Baby Face Nelson (1957)

To me, this movie is perfection.

It is a performances centric movie

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties.

A classic 1930's Warner Bros. gangster movie...except that it isn't. Don Siegel made "Baby Face Nelson" in 1957 and for United Artists but it has the look and feel of the very best gangster movies from a couple of decades earlier. Mickey Rooney plays the title role and, of course, he's perfect for the part and the wonderful Carolyn Jones is his girl. It's also got a killer supporting cast that includes Anthony Caruso, Jack Elam, Ted DeCorsia and Leo Gordon as Dillenger as well as an excellent Cedric Hardwicke beautifully cast against type as a doctor on the wrong side of the law. Irving Shulman wrote the original story and he and Daniel Mainwaring did the screenplay. The suitably seedy black and white photography was by Hal Mohr.

In the late 1950s and early 60s, 1930s gangsters were the rage. In addition to the TV show "The Untouchables", there were a lot of films that practically made heroes out of Dillinger, Ma Barker and other unsavory jerks of the era. One thing these depictions all had in common...they bore little semblance to the actual criminals! Why? Because their real life exploits weren't all that exciting...so they spiced it up by fictionalizing their lives--much like films of the 1930s and 40s did with cowboys like Billy the Kid and Jesse James. So, if you are looking for a history lesson or documentary about Baby Face Nelson, you should not bother with this movie.If you don't mind that it's almost complete fiction, the film is modestly entertaining. Mickey Rooney's portrayal of the man is much like Jimmy Cagney's portrayal of Cody Jarrett in "White Heat"...completely over the top and more a caricature than realistic portrayal of anyone. This isn't so much a complaint...this is entertaining but it's hard to imagine anyone this antisocial and nasty being a successful gangster or working with any gang. This version of Nelson shoots people right and left, hates EVERYONE and is just plain nuts. The only problem with all this is that there is no room for anyone else in the film...even Dillinger! These other characters are one-dimensional and uninteresting. Overall, a dopey but enjoyable film. It has many faults but still makes for fun viewing if you have very, very modest expectations.

Mickey Rooney stretched the limits of his talents and continued to live down the image of all American Andy Hardy in this blood and guts portrayal of Baby Face Nelson. In the title role Rooney dominates this film and that's no small achievement for him as he is supported by a really good bunch of character players, especially for a small independent United Artists film. This part was certainly a better fit for him than that other true life short man he played Lorenz Hart.One of the nastiest of the famous public enemies of the Thirties, Lester Gillis aka Baby Face Nelson had some real issues. A nasty temper and some inferiority feelings about his short size are what makes him what he is. Give him a Thompson submachine gun and he cuts all down to size.Reading the Wikipedia article and knowing what I know about him, Rooney really captured his character well. His fans should love what he did in this. Only the cheapness in production values prevents me from giving Baby Face Nelson a higher rating.

What separates a film noir from just a regular gangster flick made in the mid-40's to late 50's? Genre definitions are slippery beasts. I think a noir should, in most cases, say something about the human condition, something about how we respond to pressure, how our past defines us, how a bad decision in a moment of weakness can send us down the wrong path. A gangster flick is pretty much simple shoot-em-up entertainment. Because Nelson starts out bad and maintains that course, I wouldn't say we're getting much insight into the human condition. But it is damn fine shoot-em-up entertainment with another surprising performance by Mickey Rooney. As the tough-as-nails Nelson, he's cold and ruthless without a trace of his goody-good reputation. Also notable is Carolyn Jones as his game-for-anything devoted gal, and a series of fine (but with Nelson around, short-lived) supporting performances. Siegel proved with THE LINEUP that he could create top-notch thrills of the vicious variety, and although this film doesn't quite reach those heights (Rooney's good, but he's no Eli Wallach) it presents a series of rapid-fire scenarios without ever dawdling too long. Terrific jazz age score and one hell of a great ending, too. Noir or not, definitely worth a look.