Hit the Dutchman

Okay, here's a weird one. Back in the early 1990s, Menahem Golan decided the best thing for his inherited company 21st Century was to shoot two gangster films back-to-back in Russia. Not sure why the prolific exploitation producer jumped on the 1920s/30s gangster bandwagon. Maybe thought Mobsters (1991) and Billy Bathgate (1991) were hits? Anyway, he took advantage of the cheap labor in Russia and the end results were Hit the Dutchman (1992) and Mad Dog Coll (1992; released in the US as Killer Instinct). He wasn't going to let anything get in his way, including an attempted coup in August 1991 (a production stance that made U. S. papers at the time).

To save money (and stick close to history), several actors play the same real-life characters as the mobsters featured were all associates. So both films feature Bruce Nozick as Arthur "Dutch Schultz" Flegenheimer; Christopher Bradley as Vincent "Mad Dog" Coll; Jeff Griggs as Peter Coll; Eddie Bowz as Joey Noe; and Will Kempe as Jack "Legs" Diamond. Naturally, they aren't as unattractive as the real life thugs. Now here the weird part - despite being connected and featuring the same cast, both films are wildly different in terms of the fates of characters. For example, in HTD Peter Coll is killed by Schultz in a shootout in the backstage of a theater; in MDC Peter Coll is gunned down on the street by a Schultz henchman. In reality he was gunned down while driving. "Mad Dog" Coll is killed the same way in both films (tommy gunned while in a phone booth in a store, which is historically accurate), but HTD has Schultz in the shop while MDC has Schultz being the one getting the phone call. Ready for more mind-bending chaos? Both films feature Lucky Luciano and in HTD he is played by Leonard Donato, while in MDC he is played by Matt Servitto, who plays the Schultz partner Bo Weinberg in HTD! And how about this: Rachel York is the singer love interest in MDC and Jenny McShane is the singer love interest in HTD and lip-synchs to songs sung by...Rachel York! I haven't been this confused since Exorcist: The Beginning/Dominion. (Insert Jackie Chan confused meme) As for the films, they are okay time killers. Golan directed HTD and does a decent job (look for him in a cameo as an assassinated mobster) with Russia sorta passing for Depression era NYC. MDC has two credited directors in Greydon Clark and Ken Stein. This one is notable in that the cinematography is by Janusz Kaminski and when MDC hit video store shelves on March 24, 1993, he was a few weeks deep into filming something called Schindler's List (1993) for which he would win something called an Oscar. The photography on the equally slick looking HTD is handled by Nicholas von Sternberg, who made his debut with Dolemite (1975). Thus, Spielberg is only separated from Rudy Ray Moore by a few people.

Guns, explotions, boobs, foul language, crappy dialog. It's typical B filmmaking, with an unusally good score. This was shot back to back with Killer Instinct, aka Mad Dog Coll, using a lot of the same cast, same set, but Killer Instinct is much better. It has it's moments... again Chris Bradley is good, as is Ed Bowz, and Sally Kirkland, but the film is not gripping. And Bruce Nozick begins to grate on the viewers nerves in this picture.

I watched this movie three years ago, and it was spectacular. Bruce Nozick who played Dutch Schultz, was great. He had a vain, and sarcastic attitude, which cracked me up. And that was what Dutch Schultz was like. The violence was real, like the Mafia was. This a must see movie

"Dutch Schultz", AKA Arthur Fleggenheimer, was a real person and his rather nasty life is fairly well documented. This movie which purports to depict his life should have used a fictional character, because the overdramatized events are too strong a departure from the facts and the chronology. Not only that, it ignores some interesting details which other versions have included such as the public relations fiasco in upstate N.Y. and his religious conversion. It is true that he was executed by Luciano, Lansky, et. al. but that's as far as it goes. The exploding plate scene which represents Luciano carrying out the execution of Bo Weinberg in his own home, assisted by his own mother is rediculous. Also, there is the scene in which Dutch approaches his own mother to pay protection to Legs Diamond. It just doesn't work. The character of Mrs. Fleggenheimer doesn't work either. This movie does not need a doting Jewish mother for comic relief. The lame representation of Legs Diamond was humorous enough. I'm sure the man is turning in his grave. And, by the way, Dutch did in fact personally kill people, but, he was not Rambo or 007. The scene in which he wipes out the brewery is absurd. I don't know. Maybe it was supposed to be a comedy and I just didn't get it.

I really enjoyed Bruce Nozick as Dutch Schultz in this fun gangster flick. Nozick's Dutch Schultz is one wild character and he makes this movie a treat. I was looking for some fun B movie escapism and this flick delivered. It's got a good cast, great musical score, and fine cinematography. Nozick's Dutch is one wild character! The scene in the grocery store is unforgettable! The exploding plate of spaghetti assassination is a hoot! The armored fortress like vehicle is a blast! Don't take this too seriously or expect it to be a documentary. Love B movies? Give Hit the Dutchman a try. I'm giving it such a high score because I had so much fun watching it.