Gangster Story

.... because he leaps off the screen compared to the other actors, all of which have such wooden performances you could build a bonfire out of them.

It's about a bank robber, Jack Martin (Walter Matthau) who has just escaped the police but has one handcuff still attached to his wrist. He gets out of that cleverly. Then he decides to rob a small town bank in a most unconventional way. But the local mob - which Martin knows nothing about - is angry that this guy "invaded their territory" and are out looking for him. He realizes he's being followed, but he thinks they are the cops. Meanwhile, after the robbery, he has started working at a citrus ranch owned by a librarian, and things begin to get romantic between them. When the mob catches up to him, they make him an offer he can't refuse. How does this turn out? Watch and find out.

Matthau directed this and never directed another one. It's a virtue to cut your losses and apply yourself to what you are good at, in his case acting. The dialogue is very non-descript, the female lead (that's actually Matthau's wife playing this part) looks like she might have an intriguing backstory that is never examined, and the art design is ponderous. Why is there a big sign that says "Police Station" inside a police station? With a detective reading "Law and Order" magazine in his spare time.?

The film gets one thing right - When your actors make the ones in Ed Wood movies look like they are of Shakespearean quality, and your dialogue is flat, go with the one thing you have left - Hurry! Keep the pace quick, keep the action interesting, keep people guessing (sort of) what is going to happen next. And this film does that.

If you like Matthau - I do - this is probably worth a look. It is definitely not boring.

To Walter Matthau fans- of which I am one- 'Gangster Story' has the look and feel of a very early (possibly first) film acting appearance which was kept in it's rusty can upon completion, only to be released years later to cash in on his popularity once the actor gained more esteem. That's why I find it hard to believe this effort came after his riveting Oscar-worthy turn in 'A Face In The Crowd' (1957).

The effect is almost like watching Gene Hackman peddling frying pans at a swap meet. Mr. Matthau must have been in very dire straits to agree to sign on to this project. That being said, he is still the best element of this mercilessly low-budget film. His trademark dry humor peers through in some scenes, and his newlywed wife Carol Grace gives a performance that get better as her character is allowed to develop.

To say "Gangster Story' is a curiosity is a vast understatement. If one takes it for what it is, it will hold your interest, despite the rampant clumsiness of dialog and action throughout. Worth a peek.

Gangster Story has the distinction of being the first film Walter Matthau ever starred in and the only film he ever directed. And for him personally he wedded his leading lady Carol Grace aka Carol Marcus. She became the second Mrs. Matthau.

It has a lot of similarities to one of Matthau's better serious roles Charley Varrick which was directed by Don Siegel after Matthau became a star. Unfortunately this one was shot on a dental floss budget and Matthau the actor did not get any great performances out of his cast.

Matthau plays a bank robber who has just escaped police custody and goes right to work and pulls off a nice bank robbery which comes to the attention of a local crime boss. He gets Matthau in his organization and they pull a big score, but the getaway was a bloody mess.

Matthau also has taken up with a local librarian who is intrigued by him even before she learns he's a professional criminal. The chance to leave her humdrum life as a librarian to become possibly Bonnie Parker is also intriguing, but up to a point.

As for the ending, no surprises but it doesn't end like Charley Varrick. Think of the film Heat from Robert DeNiro's point of view.

The only other person in the cast of note is Garry Walberg who plays one Matthau's henchmen from the big score who proves to be a loyal friend.

The whole affair in noir black and white looks like it was shot with a Kodak home movie camera. Matthau makes it interesting, but Ed Wood had bigger budgets.

This was a really low budget movie that was directed by Walter Matthau and the only one he directed too. This was the only movie Matthau's wife starred in and her name was Carol Grace. Before this movie Matthau had been only supporting actor in movies like The Indian Fighter and A Face In The Crowd. This is a really short movie at 65 minutes and it's easy to see why he didn't direct another movie. The plot to this movie is pretty simple in which Matthau is a bank robber who works alone and he goes out west. Matthau robs a bank and the cops think he works for the top mobster out here and they blame him. Matthau then falls in love with a librarian, played by Carol Grace, who won't turn him in after she finds out he's wanted.

This is fun movie to watch if you enjoy old, low-budget B movies. I enjoyed the California scenery and cars from the 1950s probably more than the movie.

The plot and acting is pretty corny but it's still an enjoyable movie, even if it's only for a few laughs.

I even like the stale kind of dialog you get from the cops ... "attention all cars" kind of thing.

It reminds me of something that might have played at one of those old drive-in double features.

The film probably would have been a total dud, but having Walter Matthau helped make it watchable.