced by Columbia by the infamous and horrible Sam Katzman is a pure waste, you can live without it, but if you are a film searcher, and are a Fred S Sears' fan, then go for it. I am not a lover of this kind of films. If you want some crime films directed by Fred S Sears, choose instead CHICAGO SYNDICATE, MIAMI STORY, MIAMI EXPOSE, INSIDE DETROIT.

I viewed this movie on an episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000 as most people born in the last 30 or 40 years has. I do not see this being a classic that people would pull up a chair and watch without the riffing of the gang on the satellite of love. Still, it had its moments as it was better than more than a couple of the films they have done. It did make me wonder what was going to happen and who was going to die. It also surprised me as I figured this one girl who was arrested and charged, but not really a part of the gang was going to figure more into the film than she did; however, for the most part all she did was fret a whole heck of a lot!

The story has a girl leading a man to a deserted street where her boyfriend and a guy they set up with a girl who really wanted nothing to do with any of it mug a guy. The two guys get away when the police come, but the two girls get caught and sentenced to a juvenile delinquent prison. Not sure why the one girl did not just tell the police the identity of the two guys as that would have saved her a trip, but she and the girl are being transported when the bad girl's boyfriend shows up and kills a cop and springs the two girls, though the one did not want to go. They end up at a farm house where they keep a father and wife hostage and later their son. The law is closing in which makes them more and more desperate.

This movie made for a pretty good episode of MST3K. I always prefer the more horror and science fiction oriented episode, but a few of this off the wall ones were good too. This one is a lot like the one with the gang of girls who committed all the crimes, but that episode was a lot funnier. This episode had its moments as far as the riffing, but the thing that stood out the most for me were all the false endings at the actual end of the episode. My guess is the movie was too short to fill the run time, but too long to include a short.

So, the movie had some good points, it was not like The Creeping Terror or various others where there is just about no redeemable qualities, but it isn't anything you are second guessing as far as them riffing it in the first place. Honestly, the best thing about the movie was the bad girl as she was a cute little thing, much cuter than the other one who had more of the look from that era. In the end, one of those movies where you are waiting for the bad guys to get it in the end and it surprises you a bit with how it unfolds.

I haven't read the IMDB reviews yet because this deserves a higher rating than given. If you can get past the recycled plot, stereotypes, and cliches of its decade, this film delivers strong performances. I expected a farce based on the title, and I got a cerebral jolt of surprise.

The dialogue often feels forced and obligatory, but the cast makes the most of the script. I think the director cared. A nod to music conductor Mischa Bakaleinikoff!