Chicago Joe et la showgirl

I've been watching quite a few ho-hum films lately and this one doesn't quite reach even that status.

We are first assured that this movie is 100% factual, and I guess it came close. I see how the story of a criminal couple on a short crime spree sold tabloid newspapers, but it just didn't make an interesting movie. It aspires to a forties look, but is too ninetiesh for me.

The acting is okay, but no outstanding performances. Directing...well, not very good. Scrept's sorta blah.

There's maybe one good though lurid scene in this and that isn't enough to make sitting through the movie to see.

Perhaps I shouldn't be commenting on this film, as I couldn't sit through the entire showing. I rented this movie, because I am always drawn to movies of the 40's/50's era. Well, that was a mistake. Should have learned my lesson with Mulholland Falls, but this one took "bad" movie to a whole new level.

There's not much to say about this movie, except "avoid at all costs".

I admit I only watched this movie to see Alexandra Pigg as Violet. Normally, I can suffer through the boring parts to get to the actor I'm looking for, but this was the slowest, dullest, most annoying movie I've ever seen. I had to fast forward after 10 minutes of the irritating lead actress smoking her brains out while she and Kiefer chewed the scenery and looked as bored as I was. They had no chemistry and every word they said fell flat. At 50 minutes in, Alexandra came on for a few minutes and it was the highlight of the film. She at least had some magnetism and was interesting to watch as a character. I may be biased, but since she was the director's wife, he should have been smart enough to give her the lead role instead --maybe this film wouldn't have flopped so hard (like their marriage)!

I don't understand why most people don't like the film or even find it boring! It is one of my favorite films! I admit I don't know much about the true case, but I can tell you about the film as a fictional story: It is one of the most atmosperic films I know. The pictures are great. London's empty streets at night in wartime... the art directing really gives you the feeling of the time and place. The music, often pieces by Benny Goodman are brilliantly used to support situations and also of course is historically very well fitting. The dance scene is the most intense swing dance scene I have ever seen on film and I have seen all the Fred Astaire movies! The directing is very interesting and a bit experimental. It gives you a brilliant view into the inside of the characters. Georgina dreaming about fame and adventure likes to see "Ricky" as a really cool gangster, and herself with him as his stylish girl in his elegant car, -so we suddenly see them like that. It's an interessting and thrilling effect, not at last because especially Kiefer plays beautyfull with his charakter and the different ways he can be seen by Georgy, his actual girlfriend or the viewer. Also you get a really strong connection to Kiefer's character. I really started to feel sick and associated with him, feeling the nightmare, that he was in. Georgy is well played too, you get her childish curiosity and passion for danger, adventure and power, which is kind of charming at first, but then you also see her through "Ricky's" eyes as a demonic, dangerous killer, that is disgusting and terrifying in the same way as seductive. Even I, as being a woman can totally understand his conflict and the nightmare he is going through. I can not understand how this film can bore someone, I think it is a real treasure!

I agree with Jack Sommersby's comment that the film was boring, although he probably knows more about directing than I. However, the film somewhat chronicles what happened in this case and I think that Keifer did an OK job of portraying Hulten. In my opinion, the film would have been much better if it had shown Hulten's and Jone's trial at the Old Bailey, his subsequent hanging at the Pentonville prison, and her being sent to Holloway prison for life.

Richard Clark has an excellent Web site that is just loaded with facts about the prison system and capital punishment in the U.K. going back to the early 18th century.

This film is nowhere near the calibre of "10 Rillington Place" and "Let Him Have It."