Shrewd ace hit-man Harry Crown (Richard Harris in fine cool form) gets hired by top mobster Uncle Frank Kelly (the excellent Edmond O'Brien) to bump off his ruthless rival Big Eddie (a deliciously broad portrayal by Bradford Dillman). However, Big Eddie retaliates by unleashing his brutish enforcer Marvin "Claw" Zuckerman (neatly essayed with menacing relish by Chuck Connors) on Harry. Director John Frankenheimer, working from a quirky and imaginative script by Robert Dillon, relates the zany story at a snappy pace, expertly mines an amusing line in dark, yet campy and playful deadpan humor, stages the exciting car chases and shoot outs with his customary skill and flair, maintains a cheerfully twisted screwball sensibility throughout, and delivers lots of striking oddball visuals that include giant alligators in the city sewers and corpses in cement shoes littering the bottom of the sea. Moreover, the cast attack the kooky material with lip-smacking zest: Harris, O'Brien, Dillman, and Connors have a field day with their colorful parts, with sturdy support from the gorgeous Ann Turkel as Harry's loyal and sultry school teacher girlfriend Buffy, David Hall as nice and eager novice button man Tony, Katherine Baumann as the sweet and adorable Baby, and Janice Heiden as Uncle Frank's luscious two-timing moll Clara. Ralph Woolsey's sharp cinematography gives the picture a funky stylized pop art look. Henry Mancini's groovy swinging score hits the right-on jaunty spot. A very enjoyable and interesting one-of-a-kind oddity.
Review of 99 and 44/100% Dead!
99 and 44/100% Dead!
(1974)
Offbeat and inspired send-up of mobster movies
2 February 2012
Warning: Spoilers